Bird Watching | Dermot Cosgrove

A passion
for birdwatching

Birdwatching, or birding, is a form of wildlife observation in which the observation of birds is a recreational activity or citizen science. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, by listening for bird sounds,[1][2] or by watching public webcams. Birdwatching often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are more easily detected and identified by ear than by eye. Most birdwatchers pursue this activity for recreational or social reasons, unlike ornithologists, who engage in the study of birds using formal scientific methods

Some Birds Spotted On A recent Trip

Our last hike saw us encounter some amazing birds. Here are three that stood out to me and some information on them!

Fulmar.

The fulmars are tubenosed seabirds of the family Procellariidae.
Fulmars superficially resemble gulls, but are readily distinguished by their flight on stiff wings, and their tube noses. They breed on cliffs, laying one or rarely two eggs on a ledge of bare rock or on a grassy cliff. Outside the breeding season, they are pelagic, feeding on fish, squid and shrimp in the open ocean. They are long-lived for birds, living for up to 40 years.

Raven

The common raven , also known as the northern raven, is a large all-black passerine bird. Found across the Northern Hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids. There are at least eight subspecies with little variation in appearance, although recent research has demonstrated significant genetic differences among populations from various regions.

Golden-Headed Cisticola

Sighted in Bali while on a bird-watching and diving trip, the golden-headed cisticola is a small species, growing to 9–11.5 centimetres (3.5–4.5 in) long and weighing 6–10 grams (0.21–0.35 oz), with males slightly heavier than females. Although its appearance is similar to the black backed cisticola (Cisticola eximius), the golden-headed cisticola has a shorter tail during the breeding season. The zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) is also similar, but the “rich golden” head of the golden-headed cisticola is not present in the zitting cisticola

Bali

Bird-watching in Bali, in 2017 Dermot travelled to Bali for bird-watching and diving.
While not a noted island for bird-watching it has some fantastic species such as the Bali Starling which was one of the highlights of the trip along with the Javan Banded Pita and Scopes Owl.

Loop Head Peninsula

The Loop Head Peninsula in the West of Ireland is a fantastic birding location.
The fields along the coast road give regular sightings of Choughs, Ravens, Stonechats, Whimbrel and Curlew in the Winter time along with good chances of seeing Hen Harrier, and Peregrine Falcon.

A passion for birdwatching