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Anybody know this bird?

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  • 30-09-2006 9:19pm
    #1
    ender ender
    Closed Accounts Posts: 128 ✭✭


    Hi,
    I spotted this bird a few weeks back and was just curious if anybody knew what it was: http://www.flickr.com/photos/44177339@N00/256605544/

    I had a feeling it was a young bird, as it just sat there and I was able to get really close to it. It was sitting on the beach in Allihies County Cork, and was about the size of a large gull. Any ideas?

    Thanks for the help!


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    #2
    Roen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Hard to tell but it must be a young shag or cormorant.


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    #3
    jmkennedyie
    Registered Users Posts: 678 ✭✭✭jmkennedyie


    Nice shot! My vote is it's a 1st year gannet.

    Although adults (3 year+) are largly white, the juveniles are mostly dark / speckled.

    Here's a photo of another juvenile - you can see some of the speckling is similar:
    http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3057/1025/1600/gannet2.jpg

    (Picture from here)


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    #4
    ender ender
    Closed Accounts Posts: 128 ✭✭ender ender


    Thanks, unfortunately I was experimenting with film, so it's a bit grainy and the colours are off. But yeah, I had a feeling it might be a gannet, as it was bigger than a cormorant, and it had a slightly different beak (although I'm no expert). Plus there's the Skelligs not too far up the coast, with loads of gannets, so maybe it'd come down from there. Is it common to see them alone like this or was it a bit screwed, do you think?

    Thanks for the help guys!


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    #5
    jmkennedyie
    Registered Users Posts: 678 ✭✭✭jmkennedyie


    jmkennedyie wrote:
    Nice shot!

    Hey, I wasn't joking - much better than the pathetic images I normally take :)

    I don't know a lot about gannets, but they some to be formidable fliers and were all over West Cork a few weekends ago while I was down there so I am sure Allihies is well within range.


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    #6
    Roen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Do gannets head out to sea at this time of year or are there some stragglers left around?


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    #7
    jmkennedyie
    Registered Users Posts: 678 ✭✭✭jmkennedyie


    Roen wrote:
    Do gannets head out to sea at this time of year or are there some stragglers left around?

    I think they head out to sea for winter, but certainly a few weeks ago I saw dozens of them to-ing and fro-ing along the West Cork and Kerry coast.

    By the way, if you see gannets diving into the see, feeding, then keep an eye out for Dolphins/Porpoises/Whales ... they often share meals, apparently.


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    #8
    ender ender
    Closed Accounts Posts: 128 ✭✭ender ender


    jmkennedyie wrote:
    Hey, I wasn't joking - much better than the pathetic images I normally take :)

    I don't know a lot about gannets, but they some to be formidable fliers and were all over West Cork a few weekends ago while I was down there so I am sure Allihies is well within range.

    I got lucky, even trying to photograph spiders out the back garden is difficult!


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