Many thanks to our photo contributors: - Michael Burke, Michael Casey, Derek Charles, Dick Coombes, Alex Copland, John Coveney, Sean Cronin, Micheal Cowming, Tom Cuffe, Mike Davis, Eric Dempsey, Colum Flynn, Enda Flynn, John Gallagher, Brian Lynch, Breffni Martin, Anthony McGeehan, Paul Moore, Killian Mullarney, Stuart Piner, Sean Ronayne, Mark Shorten, Urszula Siadak & Robert Vaughan.

(Above) Glaucous Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Co. Galway, 25th March 2006. (Photo: Urszula Siadak).

(Above) Iceland Gull, Galway Docks, Co. Galway, 25th March 2006. (Photo: John Gallagher).

(Above) Crossbill, Foxrock, Co. Dublin, 25th March 2006. (Photo: Michael Burke).

(Above) Bittern, Ballyvergan reedbed, Co. Cork, 19th March 2006. (Photo: Robert Vaughan).

(Above) Little Ringed Plover, Ballycotton, Co. Cork, 19th March 2006. (Photo: Robert Vaughan).

(Above) Franklin's Gull, Wicklow Harbour, Co. Wicklow, 19th March 2006. (Photo: Dick Coombes).

(Above) Franklin's Gull, Rosscarbery, Co. Cork, Co. Cork, 18th March 2006. (Photo: Robert Vaughan).

(Above) Twite, Nimmo's Pier, Co. Galway, 21st March 2006. (Photo: Tom Cuffe).

(Above) Brambling, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, '3rd week of March' 2006. (Photo: Micheal Cowming).

(Above) Forster's Tern, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, '3rd week of March' 2006. (Photo: Micheal Cowming).

(Above) Red-necked Grebe, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, '3rd week of March' 2006. (Photo: Micheal Cowming).

(Above) Franklin's Gull, Cruisetown Strand, Co. Louth, 18th March 2006. (Photo: Enda Flynn).

(Above) Bonaparte's Gull, near The Pilot Boat, Cobh, Co. Cork, 18th March 2006. (Photo: Brian Lynch).

(Above) Franklin's Gull, Wicklow Harbour, Co. Wicklow, 19th March 2006. (Photo: John Coveney).

(Above) Franklin's Gull, Wicklow Harbour, Co. Wicklow, 19th March 2006. (Photo: Eric Dempsey).

(Above) African-type Chaffinch, Loughmore, near Thurles, Co. Tipperary, 16th March 2006. (Photo: Killian Mullarney).

"Apart from the extent of blue-grey on the side of the breast - which appears to be at odds with photos of  undoubted African Chaffinches - this bird has a small but distinct patch of warm (male Chaffinch-like) brown on the rear mantle. Unfortunately I did not hear any calls...
 
This is a second record of bird of this kind in Ireland, the previous one being in Jan/Feb 2003 in Co. Sligo" (KM).

(Above) African-type Chaffinch, Loughmore, near Thurles, Co. Tipperary, 16th March 2006. (Photo: Killian Mullarney).

(Above) Caspian Gull, Belfast Harbour Estate, Co. Down, 16th March 2006. Believed to be a different bird to the one at this site in Jnauary (Photo: Anthony McGeehan).

(Above) Caspian Gull, Belfast Harbour Estate, Co. Down, 16th March 2006. (Photo: Anthony McGeehan).

(Above) Laughing Gull, Ring, Co. Cork, 14th March 2006. (Photo: Sean Ronayne).

(Above) Franklin's Gull, Rosscoarberry, Co. Cork, 14th March 2006. (Photo: Sean Cronin).

(Above) American Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 12th March 2006. (Photo: Mike Davis).

(Above) Laughing Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 12th March 2006. (Photo: Mike Davis).

(Above) Green-winged Teal, Belfast Harbour Reserve, Co. Down, 11th March 2006. (Photo: Derek Charles).

(Above) Kumlien's Gull, Killybegs, Co. Donegal, 12th March 2006. (Photo: Derek Charles).

(Above) Laughing Gull, The Lough, Cork, Co. Cork, 9th March 2006. (Photo: Sean Ronayne).

(Above) Waxwing - one of 35 present - Claremont Court, Dublin, Co. Dublin, 7th March 2006. (Photo: Eric Dempsey).

(Above) Smew, Craigavon Lakes, N. Ireland, 6th March 2006. (Photo: Breffni Martin).

(Above) Lesser Scaup, Ballysaggart Lake, N. Ireland, 6th March 2006. (Photo: Breffni Martin).

(Above) Snowy Owl, Bord na Mona site near Athlone, Co. Longford, 6th March 2006. (Photo: Alex Copland). The bird has been present at this site for two weeks.

(Above) Black Duck, Kilcolman, Co. Cork, 5th March 2006. (Photo: Paul Moore).

(Above) Bean Goose, Kilcolman, Co. Cork, 5th March 2006. (Photo: Colum Flymn).

(Above) Ring-necked Duck, Mallow Sugar Factory Lagoons, 5th March 2006. (Photo: Sean Ronayne & Owen Foley).

(Above) Laughing Gull, Lee Fields, Co. Cork, 5th March 2006. (Photo: Mark Shorten).

(Above) Franklin's Gull, Whitehouse Lagoon, Belfast, Co. Antrim, 4th March 2006. (Photo: Derek Charles).

(Above) Balck Redstart, Mutton Island Causeway, Co. Galway, 4th March 2006. (Photo: Tom Cuffe).

(Above) Forster's Tern, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 3rd March 2006. (Photo: Eric Dempsey).

(Above) Ring-billed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 3rd March 2006. (Photo: Eric Dempsey).

(Above) Iceland Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 3rd March 2006. (Photo: Eric Dempsey).

(Above) Presumed Herring x Glaucous Gull hybrid, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 3rd March 2006. (Photo: Eric Dempsey).

(Above) Brambling, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo, 2nd March 2006. (Photo: Michael Casey).

(Above) Laughing Gull, Dingle Harbour, Co. Kerry, 1st March 2006. (Photo: Stuart Piner).

Photo features:

August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005

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Photo features:

August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005

Compiled by the Birds of Ireland News Service,
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Glasnevin,
Dublin 11,
Ireland.

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