Rare bird of ‘Bofin

Date Published: 08-Nov-2007

Birdwatchers have been flocking to Inishbofin Island this week following the first sighting of a mourning dove ever made in Ireland.

The bird, which is native to North America, usually migrates to Mexico in Autumn, and its discovery on ‘Bofin has caused great excitement, according to Tim Gordon of Birdwatch Ireland, who is based on Inishbofin.

Birdwatchers speculate that a recent hurricane in Gulf of Mexico might have affected its flight path.

“Sometimes, when mourning birds are migrating, they take a shortcut across the Gulf of Mexico,” says Mr Gordon.

“The likelihood is……