Black throated Divers - Flaggyshore

 There was four Black throated Divers along the Flaggyshore in North Clare . 

Two moved out , but two travelled  close in all the way along the Flaggy before crossing around Auganish Island

Januarys Incredible run of swell

|A swell that came day after day blessed with offshore winds .

Incidents, Big Waves, Hoots,  Snapped boards , Injuries , collisions, repairs, texts, car park chit chat and cold wet wetsuits

The extra hour of light could be used giving a chance of two surfs in the day for the hardened , whatever hours you had spare during the day there was waves to surf.

You can forget how cold your body becomes after weeks of |January surfing. Surfers tire, crowds thin out , some of us are forced to take a day off, or maybe think about it.

 

American Wigeon - Ballyvaughan

Finishing the year with a scramble over the Burren before work to Ballyvaughan to see the American Wigeon was found a couple of days ago.

I had a feeling that good views were available at this spot and I was granted just that

 

Catching up with Semi P at Seafield

 I was unable to be at Seafield when the Semi Palmated Sandpiper was found and Identified  last weekish`,.... days passed ,, commitments flights away but on my way back from London Town , news that the bird was still possibly available had me straight to Seafield to find my Camera batteries dead.

I returned today for an hour till rain stopped play

A late bird but another to the list on a great season of birds at Seafield.

White rumped Sandpiper and Choughs

 It was a dull overcast quiet day overall , not much light for decent photos but plenty of birds available around the beach at Seafield.

Great to get to see another White rumped Sandpiper among the Waders. The bird had been found 2 days previous and hopefully it stays a little longer.

The Choughs were noisy with 2 pairs squabbling over seaweed space always entertaining and Seafield is a good place to see them up close

The 4 Glossy Ibis

The 4 Glossy Ibis have been mobile between Sandfield marsh and Liscannor favouring the puddle in the field next to Kilmacreahy graveyard.

Great white Egret - Sandfield Marsh ,Liscannor

Driving along the road the Great white Egret caught my eye on the marsh at Sandfield.

The bird was in cover walking about and I could not get a clear view from the road.

I parked up roadside a few hundred metres down the road with intention to walk down to it and hope for the best but the bird flew upto me and landed 15m away from the car and seemed to not be bothered that I was there .and carried on the search for what looked like Newts

 

Buff bellied Pipit Clahane 2nd Morning

 I was back down to Clahane during the morning to check if the Buff bellied Pipit was still about as it was not seen yesterday after I left.

Brian was up earlier than me and had managed to have seen the bird ,we just needed to re-find it.

Its a very difficult bird to pin down and mobile at times but we stayed on the same seaweed dump and Croc  going through Pipits and eventually patience paid off. Myself , Brian and Ray got views that we knew couldnt get any better.

The Cameras were firing, Snap away boy`z snap away ..

American Buff bellied Pipit at Clahane

Delighted to find an American Buff bellied Pipit at Clahane today.

 I was asked a question today. How did you find That ?

Well its in putting factors together

 Previous birds seen in the county have been seen during the first weeks of October

,A  bird was seen last week in Iceland

A great seaweed dump that was already noted , 

A westerly storm that just passed over the Atlantic

And making the effort to be there when these factors play out.