Stonechats

Stonechats arrive at the winter destination

Little Stint

Little stint buzzz about the seaweed at Seafield

A passing Knot

Wading bird belonging to the sandpiper family. It is about 25 cm/10 in long, with a short bill, neck, and legs
. In the winter, it is grey above and white below. It feeds on insects and molluscs.

Breeding in North American, European, and Asian arctic regions, knots travel widely in winter, to be found as far south as South Africa, Australasia, and southern parts of South America and Seafield ,Clare

Peace in Lahinch Bay

A spectacular evening around Lahinch Bay ,An unexpected alone Snow bunting flits in and around the reef at Bartra

Paddyfield Warbler 2nd day at he Lighthouse

The Paddyfield warbler remained flavour of the day around the lighthouse grounds by birders from all over Ireland , the bird remained whenever possible in cover and could be found outside the wall tucked in ..invisible, step to close and flit over the wall..... a bit of patience.  I got these pics under the Flax 

Another morning at Loop head

Chiffchafs were abundant at the lighthouse this morning along with other warblers

Loop head . Paddyfield Warbler

Paddyfield warbler
 A new species for Clare and an exiting find within the lighthouse grounds 

Loop Head - The day of the birds of prey

Short eared Owl ,Sparrowhawk, Merlin and other Raptors are busy hunting the vunerable

Loop Head - The day of the birds & Paddyfield Warbler

I was on the Loop to witness a fantastic drop off migrant birds.

I was along the Kilkee Cliffs photographing Choughs when a text came through from John Murphy   Nightingale at the lightouse, and i was 10 minutes away.

 As I got out of the car at Loop Head a Lapland Bunting landed  near and flew off followed by a Kestrel I walked to the South and 2 Whinchats were perched on a scrub. Here we go !

The lads had gathered in the grounds and I hopped over the wall.

 There were birds everywhere!!

  Meadow Pipits and Thrush galore. We worked together and panned out. We were finding Injured Redwings, Song Thrushes and  Pied Flycatchers.. Raptors were bombing the place!

Murf was determined to re-find the Nightingale...and went over the south wall.

We stopped for a moment.....I said Dave" Whinchat on the wall"..Murf was making his way back up as the Nightingale popped up on the wall with a few other birds. A Merlin then came though as a Short eared Owl went up.... FECK! ITS only 10 am.

                                                                                

Whinchats

Nightingale

Around the Lighthouse buildings  Redstart , Pied flycatchers, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcaps Chiffchaffs and plenty Sparrowhawks.

A very jumpy flock of Golden Plover came fast over the walls with a Pectoral Sandpiper within the flock, Jesus whatever next!!

It was time to walk the walls.

It didnt take long till a little Brown job flitted out from cover of a inner grounds wall and into the grass..

What was that?? Did ya get a shot...It then hopped up on the wall as Murf calls "Its a Paddyfield Warbler".

Pied Flycatcher

Redstart

Lesser Whitethroat

During the day the word had got out and Loop Head was the place to be.

Other birds were reported such as Hobby, Red throated Pipit, Ring Ousel and god knows what else it was some day

Arctic rest

A juvenile Arctic Tern rests up during a long haul flight  , pretty well hidden among the high tide pebbles

Shanks on the Clahane high tides

Using the sea wall as cover ,the tide is pushing full , sun is going down.
Birds like these Greenshanks & Redshanks roost close to the road