Early spring Burren afternoon

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammers were singing in the branches along with Willow Warblers,
Several pairs of Lapwing and Common gull have taken to territories in wilderness areas, they`ll have a rough time nesting with the amount of Hooded Crow in the area.
A lone Hare taking a long walk through the Burren, stopping every 10 yards for a nibble and scratch.
Not many geese on show today but 2 Greylag geese fly in and fly out .

A lone Surfer

Surfing...its not just about riding waves, its about the moment in time that you find yourself in for that period of time.

The Rook

Do you remember Aesop's fable about the crow dying of thirst that dropped stones into a half-full pitcher to raise the water level so it could get a drink?  The moral of the story, that necessity is the mother of invention, is certainly true--but now it looks like the events of the tale are factually true as well.

Golden Plover

Well camoflaged in the reefs , Golden Plover can roost without being even seen by the human eye,
These birds were at Doolin reef moving with the tide

Doolins Natural Harbour

Why would a county council wish to change this view,??
Doolins natural harbour at risk due to planning permission for a large shipping pier.

118 Brent Geese

 

118 Brent Geese were present between Liscannor Harbour and the Graveyard along with 3 Knot and a few Greenshank

Ennistymon Falls

 

A spring evening at Ennistymon Falls

Pine Marten

Its just not an everyday thing, to see a Pine Marten, but when a friend says that he has one wintering in an old caravan up in the forestry, you just have to go and check it out.....and Wow.
It really is a privilage to be this close to such an elusive wild animal.

Gleninagh Castle

A very scenic place to go Birdwatching , Gleninagh castle ,Blackhead.
All the birds you see here are offshore, on this day i found the Surf Scoter i was after among a small flock of Common Scoter.
This may also be the best place in Ireland to see Black throated Divers

Burren Redpoll

A single Redpoll was spotted picking grass seed on the burren, busy and easy to approach

Burren Yellowhammers

Yellowhammers gathering around the horse feeders close to Mullaghmore.
The grain left over may sustain these birds throughout winter.
A count of Six today

Swew at Lough Bunny

A female Smew with four female Goldeneye at the north end of Lough Bunny. 
You drive 20 mins to find a bird in the middle of nowwhere at 8:30 in the morning and you find the bird close to the road just of the reeds.

The Clahane Shore

Redshank are getting frisky and displaying, A pair of Great northern Divers hunt crabs in the tidal shallows,  A lone male Shelduck seems lost and out of place, 1st time ive seen Shelduck here at Clahane.

The Clahane Wall

Rock Pipits flit on and off the wall , Starlings congregate in small flocks. The wall in plastered in flys.
The seawall has been a valuable place to spot many birds easily over the years, also used as cover to observe the beach front and seaweed.

Water Pipit wintering at Clahane

A Water pipit hiding out among the seaweed on the Clahane shoreline. A difficult bird to recognise and pin down with Rock pipits flitting about, very hard to photo

Is it or isnt it Scandanavian

Its that time of year again..changes in plumage, movement , migration ,odd behaviour.

Ive never been a Pipit expert, i find them all alike, but the questions still get asked.

Is this a [Littoralis] Scandanavian Rock pipit ?

please comment.

A few Tenerife birds

Hoopoe

Canary island Chiffchaff

 

Blue cheeked Parakeet

 

Bethelots Pipit

Spectacled Warbler

Great Grey Shrike

Spanish Sparrow

A good 10 days in Tenerife , with not a lot of birding , but managed to get a bit done and with a lot of success, Parks and deserts, escapys and endemics.