Quiet quality waves

There is a certain feeling about paddling out alone on a west Ireland reef  on a new  southwest swell , after a while I was joined by Pa Regan and 2 other lads and we all agreed " It was bigger than it looked."

Med Gull flight in Lahinch

The Mediterranean Gull is a small gull which has undergone a dramatic range expansion in recent decades.It has colonised Britain, mainly in southern and eastern England
In winter, this bird migrates to Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts.
Will it colonise Ireland?
It has.

Grey Phalarope in the Harbour

A Grey Phalarope probes the shallow water within Liscannor harbour , By keeping low and still the bird approached within 6 feet of me.
When feeding, a Grey Phalarope will often swim in a small, rapid circle, forming a small whirlpool. This behaviour is thought to aid feeding by raising food from the bottom of shallow water, plucking small insects or crustaceans caught up therein. They sometimes fly up to catch insects in flight. On the open ocean, they are found in areas where converging ocean currents produce upwellings and are often found near groups of whales

Curlew Sandpipers

A pair of Curlew Sandpipers were feeding with a small flock of Dunlin in Liscannor Harbour

Crossbills in the high forest

Common Crossbills chirp and call in the early morning up in the Pine forests near  Dysert , not an every day bird to see. The peace of the forest allows you to listen and follow the calls to find them.

Pectoral sandpiper at Kilmurry

A Pectoral Sandpiper a very long-distance migrant breeding in the boggy tundra of northeast Asia and North America, exploits a muddy wet field, for worms and a puddle bath at Kilmurry , Quilty.
The bird shared the field with 150 Meadow Pipits , 7 Wheater , bags of Pied wagtails,
Just what were the other 3 small waders that flushed????

An evening at Liscannor

A peaceful evening on the Liscannor coast , Some Terns feed off the harbour wall. A winter plumaged Kittiwake rest on the reef below close to the water with Oystercatchers and Terns.
At Clahane Curlew Sandpipers are joining small flocks of Turnstone and Dunlin to feed. Curlews rest on the shelter of the reef.

Buff breasted Sandpipers on Loop Head

A flock of 15 Buff breasted Sandpiper at Loop Head.
this total equals the previous record set for the largest flock seen in Europe, that of 15 seen on Scilly in 1974, a record that lasted about an hour as over 20 birds were seen in Wexford

The Fodry Loop Head

Walk through the grass fields of the Fodry, its barren and damp and open to the elements of the Atlantic ocean. 15 Buff breasted sandpiper search for insects in the fields with other waders, Wheaters on passage, and a few small flocks of local Chough that inhabit these clifftops,we also had a flock of  12 Lapland bunting and two Peregrines were calling.

Dunlin

After the storm passing ,shorebirds begin feeding.
These Dunlin at Liscannor were busy and not bothered with my presence on the lowtide sand

SurfBirds at the Harbour

Manx Shearwater

Arctic Tern

Storm Petrel

Arctic skua (juv)

The Storm winds blow.
Other Open Ocean Birds where also present off Liscannor today ,Storm Petrel , Plenty of Arctic Terns ,and a juvenile Arctic Skua
And a Manx Shearwater was released after being blown inland to Crusheen.

Sabines Gulls at Liscannor harbour

The storm has blown seabirds everywhere.
3 Sabines Gulls came to feed and shelter around the Harbour at Liscannor .We had good views of these Gulls of the Open Ocean as they make their  way to southern waters.

Its nice when your local area can produce wildlife suprises like this!

Weather Chart for the next 12 hours

Front up. This 959`low pressure is about to pass over us at 100mph....
watch this space [   ~.~  ]

Fulmar Petrel

 

 

 

Came across this Fulmar on the reef , thought id check it out to see that it was not caught up in fishing line.Anyhow i think the bird was exhausted and placed it in shelter on the reef.
Thats the last time ill ever handle a Fulmar because now i have a smell on my hands that is so potent.
Is this why they are called Petrels? because i stink of a mixture of petrol and sardines.