Secrets of a small Castle.

Throughout the countryside are small Castles, Holds, Towers and Keeps that stand alone in a quiet  timeless fashion out in open fields devoid of Human life that once depended on them.
I made a visit to this castle in the dark early hours.
Barn Owls, Kestrels, Tree Sparrows, Swifts and Starlings were all nesting in the old building with a  pair of roosting Ravens
 Night singing birds such as the Cuckoo, Skylark, Sedge Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler were singing from surrounding reed and borders
Stonechat, Blackbird, Reed Buntings and Tree Sparrows were roosting together in a  nearby thicket of Willows and all showed at 1st light
A black Fox was in the next field and the Gulls and Woodpigeon arrived early to the fresh mowed fields

Sedge Warbler

Tree Sparrows

A terrible photo taken at night of my 1st confirmed Barn Owl sighting.

Myself and my son collected a few Barn Owl pellets to check out what we could find within.
We believe legs from Starling and skull from a Vole.

Roseate Terns - Lady Island Lake

Bearded Reedlings - east end

When I arrived at the high car park I had a scope about , Tacumshin Lake seemed quiet for birds.
I walked to the sluice and back , a few small flocks of Dunlin, a couple of Little Tern, a a few calling Lapwing were the best of it.
I watched a Bearded Reedling flying over the swamp toward the reeds at the east end pond, so I decided to walk the track that goes between the reedbeds.
A Garganey came up of the lake with 3 Mallard, Reed Buntings and a Reed Warbler were calling.
A few of those chimey calls were coming from the reeds as a family of Bearded Reedlings approached and crossed the path I was on.

Dunlin

Garganey with Mallards

Five Tern Day

At the very South of Lady Island Lake, where the lake almost meets the sea, there is a cut in the dunes where some of the Terns that breed on the Lakes` Islands cross to the open sea to go foraging for fish.

The Terns approach in different ways and directions as they pass by at some speed, makes getting the flight shots a challenge.

I came here hoping to see Roseate Terns (which was successful) and managed to see all 5 of our breeding Terns at this site within the hour
Roseate Tern , Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern and Sandwich Tern

Thats a Good hour!

Roseate Tern

Arctic Tern

Common Tern

Little Tern

Sandwich Tern

Burren Yellowhammer

Just one male Yellowhammer was singing near Carran Turlough on the Burren.
Im not seeing many of these birds anymore and I believe they seem to be

on the brink of vanishing from the county.

A juvenile Dipper

This juvenile Dipper was perched up on a rock below Ennistymon cascades.
Time for it to start underwater feeding for itself now.
 Truely an aquatic creature.

Hen Harrier - The food pass

 Hen Harrier The food pass.

At an undisclosed site at the required viewing distance and designated area

 The male carrying prey came calling to the female as he approached. The female flew up to meet the male and somersaulted upside down, and the food was passed from him her in mid-air .It all takes place in a blink, but a dream sight