September 29, 2020

Ruffs, Choughs and Turtle Dove

 

A cold morning on Loop Head with a switch of wind to the NW, not much to see at the lighthouse grounds even Meadow Pipits were in short numbers.
 Choughs seemed to be all over the headland and were in flocks.
The gardens were quiet a mixed flock of Tits and Chaffinch were around Seni`s, then a Turtle Dove flew past me and over a  farm shed onto a wire with Starlings.
Three Ruff were at the Lough with Curlews, Redshanks, GreenShank and a  tame Oystercatcher.











September 26, 2020

Quilty`s Peregrine Falcon

 Ive seen this Peregrine a few times over the past week hunting the shorebirds between Seafield and Quilty quite successfully. Today at Quilty beach it snatched a Sanderling in front of me  and flew off with it over the reef but never reappeared , so I took a short walk over to the point. As I got there 2 Raven flew in and the Peregrine flew off straight across the bay to the reef under the church carpark. I chanced the bird would sit ,a walk back along the beach keeping an eye on the bird through the bins..when I got to the carpark I got my photos












September 23, 2020

Basking Sharks Breaching off Loop Head

 I was out on the coast when I bumped into a friend that said she was going to Loop Head to see Breaching Basking Sharks, and I was showed a video of  the event yesterday where 61 breaches were counted in 4 hours...ummming a arring for 10 minutes I was heading south. I decided to go to the tip of Loop Head and  I got to see 5 breaches of the massive sharks

Not my video just a link to show the action


September 19, 2020

Yellow Wagtail at the lighthouse

Early morning at the lighthouse, a promise of a warm day with East winds. Of coarse theres a morning cloud at Loop.
A Yellow Wagtail made a brief appearance on the lighthouse building, as did 1 Goldcrest among 100z of Mipits, a Buzzard was on a post  along the road soon being harrased by Crows

September 14, 2020

Merlin , Gnats and a sunset

 I was on Loop head late afternoon with hope of catching up with the Buff breasted Sandpipers that were seen a few hours earlier but it wasnt to be....1 Golden Plover flew over

I could see a bird perched along the cliff top down below the fields and guessed on it being a Merlin and could see cover that I could use to get quite close. I underestimated the midgdy Gnat mix of flies involved in using this cover. No shit it was intense,but the views were unreal and I settle for that ...happily . On my walk back a Starling murmuration was taking place as a Merlin rose up and plucked one. 

Time to watch the sun go down at the lighthouse.











September 13, 2020

Curlew Sandpipers

Curlew Sandpipers have been frequenting Seafield beach and have been consistant for over a week with numbers as high as 7 birds. Today 4 birds were in the mix with good numbers of Sanderling, Dunlin, &Ringed Plover 




 





September 7, 2020

Pied Flycatching with my boy

 I was mouching along the coast on a Sunday afternoon and ended up at Loop Head ,which was extremely busy with the lighthouse car park full as well as the harbour and playground.I parked at the Rural where a Treecreeper came along a branch but was high up and difficult to follow, we walked the road through Kilbaha with my little boy looking for birds, We called into a regular garden where we got mini rolls and the Pied Flycatcher.Some of the lads from Limerick had caught up with Pied Flycatcher from the field at the side where we joined them for nice Pied Fly show also 6 Redpoll came to the garden





September 4, 2020

Pied Flycatcher - Kilbaha

 Turned out a nice morning and the Robins were singing

A Pied Flycatcher was a nice bird to find , it was frequenting the Rusty Barn near Costellos , next to the barn is an Elderberry Bush that is attracting the juvenile Blackbirds and Song Thrush.

9 Snipe were at the pond