A Frozen winter swell

A new swell arrives from out in the Atlantic that is met with a light east wind and cold land temperature.

Surfers. People born for extremety. They cant help but push the elements of the weather and ocean.

Lahinch bay birds

On a winters day of no swell and clean ocean due to cold easterly winds Lahinch bay can be at it optimum so see birdlife.

THE large flock of Common Scotor often attracts others such as Velvet Scoter , Scaup and Long tailed Duck. Eider Duck and Great Northern Diver can be seen crabbing while if your lucky a Red throated Diver may come close to shore chasing Dab.











Drake Eider in Lahinch bay

Well happy to come across a Drake Eider at Lahinch beach.

I spotted the bird while in the top car park it was way across the bay so I went over to Kilmacreedy to check it., after venturing down the beach the duck paddled up to Lahinch beach, so back around to the end of the prom to get a look. 

Spotted Redshank

There's only one place I know that I can consistently see Spotted Redshank and that's Corranroo wheres they feed up and down a certain gully and only ever two and you cant get in 100 yards or they just go.

Spot Shanks are a rare bird to the county , I've only seen others at Shannon Airport Lagoon and in a flooded field at Clahane.

Grey Phalarope up close

 As I was on the reef at Clahane I could see a Phal that was possibly photographable. As I approached and  observed up close it seemed unusually sluggish and slow and  I could have picked it up but ive stopped doing that since Bird Flu, now it may have been tired and justly so but it showed symptoms that Ive seen in many birds this year that maybe bird flu. Eventually the bird slowly walked off and sat in a puddle

Puddles of Phalarope

 As I came into Clahane I could see there were several Grey Phalarope feeding among the Black headed Gulls down in the puddles on a dropping tide , as I got there the council had turned up to clear the road of seaweed all with noisy Tractors with flashing lights and reverse warning noise. but after a few flighty moments I thought Id loose them to the ocean but they came together in and around the puddles for a count of 12.

 

Marsh Harrier - O`tooles lough

 I was cruising back toward Corofin , I hung out around O`tooles lough watching the the Fieldfares and Wigeon flocks around the Marsh . I walked further along the road chasing a Redpoll to a gate and caught sight of a male Marsh Harrier  but it was always downlight moving low beneath the tree line as it moved way at any height and it was mobbed by Crows.

 Through the binoculars it seemed to have a pale head and silvery parts through the upperwing and tail  as shown in photo 2 , but overall a dark bird. 

Fieldfares and Redwings in the Burren lowlands

 

I was around the lowland Burren areas from Corofin to Tubber and the shrubbery was packed in an explosion's of Fieldfares and Redwings that were feeding on the Berries of Mountain Ash , Yew Trees and every visible berry tree available, there certainly seems to be a good harvest out there and the winter thrushes are taken advantage.

The weather was generally warm, and Dragonflies were seen at lough Muchanagh,

 Yes winter thrush and draonflys did seem a bit off

Double Snow Bunting

If there is ever a bird that is always a delight to see it the Snow Bunting. 

These two where along the cliff road at Clahane busy foraging for any seeds between the cliffs and roadside.

Med Gull at Clahane

A new flourish of near West winds and the shorelines birds change again. High tide Clahane was very busy with Black headed and Common Gulls feeding. 

This Med Gull was in the mix, as we're a few Kittiwake.

Kilbaha and the winds go east

As I approached Kilbaha flocks of hundreds of Fieldfare had come off the sea and were scattered over the fields and roads.

The Yellow rumped Warbler still remains , this time low down in Keatings.

The easterly winds brought a tidy looking Yellow-browed Warbler that was busy at Senis with 2 Goldcrest.

The Willow warbler seen at Gibsons ringed locally is a long stayer.

  

 

 

Phalarope phun photography

 The wind was blowing, thats what has brought these birds in off the ocean 

 For 3 days weve had Grey Phalaropes entertaining us between Clahane and Liscannor harbour and some can be very tame,

 The 2 days were very stormy and windy as we watched these birds deal with it while trying to feed on the high tide shoreline, but the wind has turned to the east  now and they shall now depart us, entertaining little things  I must say.

Heres a small collection of photos of a few of the birds.