Return of Ring billed Gull

It's been quite a while since I've set eyes on a Ring billed Gull in Clare, and good to see one at my local patch Clahane in the flurry of Gulls that came with a NW wind cycle. A 2cy  bird that appeared quite slow and focused on finding nibbles along the river entry.

A Med Gull was also on offer.

Whinchat - Shannon Callows

I was in the meadows of the Shannon Callows near Banagher early in the morning.

Summer breeding Whinchat was the target species. I got to see over 8 individuals during a 2 hour walk through the meadows adjacent to the river also drumming Snipe, Redd Buntings, Sedgd Warbers, Blackcaps and a few Swift.

Bar-tailed Godwit Liscannor

Bar tailed Godwit are generally a winter visitors to the shores of Ireland and most birds have now left.

This bird is on its way north to Scandinavia,  it may have travelled all the way from as far as South Africa and starting to show breeding colours that we don't often see here.

Gannet in Lahinch

I had a call early morning to say that a large aggressive Seabird was on Lahinch prom and a FB post was out to the concern about this bird and its safety.

I was in Lahinch so I collected the Gannet and released it to the sea at Liscannor harbour .

I believe the bird may have been caught out at night in the fog and came in to lights of Lahinch  and onto the stone seafront where it was tired but still a handful.