December 25, 2024

Black Redstart - Lahinch

 Happy Xmas to all.

Yesterday I took a morning stroll along Lahinch prom to see if the Black Redstart that was seen the day before was about

I could see just along the rocks and outside the Celtic T shirt shop a few Stonechats, Wagtails and  Rock Pipits were feeding  in a certain area, sure enough the Black Redstart was with them.

A very approachable bird that showed no sense of fear toward me, normally these birds just shy away out of sight and return when your gone, either that being over a dune or wall into other gardens.







December 12, 2024

Lough Donnell GWE & RTD

 I passed down the coast to Lough Donnell to catch up with the Great White Egret that was found yesterday.

 As I pulled up the GWE was obvious and 4 Little Egret were also here

More to the point the lough is low in water which is a rare thing, when this happens Lough Donnell turns into one of Clares best wetlands to view birds.

Plenty of Wigeon,Teal and Shovelar make up the ducks.100s of Snipe a few Redshank, Greenshank, Oystercatcher and Lapwing made up the waders, dont forget the gulls.

A Red throated Diver wss skulking around the the far side.









December 4, 2024

The Black throated Divers of North Clare

There were days not long ago where you could see rafts of Black throated Divers along the North Clare coast between Black Head , Coolsiva, the Rhine of Ballyvaughn round to Finvarra. 
. I have to say spring is a better time to see these birds in numbers before they go north to breed and you could have often seen 60-100 birds offshore on a mild glassy day.
Stories from the older lads Id say had even larger numbers, but sadly those days are gone.

Yesterday I found  two BTD a long way out of Coolsiva harbour , same with one way out from Carnsafin.

I had come down to the rocks shelf at Black head to photo some Razorbills when all of a sudden 200 metres out five BTD were passing me heading into Galway bay quite quickly. To distant to photo I fought to get some precious video from the Phonescope.

Question is -  Are there anymore? and what year will produce a zero count.


 




Buzzard and Kestrel in the Burren

 A Buzzard was perched up on the flag posts of Caherconnell fort , dead still, surveying the damp field below itself, its mood reflected the damp weather.




As I came through the Burren toward Ballyvaughan a male Kestrel was on the bends at the Corkscrew hill.




November 28, 2024

Crossbills -Slieve Elva

 I was passing by Lisdooonvarna with a small bit of time to use ,so I detored my self up the mountain for the forest tracks of Slieve Elva to see if there was a chance of Crossbills.







Burren Choughs

 It was a pleasent surprise to come across 15 Choughs around the Carpark and Dune restoration area at Fanore beach on the Burren westside

 Noisy , highly sociable birds that were cetainly out making the most of this time in the fine weather








November 14, 2024

Whoopers in the Mist

 Three Whooper Swan were the only visible wildfowl on Lough Atedaun from the car park .

The mist was so thick that the lough could not be seen but the calls of Wigeon could be heard.





White rumped Sandpipers at Seafield

 Great to see some Waders back at Seafield after a very quiet autum here.

2 White rumped Sandpipers and a Little Stint were along the high tide shoreline with Purple Sandpipers, Sanderling and Dunlin. The high tide had brought the birds up close onto the seaweed.

A few disturbances, eg: a Kestrel was putting the birds up and you could see the 3 odd birds out among the flocks as they take off ,do the rounds and return.







November 11, 2024

Pacific Diver at Black Head

 No wind  but Very misty and due to lift was the weather prediction.

Early morning along Black Head before the coast road traffic and before the sun comes out would be my best opportunity to get decent views of the Pacific Diver, 

Feeding Common Dolhins and Porpoise drew my attention as I rounded Black Head, The Black Guillemots were spooked by the frenzy

I carried on along the coast road checking the Great northen Divers till one caught my eye close enough in at Carnsafin.

I need not go any further.
















November 9, 2024

Black Redstart at Clahane

 My old friend and fellow local birdwatcher Geoff found this lovely, busy  Black Redstart over in the corner at Clahane.

I got down late afternoon after school and the bird was flitting atound the rocks and ledges.







November 5, 2024

Yellow browed Warblers and a Chiffchaff

 Back down the Loop the next day .

Today was different , a much quieter feel to it and a lot less birds were about today compared to yesterday morning.

A few Yellow browed Warblers were still about around Tevlins garden with a specialty Bullfinch but the others gardens were quiet and empty....or little birds were playing skulky of a morning.

A Chiffchaff was in the Flax at the lighthouse and the only bird of note apart from the 2 Stonechat.






November 3, 2024

Siberian Lesser Whitethroat -Kilbaha

 I was hopeful of catching up with this Lesser Whitethroat that had been showing around a garden in Kilbaha over past few days.

 I hav`nt seen one in a long time and is the most interesting bird for me that we have had on the headland this autumn 

I got a brief show around 9am, then it just disappeared for almost 2 hours. I stayed around watching the Yellow browed Warblers on the chase and Goldcrests which were busy providing decent entertainment

Stubborn patience paid off as the Lesser Whitethroat came to view at the bottom end of the tree row, slowly moving closer always in cover of branches











October 31, 2024

Marsh Harrier upsetting Godwits at Atedaun

"The Marsh Harrier is about" , ya say to yourself as the Black-tailed Godwits go up.

With the Art of surprise gone, the Godwits are safe in the air and the Marsh Harrier wanders off  to look elsewhere

Photography is what it is at Lough Atedaun car park, your generally down light and distant from the action, but Lough Atedaun isnt a lake to be overlooked., far over a White tailed Eagle perches in a tall tree.








October 27, 2024

Kestrel facing the weather at Clahane

 A Kestrel was facing off into the weather conditions in the corner at Clahane .

Very determined, he had something pinned down, the weather was against him

Again a swoop, a dive as I tried watching through a rain dashed car window.

After a bit he swept along the cliff and under THE overhang.