Blue winged Teal Ballycar

 I got up early to catch up with Murf who had found s pair of Blue winged Teal in a swampy field across from his home.

There they were,

Beautiful day, really nice views of a pair of North American Duck , a catch up and chat , a few ID shots .....great.

I moved the car for better views and photos, the ducks vanished and didn't re appear as they had been up all morning feeding. 

I checked my camera to find all my settings off and photos dark

I managed yo lighten a few photos on the computer 

You live you learn.

White Stork along the Clare Coast

 I was down a Spanish point doing a bit of Surfing, The Easterly wind had blown up and the ocean became un-surfable. 

I was making my way back to Lahinch along the coast road near Reneen  when birds in the air along the coast caught my eye and one was massive, I knew instantly it was a White Stork. It was being mobbed by Hooded Crows and Starlings as it struggled to stay overland .

I pulled the car in as I followed and got a few photos as the bird battled the wind, again we moved along a few hundred metres to the next pull in as the Stork lifted banked back over my self and over Moyhill.

An incidental sighting and a County Clare 1st record 

The Barn Owl

  For a few nights they were calling across the field. Ive had them close on my land but never seen .

My young daughter exited to stay up for a midnight walk and listen to the calls of the wild.

With contact with the local farmer we put up a Trail cam to see what box could be possibly be being used.