White rumped Sandpiper and Choughs

 It was a dull overcast quiet day overall , not much light for decent photos but plenty of birds available around the beach at Seafield.

Great to get to see another White rumped Sandpiper among the Waders. The bird had been found 2 days previous and hopefully it stays a little longer.

The Choughs were noisy with 2 pairs squabbling over seaweed space always entertaining and Seafield is a good place to see them up close

The Crows of the Cliffs at Loop Head

Choughs and Ravens are resident birds along the Cliffs of west Ireland, both species are well adapted to the extreme environment that is Loop Head.

A good walk will always find Choughs within the fields of Cows and on the Cliff edge, noisy unique birds that nest within the sea caves and feed in the fields above.

Ravens boss the air intimidating all birds. On this day parents were giving flying lessons to 3 juveniles and if you listen carefully they talk there way through this with `clunks, croaks and various barks

Chough

Raven

September morning on the Loop

A typical morning on The Loop.

The lighthouse carpark was a bit busy for me  so I came back 

1\2 mile and walked the fields around The west bank, the usual Stonechats on the field borders, a few Skylark ,plenty of Meadow Pipits , a small flock of 12 Snipe flew over.

The Choughs were entertaining, They boss the fields.

Back at the Gardens in Kilbaha was very quiet for small birds, a good few Blue Tits, Robins and Wrens were the song while Swallows were active feeding along the road.

Red Admiral Butterflys were around Blackberrys

A Curlew and 7 Teal were on the Pond with a Grey Heron and those horrible funky Mallards

Seafield to Loop

I was at Seafield early.
100s of Linnets were on the lines, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Turnstone made up the waders on the beach.
I wasnt content so carried on along the coast to Lough Donnell the morning was warming up.

Then I fell asleep writing this post.
Today 9 days later I posted it .Haha

Chough flock and deck chairs

Spending the morning at the Bridges of Ross seawatching where the highlights for me were a few Black Terns a number of Bonxies and some very impressive deck chairs.

At midday I took a walk down into the Fodry at Loop Head, there was a decent flock of Choughs that were swirling along the cliffs edges , there were about 28 birds in this flock.

Sunrise at Seafield

First light at Seafield had a wet autumn feel..a few waders were along the shoreline, but again not the one im looking for.
A Merlin was around and a fine pair of Choughs.
Just before the rain storm a surprising Gyr falcon buzzed the Turnstones next to the harbour, the bird had what seemed to be a tassle trailing from talons ..fast and gone ..Probable escaped bird ,

Works out the bird has been seen a few times over the last  4 years.

Chough

Dunlin

Merlin

Shorebirds

Dungarvan Bay

Spoonbill

Chough

Brent geese

Black Redstart

Some good birding is to be had around 4 km-wide Dungarvan Bay, with Spoonbill ,Little Egret at the rivermouths,and thousands of Brent geese on the grass pastures,Choughs and Black redstart patrol the hightide shorelline.Its a busy day

Pristine Choughs

 

A small family of very healthy Choughs in pristine condition 

The Fodry Loop Head

Walk through the grass fields of the Fodry, its barren and damp and open to the elements of the Atlantic ocean. 15 Buff breasted sandpiper search for insects in the fields with other waders, Wheaters on passage, and a few small flocks of local Chough that inhabit these clifftops,we also had a flock of  12 Lapland bunting and two Peregrines were calling.

Choughed with Choughs`

These Choughs are showing well at Clahane , today there were 5...perched up on the wall , flying back and for calling.

Clahane way

Water pipit

One of many Cormorants perched up and backlit at Liscannor harbour. The pair of Choughs were at Clahane again along with a Water pipit that is hard to distinguish between the Rock pipits...... i hope i have this Water pipit correct ?