The Bridges

 So it was the 1st weekend of westerly winds and Seawatching season takes off.

I made it down early friday morning at 7:30 ,the visabilty was poor and the wind was still SSE birds were few but a splash and Dorsal Fin of a large Blue fin Tuna was good by 9am the wind shifted to WSW and the Manx Shearwaters and Sooty Shearwaters were coming past in good numbers. Handfuls of Great Shearwaters were in with a couple of Storm Petrels and a Sabines Gull, then of to work

I missed Saturday , but made a brief apperance on Sunday but passage was generaly slow, a few Bonxie were close in as were a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins

Bonxie at the Bridges and the Waders start to arrive

Up early and along the coast.

My 1st birds were at Quilty beach ,where a juvenile Greenshank came in off the sea with a scatty peep which were shortly chased by a male Peregrine.

The Bridges of Ross was quiet with only the 1 Bonxie among the steady flow of Manx and Gannets.

At Doonbeg a few Waders have arrived. Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover and Whimbrel.

Morning of Manx and Skua from The Bridges of Ross

An endless stream of Manx Shearwaters really, would some up this mornings seawatch at The Bridges of Ross.
A few dozen Sooty Shearwater , 3 Great Shearwater, 3 Pomarine Skua , 5 Bonxies and 1 Arctic Skua were the best of it for myself.

Bridges of Ross - On the edge of the storm

Early morning , and the brunt of the storm was crashing into the Clare coast. 50kmph NW winds and a 6.5M swell
No better place to be than the tip of a Wild headland Birdwatching.
As the worst of the storm passed over we were soon joined by others.
Over the coarse of the day a feast of birds were to come passed ,
Leach`s petrels were numerous as was a consistent flow Arctic Terns with a few Sandwich Terns occasionally passing.
100s of Great Skuas, Arctic Skuas, Pom Skuas and a Personal count of 12 Long tailed Skuas 😄, good numbers of Kittiwake, Sabines Gulls, Great Northern Divers, Red throated Divers, Grey Phalaropes, Whimbrel, Brent Geese and  Teal

Leach`s Petrel

Great Skua

Long tailed Skuas

A story.

While taking a break and stretching my legs up on the grass , a fella carrying binoculars came over to me and asked "what are we were seeing?" 

I explained to him a list of Seabirds etc.

"oh I saw the Arctic Terns" he said and went on his way back to the carpark with the wife

He returned and sat on the end of the cliff shelter watching and listening to the Calls of the exited birdwatchers.

Later on I caught up with him in the car park.

I asked " Did you get to see a few?"

He ran over.." Im from west Kent on holiday sight seeing with the wife, we came here by chance and Im going with 7 lifers and never thought to the day Id ever see Long tailed Skuas"........

Birds from the boat

guillemot

Great Skua

Inisheer

gannets

It was good to be at sea , I tend to function better. Off the Aran island , plenty of Guillemots, Shags ,Black guiellmots and Kittiwake, we saw 3 Great skua and 2 Pomarine skua which was a bonus  , Dusty the  Dolphin was in Doolin harbour

Great Skua in Lahinch bay

A Great Skua  that has been blown in to Lahinch bay with the NW storm last night ,makes the most of harassing Razorbill and Kittiwake for the feed.
Distant shot of the Bonxie

Great Skua

Bonxie of The Bridges of ross