Shorebirds with Grey Phalaropes at Seafield

 I was back down to Seafield during the morning to see the Curlew Sandpiper flock which is now in the 100s.A Little Stint was still available , The shorebird numbers has risen also with more Sanderling, Dunlin showing. A few Black tailed and Bar tailed Godwit were coming in off the sea as were 5 Grey Phalarope that joined in on the high tide feeding showing well.

Arctic Terns and Grey Phalarope Liscannor Pier

 I was on the pier at Liscannor watching the birds acrosss the bay.

I was enjoying the Arctic and Sandwich Terns that were passing by into the wind and was hoping for a Skua , instead I picked up a Grey Phalarope which was`nt easy to see down light,. it was picking away in the rip current behind the pier.

Grey Phalarope x3 Kilkee

  Three very approachable Grey Phalarope were doing their thing in the west end corner of Kilkee beach.

The one I found yesterday at Liscannor never came as close

Grey Phalarope up close

 As I was on the reef at Clahane I could see a Phal that was possibly photographable. As I approached and  observed up close it seemed unusually sluggish and slow and  I could have picked it up but ive stopped doing that since Bird Flu, now it may have been tired and justly so but it showed symptoms that Ive seen in many birds this year that maybe bird flu. Eventually the bird slowly walked off and sat in a puddle

Puddles of Phalarope

 As I came into Clahane I could see there were several Grey Phalarope feeding among the Black headed Gulls down in the puddles on a dropping tide , as I got there the council had turned up to clear the road of seaweed all with noisy Tractors with flashing lights and reverse warning noise. but after a few flighty moments I thought Id loose them to the ocean but they came together in and around the puddles for a count of 12.

 

Phalarope phun photography

 The wind was blowing, thats what has brought these birds in off the ocean 

 For 3 days weve had Grey Phalaropes entertaining us between Clahane and Liscannor harbour and some can be very tame,

 The 2 days were very stormy and windy as we watched these birds deal with it while trying to feed on the high tide shoreline, but the wind has turned to the east  now and they shall now depart us, entertaining little things  I must say.

Heres a small collection of photos of a few of the birds.

5 Grey Phalaropes at Clahane

This morning there was to be no birding, I was planning 2 hours surfing Lahinch and back.

 Geoff Pearson phoned- he has 3 Grey Phalarope at Clahane. On my way,  SO a short detour was made. Sure enough there they were spinning about and somewhat aerial 

 Another 2 joined the feeding party inshore at hightide

'5' phals 

The light was awful so they were hard to photo but great fun to watch. 2 Kingfisher were flying the bay also.

Grey Phalarope

The Grey Phalarope has been at Liscannor Harbour now for 5 days, seeeing out the storm

Today it was feeding close to the walls. 

In between rain showers I waited on the steps.. the bird was pretty tame and came within a few feet away, bobbing about.

A small grey and white subject on a grey/ low light background proved a challenge to photo.

Harbour birding in Storm Abigail

Its been blowing a gale all night and morning.
I dropped into Liscannor Harbour to see what birds had come in off the ocean.
Plenty of Gulls were feeding in the wash at the harbour mouth , just out in the open water a few Great Northern Divers were catching crabs. Just out from them was a small Grey Phalarope spinning around in the choppy waters , keeping out the way of the Gull activity.
A colour ringed Oystercatcher was in the harbour

Great Northern Divers in the rain

The very small Grey Phalarope being surveyed by the Gulls

Colour ringed Oystercatcher

Grey Phalarope in the Harbour

A Grey Phalarope probes the shallow water within Liscannor harbour , By keeping low and still the bird approached within 6 feet of me.
When feeding, a Grey Phalarope will often swim in a small, rapid circle, forming a small whirlpool. This behaviour is thought to aid feeding by raising food from the bottom of shallow water, plucking small insects or crustaceans caught up therein. They sometimes fly up to catch insects in flight. On the open ocean, they are found in areas where converging ocean currents produce upwellings and are often found near groups of whales