During a storm at Clahane

 Clahane is a good place to visit during a storm, Birds get blown in off the sea and Clahane offers various types of shelter and access to food and water . Today a hungry Redwing was feeding behind the shelter of the sea walls and seaweed corner

An adult Great northern Diver was  blown in and overhead by a strong west.

A pale bellied Brent Goose was feeling alone and looking very tired on the reef.

Fieldfares and Redwings in the Burren lowlands

 

I was around the lowland Burren areas from Corofin to Tubber and the shrubbery was packed in an explosion's of Fieldfares and Redwings that were feeding on the Berries of Mountain Ash , Yew Trees and every visible berry tree available, there certainly seems to be a good harvest out there and the winter thrushes are taken advantage.

The weather was generally warm, and Dragonflies were seen at lough Muchanagh,

 Yes winter thrush and draonflys did seem a bit off

Migration through and over the Loop

 The day was nice with little wind, I arrived in Kilbaha just before midday , I could see there was a few extra Chaffinch and Great Tit around the harbour , as I made my way up the lane it was evident that a migration of Tits was coming through and over the village from the west, certainly to many to count and photo, just watch as they skip through the bushes and trees and past me, soon each garden was holding numbers of Blue Tits, Coal Tits and Great Tits, Chaffinches were also gathering in numbers.  2 Yellow browed Warblers , 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackcap and a Goldcrest were in the gardens as was my 1st for the autumn Redwing 

Focus on Garden Redwings

Redwings are still passing through 

Maybe these late season birds have already traveled from southern Europe eating any left berries from the Ivy in the gardens and worms from the  surrounding fields.

With the sun is out and in a near summer setting these winter birds just seem out of place 

Late Redwing in the Spruce

A small flock of Five Redwing landed in the Large Spruce opposite my home.
Sitting up in the afternoon light I could see a bird in near full summer plumage,
These birds are making their way out of the country on there way North to breed.

November morning in Kilbaha

A early morning at Loop Head Lighthouse grounds was quiet with only a few Redwing and Song Thrush around, a Great northern Diver flew over the Headland

I quickly returned back to the gardens where earlier I saw a Yellow browed Warbler, Goldcrest and Great Tit opposite Keatings on my drive through,which  after a short while I relocated the same three birds in the trees behind The Rural Resettlement, but they remained within the treetops and were elusive.
I stayed around the gardens for a few hours and more numbers Finches ,Robins, Tits and Thrushes were coming through, all on the move

Redwings at the lighthouse

For a few days masses of Thrushes came down on islands and Headlands throughout Ireland and the UK.
Loop head was no different, Always a day late I took to searching the walls of the lighthouse.
Redwings,Fieldfare, Mistle thrush and Blackbirds were tired and injured birds were using the walls and thick grass for shelter.
Feathers were all over the headland...There must of been a lot of birds here a day or two ago...evidence that the Raptors came aswell , plus I did not see a Merlin today, id say they`ve fed well.

Thrush around Gregans

Lots of thrush around this winter with the cold snap pushing thousands of bird south , plenty of Mistle thrush ,Blackbird ,Redwing & Fieldfare on show at Gregans wood to Slieve Elva

Redwings

Fields of wintering Redwings ,a very busy Thrush