Greenland Wheatear pushing through at Clahane

 This stand out Greenland type Wheatear has been hanging around the river entry area at corner in Clahane for about a week, and will probably push through with west coast with the last of the |Waders such as Whimbrel , Dunlin and Purple Sandpipers

Juvenile Med Gulls at Clahane

A good few juvenile Med Gulls have been around Clahane this week with the collection on Gulls that use the high tide to feed on shoreline wash out

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

While walking the Mullaghmore trail on the Burren with my children we came across 3 Lesser Butterfly Orchid, one of the rarer gems found within the Burren wildflowers .

Rose coloured Starling - Rinevella bay

 A year ago to the week that I got to see the Rose coloured Starling at Hags Head.

Late news of bird had me on the road in the morning to Rinevella bay, south Clare. A message beeped to say the bird was there... and there it was hanging out with 3 adult European Starlings on a wire overlooking a garden next to the seafront.

The rain was consistant and the birds were moving about feeding but they never joined the juvenile Starling flock that were feeding near the Cows and beach shoreline, As the rain got a bit heavy I relocated them on the Sea Wall rocks, looking Grumpy and wet.

Lahinch beach - Storm Defence

After `The Storms` back in January 2014 which destroyed parts of Lahinch ....

The 2017 Lahinch storm defence is near complete

http://www.alifeattheshoreline.com/2014/01/lahinch-bay-destruction.html

 http://www.alifeattheshoreline.com/2014/01/lahinch-high-tide-storm-surge.html

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

First of the winter swells

The morning is crisp and cold with an easterly breeze , small but consistant swell running out of the south west enters the reefs and island of Doolin . 

The first swell of winter has an Irish pace , no crowds , a few midweek locals taking there cake! and eating it.

Loughs and Woods and lazy days

I took a lazy trip up through the Loughs and woods that cover an area between Corofin and Ennis north. I do this sort of drive regularly at this time of year but always take a new set of backroads and a different route.
I always start at Lough Atedaun though, probably becuase its your best bet on a rare bird. Next along the Lough line was a quick stop at Lough Cullen, always a peaceful lough with under rated views.

Lough Atedaun

Lough Cullen

Lough Cullen - views toward the Burren

A good count of 180 Whooper Swan were gracing the Turlough near Lough Cullen ,calling and being busy

I headed off from there and into the woods of Dromore to do a few woodland walks that I havent done and to check the lakes for ducks.
The wood was quiet, feeding on berries were Redwing and  Blackbirds and Robins being the most seen.
The joy of the wood though was my first sighting here in this wood of a Red squirrel and a large but small Beetle was found along the road

Rosroe Lake and a glimpse of the Smew

 Rosroe Lake from up on the hill. The farmer who was most friendly  gave me permission to drive up and scope the lake

 The Rosroe Tower House close to the lake shore dates back to 1402 A.D , you could feel the past here and could imagine the scene back then.

I had given up hope of finding the Smew on the lake after 2 hours of watching Tuftys , Goldeneye and the Cormorants that were nest building in a dead tree, while walking away I stopped and looked behind me to see this small white duck emerge from the reeds 100m away ,it gave a wing flap and disappeared. A 10 second glimpse, but never the less my first male Smew.

Secret Waterfall

A simple walk down a local river near to home reveals a secret waterfall, what a gem of a place.

Common Terns in the sun

A few Common Terns nest around the edge of the colony , being smaller than the Black headed gulls and Sandwitch terns , its probably a safety stragety to stay away from larger beaks