Roadside Golden Plover- Clahane

 

A Golden Plover had come over the wall from the reef at Clahane, maybe to shelter from the wind , maybe not.

It was picking away looking for food and didnt seem to well as it didnt fly off as I slowly drove past .

I took a few photos from the car window and moved on

The colour of Golden Plover and Purple Sandpiper

 A nice flock of Golden Plover were shining in the sunlight as they roost on the reef at Clahane .

A count of 9 Purple Sandpiper were to the side of the reef out of the wind where they can go unseen if you dont know where they hang out.

The sun was in the right place and the birds were all showing some nice colours

Clahane reef birds and Sandfield Barnacle Goose

  

Outside the invasion of Gulls on the middle reef a few birds were to be found foraging on the south reef with 8 Purple Sandpiper , 2 Greenshank , 15 Oystercatcher and 6 Brent Geese

On the way back home a lone Barnacle Goose was in the field along the river creek at Sandfield

Purple Sandpipers

Golden Plover

Brent Goose

barnacle goose

Golden Plover -Loop Head

 Golden Plover at Loop Head.

GPs for short are a gregarious bird that flock into open areas of Plover fields and heather hill of Loop Head during the autumn days into which they blend and can see any approaching threat such as Merlins etc.

 Birdwatchers look into the GP flocks to check for any unusual migratory birds that may join them such as AGP,  Dotterel, Pectoral Sandpiper, Buff breasted Sandpiper etc, all of which has been found here this way in the past.

Signs of migration out west

 The tide was the high at Clahane . A noisy flock of Herring Gulls bossed the bay, a Greenshank caught my eye in the rocks near the cliff it was with 5 Redshank . A White Wagtail briefly flew into the river entry, flitted around being busy went high and crossed the bay.

A flock 95 Brent Geese were on the middle reef with 60+ Golden Plover that were changing into summer plumage and 5 Whimbrel. The Geese began to move to the reef near the road and among them was a Black Brant

"Which way you heading"..."North"

Abbey Hill

I somehow had the morning to myself, wondering what to do, looking at my phone when bing ...a report of a Snowy Owl came through. The bird had been seen and photo`d at Abbey Hill, North Clare yesterday afternoon.

No better excuse to get out, nice weather and a south breeze.

Abbey Hill has a designated car parking area at the start of  a very popular walk and with views from these North Burren Hilltops that are second to none.

The only wildlife of note on the hill top was a small flock of 28 Golden Plover.

View of Bell Harbour from Abbey Hill westside

Burren Landscape looking North over Aughanish and on toard Galway and bay

Corranroo to the North East

AGP on the Loop

Down in the Fodry at Loop Head on a windy showery morning can sometimes not be the best place to be.
 Plenty of Choughs ,Skylark and a few Wheatear about, but it took a while to find the Plovers.(deja vu).
The calls came as the Golden Plovers came to the Fodry from around the north of the hill.
They came down a few fields over so I trudged my way across the land to get some views.
The American Golden Plover was with them.

American Golden Plover ( furthest left) with Golden Plovers

Our Golden Plovers

Between Lahinch and the fields of Hags Head is an ideal place to see Golden Plover at this time of year.

Upto 400 birds can be seen roosting on the river banks near Lahinch bridge.

Other GPs join the Lapwing on the pitch and putt and the flooded field at Sandfield

Possibly best viewed at Clahane where a 100+ roost up on the reefs during the day.

During the evening they spread out in small feeding flocks in the fields close to Hags Head.

Golden Plover in change

During the winter months the Golden Plovers seem colourless dull and drab, but as they moult and change into the summer plumage a striking looking bird develops,full of colours and tones....I still really enjoy their contact calls and whistles as you approach them on the reef

Clahane Hightide roost

Glaucous Gull with Herring ,Black-headed & Common Gulls

Greenshank 

An evening with very high tides,the high tide roost at Clahane can be a busy patch of reef, the incoming tide pushes the birds close to the road.
A nice flock of Golden Plover and 50 Brent Geese are joined by good numbers of Purple Sandpipers,Dunlin, Oystercatcher,Greenshank ,Redshank and Ringed Plover, and the 1st winter Glaucous Gull was with the usual Gulls.

Clahane evening

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A bit of local birdwatching at Clahane was nice to end to the afternoon , a small flock Golden Plover were at the far reef , a snipe was near the reeds of the flooded field , the usual gathering of Rock pipits were along the wall with the high tide. Good numbers of  Great northern divers are coming in Liscannor bay.

AGP & GP juv

GP

AGP

Traveling back from the bridges of ross i stopped at Doonbeg to see what was around. I spotted an Otter in the seaweed so i made my way across the reef, i lost the Otter but the AGP was still present and was joined by a juvenile Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Well camoflaged in the reefs , Golden Plover can roost without being even seen by the human eye,
These birds were at Doolin reef moving with the tide