Arctic Terns -Coonagh

Three juvenile Arctic Terns were showing off their fishing talents around the bottom pond at Coonagh NR Limerick.

Bar tailed Godwit

A few small flocks of Bar tailed Godwits have made their way from Russia and scandinavia and are on patrol of the shoreline between Quilty Beach and Seafield

Leech`s Petrels

A few days of  North West winds have shown numbers of Leech`s Petrels of  Irish Headlands.

We lost count after 50 yesterday at the Bridges of  Ross.

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"........

Seafield to Loop

I was at Seafield early.
100s of Linnets were on the lines, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Turnstone made up the waders on the beach.
I wasnt content so carried on along the coast to Lough Donnell the morning was warming up.

Then I fell asleep writing this post.
Today 9 days later I posted it .Haha

Green Sandpiper -kilbaha pond

I always check the pond on my way into Kilbaha , today a Green Sandpiper was on the mud and a Kingfisher spun around the pond up the gully into the reeds,

A Wheatear was in the playground

A pink stand out

A little pink stand out in a team of 6 juvenile Redpolls enjoying a preen in the sun 

Ballyellery , Lahinch marsh

Skua b4 work

The next morning we called in to The bridges of ross for a morning seawatch before work
There was a good passage of Manx and Sooty Shearwater and this Arctic Skua came in close  under the headland for a photo.

A few shoreline waders

Dunlin and Knot were quite showy and tame along the shoreline of Tacumshin lake

An Adult summer Grey Plover showed out in the shallows near the sluice

Dunlin

Grey Plover

Knot

Hen Harrier -East End

I was in Wexford for monday and as always I visit Tacumshin lake.

After a long walk around the lake and the heat upto 24` (we dont get that in Clare) I arrived back at the car park for a rest ,sandwich and drink.

It was in my mind that a Harrier could pass through, and sure enough this bird came gliding over the swamp and reed beds of the East end pond.

Birds In the Doonbeg corner

Along the coast of Doonbeg Harbour the road runs right along the shore to a small corner of tidal mudflat and boulder reef that attracts many bird species.

A few Greenshank, Redshank ,Curlew, Dunlin and Little Egret were to be seen  with a little gem of a Green Sandpiper making a show at distance

Oystercather, Greenshank & Green Sandpiper

kingfisher -Lahinch Marsh

Juvenile Lesser black backed Gull

 Juvenile Lesser black backed Gull.