Big Gull movement

I parked the Car along the seafront road between Quilty and Seafield and watched the Big Gull movement from the wall.

 Plenty of Iceland Gulls and Glaucous Gulls were among the Great Black backed, Herring and Common Gull that were lingering in the wind along this straight of coast searching the high tide line.

The One legged Ringed Sanderling

Ive been following Sanderlings at Seafield now for over a decade and had kept a photo record of the ringed birds till a hard drive collapse this year.
This bird was on Quilty beach today showing the same tag as in a post I published in 2012  but now missing a right foot.,,,did the right leg once have a red/blue rings ??
http://www.alifeattheshoreline.com/2012/02/re-united-at-seafield.html

Its corduroy to the Horizon

Some good Ground Swell came our way during the 2nd week of January.

Perfect lines and a phrase rarely used.

"Its corduroy to the Horizon".

Waves shared with friends in cold offshores

Trish

Shaun SA

 On a big windy day my Dad sat up on the point and took a few pics of us lads charging in testing weather conditions

Jeff Copner

Ton DH

Red throated Diver - Ballyalia

It was quite unusual to come across a Red throated Diver on Ballyalia yesterday,
This bird has come here from the coast to avoid the storms and winds of the last few days
Tom & Nuala Lynch also came out to see the bird and assured me a 1st record for the lake..cool👍

Oystercatchers

General migration along with winter weather has pushed many flocks of Oystercatchers to our windy coastline and into fields .

These birds were in the field along the south side of Clahane, Clare

Forest Redpolls

Coming through the Pine forest near Willowbrook I edged up upon 5 Redpoll that were feeding on Grass seeds in the open dry areas.
Always a bird I see in barren places

Little Grebe

The Little Grebe is a common bird in County Clare, found on most Loughs and ponds, sometimes in their 100s.

This little fella was at the small pond near Drumcliffe cemetery,

Lahinch Misty morning

In the morning during  a surf check , we left Doolin to a clear sky , as we passed `over the hill` back to Lahinch the area was under a a thick moving mist.

The photo light was challenging in the white atmosphere

Lahinch bay

ennistymon mast

A weathered birdwatch through the lowlands

Pure miserable weather in the morning took us away from Drumcliffe ,where plenty of  Black tailed Godwits, Lapwing, Shoveler, Wigeon & Teal were in the flooded field...we headed for the Corofin loughs
The best of birdlife was the 120 Whooper Swans wintering in their usual  flooded fields near Lough Cullen, plenty of Fieldfare and Redwing like this area also. 16 Greylag Geese came down in the fields near Muchanagh
We also spent a short while in the horse field at Roo lough looking for the car keys 👀

 We got all the way to the Martello Tower on Auganish island North Clare, the weather cleared somewhat and a cold wind was now coming off the sea
 5 Male Long tailed Duck along with 4 Black throated Divers, 2Black Guillemots and Red breasted Merganzers were in the deep water off the causway.
A  hardy 50 strong Greenfinch flock were on the coast at the Tower.
12 Grey Plover, Oystercatchers and Dunlin were on the shores of the pool

Shaws Wood

A special little woodland in the heart of Gowerton, Swansea and just down the road from my fathers home
Great spotted Woodpecker , Nuthatch hang out high within the branches while Marsh/Willow Tit move with Great & Blue Tits through the shrubbery, the place is hopping with local wildlife.

Along the Salt marsh

Back in Wales visiting.
A morning drive along Wenffrdd salt marsh gave us Great white Egret. Green Sandpiper, Merlin, Little Egrets and plenty more.
The tide was a mega low and could not even be seen on this flat open Marsh land. Not the place for close photos, but the viewing is always really good.