A Tree Sparrows colony

To see my local Tree Sparrow colony thriving yesterday was good, possibly 7-8 pairs of birds were busy back and forth nests with insects possibly feeding a 2nd brood. 

A few juvenile birds were around surrounding hedgerows and walls 

Ballyea Forestry, Clare - Spring birds

Ballyea Forestry is walking distance from home and over Lockdown period became somewhere I now visit weekly. Frankly its hoping with Birds and is producing some nice habitat . Pine Marten and Red Squirrel have been seen, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel have been seen to hunt.

Handfuls of Cuckoos could be seen regular through spring. 

Whitethroat, Blackcap, Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warbler ,Stonchat and Meadow Pipit all busy with young , Redpoll and Siskin are always seen in good numbers as are Coal Tit, Great Tit and Song Thrush

Long eared Owl . part 2 .Watching over the gardens

I had a text from my neighbour`s saying that the Owl was seen during the afternoon in the garden.

We have only seen activity at dusk and night which has been exceptional and I was hoping to see  one during the day.

With no Crows bothering them and only one regular Magpie that she keeps an eye on daily, they are very used to the families and children playing during the day and seem to be content.

It took a while to find ,even though this stunning Long eared Owl and it was sitting in plain view snoozing and silently watching over the garden.

 

Great crested Grebe and Yellow Lily

With water levels low at Lough Atedaun the Yellow water Lilies and a Great crested Grebe that was attending to a nest or day raft over at the reeds.

 Good looking bird always looking clumsy when out of the water.were making for a fresh colorful setting  in a area that has been submerged for several years

Long eared Owl . Part 1 . Starting to show

Back in April during a Lockdown walk a neighbour gladly invited me to come and see the Owls that had taken up residency in their garden and within 2km

Wow! ...This is going to be good, Ill call over . 

During April and May the Long eared Owls were strictly nocturnal and only seen after dark with flights out of the cut Pines and in and over the gardens

I was not surprised to find one on show during the afternoon in June roosting, fast asleep in the cut Pine copse.

Settling down in the early hours of the morning

Rose coloured Starling - Hags Head

A Rosy Starling was associating with the small Starling flocks that were following the Cows in a field near Hags Head.
Nice evening on the headland but quite exiting when a Bull charges at you while taking photos of the bird.

Grasshopper Warbler on Lockdown

Another beautiful morning on Lockdown.

A morning stroll through the lanes around my home to an open felled area where a few Grasshopper Warblers were Trilling away.

One of my favorite Warblers to follow find and photograph

1st Cuckoo of 2020

I was up early yesterday and outside my home on a lovely morning,

The call of Cuckoo was enough to take a morning walk, I know my local area and whereabouts of where Cuckoos are attracted to plus just follow the calls.

The Cuckoo was high in a Spruce been harassed by Meadow Pipits and a Redpoll pair

The morning also produced a calling Grasshopper Warbler, a Swallow, a small new influx of singing Blackcaps and Willow Warblers that had joined the morning Chorus.

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 

Blackcap singing

With Coronavirus lockdown in place ,I took an early walk locally near to my home,

A few male Blackcaps were in top voice singing.

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.