Nothing like a sunday morning walk along Lahinch prom at high tide on a calm day
9 Red throated Divers were spaced out along the beach and seem to be coming in closer since the new sea wall, a few Great northern Divers and Shags about and the Common Scoter flock was far out.
A Black Redstart was along the erosion defence wall at Liscannor harbour otherwise it was quiet.
A lone Whooper Swan was in the flooded field at Clahane
A Snow Bunting was flitting about behind the fishermans wall at Liscannor Harbour.
We went for a small walk up the lane along the grass and roadside looking for seeds, the bird seemed quite happy with the 2m distancing .
Young Great Black backed Gulls.
Here`s a bird that always entertains me, even though I see them regular. A common bird on the west coast of Ireland and generally the Boss among Gulls, Can often look suspicious like a thief , Graceful in the air, always on the scene at any scavenage - willing to tear into anything edible washed up on the shoreline or dead in a field
Overall this year of Covid and lockdowns produced extremely poor conditions for surfing around the Lahinch area and fitness and focus are hard things to come bye with age ... if you allow that sort of thing.
Turning 50 and being a Surfer for 40 years now..I aint done yet
So with weather patterns changing and waves starting to break in any conditions, Myself and Dexter took to the Ocean ..we knew that the hard yards of paddling and stamina conditioning had to take place so we surfed daily or as much as possible in any conditions through Oct/Nov, the focus was to be ready when the good swells came.
Come the end of November I feel a Surfer once more, I find im once again competing with myself, Ive spent time with friends and laughed, I breathe better, time slows down and becomes calm. I sleep well.
A reminder of an old saying...Only a Surfer knows the Feeling!
So a week ago I found out I had a Pine Marten visiting my garden.
I chanced my arm putting out a few peanut butter, peanuts and rasberry jam treat along the log in my garden. The weather during the week was awful, but the treats were being taken..
On clearer nights I put out the Trail Camera in a different spot each night to get a few angles of this fine animal that really does seem to be at home on the Log.
A few videos are of the wrong date. OoOPs.
I was discussing with my young lad as to what might come too and around the bird feeder at night.
So we decided to put a trail cam up...a few Male Cats were around but at 5;20 a stunning Pine Marten comes in for about an hour and Ive found out who has been attacking the food bins.
A short walk with the kids at Lahinch beach during a brisk morning will always find few local birds in there habitats , Wagtails ,Stonechats and Rock Pipits on the Rocks, the Black headed Gulls in their regular spot on the reef and Cormorants and Red throated Divers chase fish in the shallows and were giving a winter feel to the beach.
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Red throated Diver |
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| Black headed Gull |
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| Cormorant |
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| Rock Pipit |
Yellow browed Warblers are still getting around headlands and moving through the country. Birds have been found in and near coastal towns of County Clare and even on show in inner city Dublin.
They do get a little easier to see as the leaves are falling from the trees, I believe this bird has been in the same Kilbaha garden for over a week now, not much more in rarities in the village but still a good visible passage of Chaffinch, Blue , Great and Coal Tits
