Barnacle Goose at Sandfield

A Barnacle Goose was associating and feeding with Whimbrel in `the goose fields` behind Sandfield marsh along Liscannor road.

 

 

Puffins from The Cliffs of Moher

 Its a belated post from the 5th April. I was the only person on the Cliffs of Moher due to the Pandemic. Very strange indeed. The Cliffs are close to home but I cant remember ever being here alone.

Good numbers of Puffins were on show along the banks on the cliffs , obviously photos here are taken at long distance but  every so often a Puffin would fly high and it was possible to chase a flight shot

The Black Guillemots of Lahinch Bay

 Within the last few years these small resident Seabirds have taken up home in Lahinch bay, not a rare bird and can be found in many places along the coast, but certainly an overlooked bird.

Black Guillemots are quiet bird that stay in there small groups and dont stray far, they seem content diving for fish in there own fishing area in not to deep of water.

Last year a few pairs had a successful year breeding in inaccessable  rock clifftop overhangs around the bay and a few birds stayed over wintered in Lahinch and could be seen in between surf breaks and on hightide in front of town.

Come spring they become a stunning looking bird . For me they are the little jewels that this bay holds

Whimbrel everywhere

 It must be May, Whimbrel are all over the coast by the 1000s , picking in the seaweed and fields close to the shore, most reefs points and offshore islands will hold numbers of roosting birds as they gather ready to cross there final path across the Ocean to Iceland and beyond.

Double crested Cormorant

The Double crested Cormorant was at the usual spot , On the point of the mouth of the inlet to Ballylongford, 

Quite active waddling around and sun drying the wings. Only one Great Cormorant and a Great black backed Gull were with it for size comparison  but you cant miss the orange face on this small American  Cormorant.

Good scope views but photos limited due to distance across the water....My phone scoping skills are non existant, so into the bag for the magic back up Canon 600D which contains a 3x crop video setting...when all else fails.

Tree Sparrow spring action

  Every spring I drop into into see the Tree Sparrows along the Clare coast. 

I was passing through and was only here for 15 mins , but didnt really need more time as the action was on, for once the birds were too busy to take notice of me and put on a show in the lane brambles...rather that heading up field or into those willows in the reeds and hiding under the song of the Sedge Warbler.

A count of 8

Ennistymon Dippers

 Dippers are a marine bird that feed under water and nest in and around waterfalls and Ennistymon Cascades has always had Dippers.

I parked up near the Cascades when I heard the call of the Dipper at the waterfalls.

I took a look to see 2 juvenile birds being fed  by the parents..

Black Brant at Clahane

At this time of year over 100 plus Pale bellied Brent Geese can be found along the north end of Liscannor Bay along the reefs and river outflows where the Eel grass grows on the rocks. They gather here feed up before they head north

 I was checking through the 90+ Pale Brent Geese at my favorite  patch at Clahane with my lad Harry I was hoping to find a bird with a ring as I have found many here at Clahane over the years.

 A Black Brant stood out in the crowd of Pale bellied Brent Geese and was a nice find personally as I always believed I had a good chance that Id find one one day among these flocks

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"

Black Redstart - Clahane

 This Black Redstart has been along the Cliff at Clahane for over a week feeding up on Flies, as usual this species can be quite elusive , but seems to appear when the suns out.