Gannet in Lahinch

I had a call early morning to say that a large aggressive Seabird was on Lahinch prom and a FB post was out to the concern about this bird and its safety.

I was in Lahinch so I collected the Gannet and released it to the sea at Liscannor harbour .

I believe the bird may have been caught out at night in the fog and came in to lights of Lahinch  and onto the stone seafront where it was tired but still a handful. 

 

Great Northern Diver in Summer plumage

It's May and most of the Great Northern Divers have migrated North,  but a handful of birds can still be seen within Lahinch bay and they are in spectacular summer plumage.

The Barn Owls Dinner table

A fresh Shrew believed to be a Greater white toothed Shrew lays on the feeding table of a Barn Owl, a smelly place where rodents and Starlings are torn up, swallowed and spat back out

The amount of pellets on the floor and poo stained rock sugest this is a regular feeding spot and I know it has been for years.

Local Tree Sparrows

Every spring I would visit a local location to see how the Tree Sparrows are fairing.

Today I only got to see 3 birds that were skulking among reeds and Willows close to whereby and hopefully incubation is taking place.

Fox and cubs

 Within the fields a Fox watches over her 3 cubs as they explore , She rested as they roamed giving out calls to any threats such as Magpies, Jackdaws and 2 juvenile Ravens that would often show interest in bothering her, She was aware of me but I was at a good distance enjoying the views

Linnet

Linnet is a species of Finch common to our fields.

 Considered a boring little brown job of a bird they can be easy overlooked and a male singing in a tree is well worth a watch .

 The Linnet may have got its name from the fondness of Linseed.

 

Reed Bunting

A Reed Bunting was showing off on his chirping perch on a local walk in the forestry of Ballyea

Eiders and Divers at Moy beach

I was down on Moy beach checking the surf which was small, a nice day with an offshore wind I checked the birds within the bay of the  TVseries `Smother`.

The  two Eiders that had over wintered the otherside of Lahinch bay were here as were 3 Red throated Divers, 6 Great northern Divers, a few new spring Lesser Black backed Gulls. 

Little Gull at Clahane

A Little Gull still with juvenile plumage was  at Clahane during the morning Dip feeding along the shoreline at high tide.

The Egyptian Vulture

Seems kind odd to be out tracking an Egyptian Vulture out in the fields of Roscommon.

After a short while of searching around the areas that the bird has been seen over the last few days I saw it far back in at tree beyond the roost tree, then it flew to the ground where we moved for better views.

 It just sat there on a log on the edge of a field at 108m! {googlemaps}

On leaving , as I was on the main road I could see Big Bird was soaring over the fields I pulled over and got great flight views as it circled over the fields

Great Bird.

1st view as found

Ross`s Gull at Galway

 A few days ago during storm Franklin a  Mega rare Ross`s Gull was seen off Mutton island Galway. Yesterday in better weather it was seen again in the area. Id waited a few years to see one so I headed to Galway hoping to beat the weather and see the Gull.

OMG! the walk out along the causeway to Mutton was horrendous, 60mph SW wind and rain blizzard, waves crashing on the walk out, an Otter was eating on the sea 10 m away but no hope of getting the camera out. By the time  I reached the sheltered side of the island even my coat pockets were full of water.

I searched the Gulls and found a Little Gull among the Black headed Gulls that were also roosting on the east side, an Iceland Gull or 2 were also present, tidy but not what I came for, I sat watching.

Distant a Ross`s Gull approached the Island from out near the east Bouy, maybe it was the flight pattern or wing pattern but instantly I said " Gotcha "!  as I followed it in, then it came right passed me and back out into the bay where it gave distant views

Little Gull

Little Gull