American Golden Plover at Clahane

 This AGP on the high tide roost at Clahane with Golden Plovers for most part of the week

White tailed Eagle at the Kilkee Cliffs

 Take the coast road I said to myself.

Up from beneath the Kilkee Cliffs she came being harassed by Choughs soon a Raven and Rooks got involved and forced the young Eagle up high and over Kilkee town. I had blocked the road and the lad driving the tractor behind joined me to watch as she drifted back toward us high above us and then SW.

A Yellow browed Warbler and Raptors in on the east winds

 A cold morning up around the headland didnt turn up much apart from Meadow Pipits , so the morning progressed to a few gardens in Kilbaha , a few small flocks Great, Blue and Coal Tits were showing and a Yellow browed Warbler showed for not long , a bit of an east wind and no better place than Kilbaha to see one, other wise the area was quiet, SparrowHawks, Kestrels and Buzzard were seen in the village also drawing on the easterly weather

Sabines Gull in on a west wind

 A juvenile Sabines Gull was feeding offshore at Clahane in a blasting west wind , rarely coming in as close a the Black headed Gull flock but sometimes ending up in the mix due to the wind, it did not stay long and moved off , never the less always a good patch bird to find on my daily local rounds

Buff breasted Sandpiper on the Loop

 I tried to see this bird a few days back but got rained off the headland in a storm, but its stuck around all week tempting for me, 

I hadnt seen one in a few years and a late afternoon visit was well worth the drive down as the Buff Sand (once found)  put on a show running around the grasses picking Crane fly while keeping a short distance from myself.

Juvenile Arctic Tern

During the week a small Tern suspected to be a Little Tern was way out in Lahinch bay feeding in the wind with Sandwich Terns, as the Terns dispersed over the week the small one was left behind and was  fishing along the Liscannor coast, it turned out to be a pocket size juvenile Arctic Tern

Grey Phalarope x3 Kilkee

  Three very approachable Grey Phalarope were doing their thing in the west end corner of Kilkee beach.

The one I found yesterday at Liscannor never came as close

Juvenile Razorbill - Liscannor harbour

 We were just hanging out together for a small bit.

This juvenile Razorbill was feeding metres off Liscannor harbour and was giving underwater views from above and closeups if you went down the steps, a very tame individual , very busy chasing small shoals of fish 

September Waders

 September weather has brought a good selection of waders to the coast. 

Plenty of Knot with up to 60 birds at Seafield along with 10 plus Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint and the usual Dunlin/Sanderling/Turnstone flock.  Back beaches had Bart tailed and Black tailed Godwits while a Ruff was at Clahane for a week

Icterine Warbler in Kilbaha

After a busy summer of work and Leg injury rehab, there hasnt been much opportunity of much birding over the last few months.

The arrival of an Icterine Warbler in Kilbaha a few days previous was enough to revive the senses and Monday morning I found a few hours to head south.

Didnt need to much leg work as Murf was on site and knew where the bird would show, and it appeared out of the Sycamore Tree , fliitted into the Willows  in between showers for  short but good views

Red Kites

 Just passing through Wales from Swansea to Pembroke, always on the look out for Kites High in the sky.

 I managed to see 5 during my drive.

Red necked Phalarope

 I've waited a few years for an opportunity to get up country and look for Red necked Phalarope.

I was perched up with my Son very early at the viewing spot looking over a marsh alive with drumming Snipe and squeeling Lapwing. Afer a while I was starting to wonder if  I would get to find what I was looking for and then a splendid Male Red necked Phalarope showed at distance in the scope, gone.

I waited again, then as I was watching the Cygnuts, the male Phalarope past by them, gone.

One more show and it was time to settle on the views we had  and move on with a hatrick of all 3 Phalarope species now in the bag.