Seafield. The start of a new season

 Summers over and the shoreline belongs to the birds.

Dunlin

Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint

Sandwich Tern

Curlew Sandpiper

The flock of Curlew Sandpipers at Seafield

The arrival of a flock of Curlew Sandpipers that increased during the day to around 80 birds was not to be missed and was a delight to see at high tide in good light during the late afternoon. 

I`ve never seen such a flock and for once Seafield was peaceful and I was able to enjoy a great bit of birdwatching with my kids 

 

Black Tern -Seafield

 Just sitting on the grass bank watching through the wader flock when a few birds go up and in the confusion this unexpected Black Tern started doing a few swoops over the seaweed a few times and headed south

Arctic Terns and Grey Phalarope Liscannor Pier

 I was on the pier at Liscannor watching the birds acrosss the bay.

I was enjoying the Arctic and Sandwich Terns that were passing by into the wind and was hoping for a Skua , instead I picked up a Grey Phalarope which was`nt easy to see down light,. it was picking away in the rip current behind the pier.

Sabines Gulls on the coast

 Storm Erin wipped up some windy weather and high seas.

Sabines Gulls were reported in their hundreds off the headlands of  Loop Head.

Then a few started to show up from Clahane , Liscannor,.Quilty, and Carrigaholt 

A immature bird was approachable on the Clahane road where it spent the whole day picking for food..

I got to see a few myself within the mixed Gull flock at Quilty ,Saturday produced 3 Juveniles while Sunday saw a stunning adult Sabines dip feeding along the shore and close to the slipway.

Black Tern & Osprey at Lough Atedaun

A warm day at  Lough Atedaun.

As I turned up within seconds the birds were up , 200 Mallard a few Little Egret.  Waders of different sizes, Gulls all in the air, then it calms.

3:20 pm an Osprey began hovering over the east side taking one dive which seemed successful , up over the trees and gone.

The Black headed Gulls syarted to arrive back as did the Black Tern which continued to be here for the 3rd day.

Burren Spotted Flycatchers

 A small corner of woodland off a limestone path within the Burren lands near Carron I came a cross a pair of Spotted Flycatchers in an ideal habitat. Somewhere around the back of a bush they were feeding young. As usual they return to a favored perch and give good views.

Sedge Warbler

 And in they come making as much noise in that mixed up Warble of song.

With the good spring weather Sedgy`s just seem to be everywhere and anywhere near waterways, reedbeds to Tussock grass fields. A song that cant be ignored.

Clahane flurry of birds

 Its was  a spring day with a flurry of birds that were passing through.

Plenty Whimbrels coming up the Clahane coast followed by White Wagtail, a few extra Rock Pipits, Wheatear, a couple of Common Sandpipers, they all seemed to arrive and leave together.