Fulmars

Its a Good time of year to watch Fulmars.
Anywhere along the Cliffs of Licannor, Hags Head and The Cliffs of Moher as they flies low over the Cliff tops on stiff wings, with shallow wing beats.

Great crested Grebes - Lough Atedaun

The water levels were high at Lough Atedaun,

Not much wildfowl or Swans about, but the game was on for the Great crested Grebes.

Not quite in full show yet as the females were checking out all the males and so forth.

Ring necked Duck -Westfields

Finally caught up with this Ringed necked Duck from North America that has been visiting Westfields NR  in Limerick.

The bird was hanging out with the Tufted Ducks in the middle of the lake.

A few times a bit of sun shone though the showers and allowed me to get a few distant shots 

A walk down the Falls

We often take a walk down Ennistymon Falls as a family.

Its a good place for the kids to see Dippers ,which were nest building.

A pair of Mistle Thrush and pair of Robins were active along the river.

Spring is in the air

Ring necked Duck at Ballyalia

I some how missed out on a Ring necked Duck in Limerick 4 days ago, I seen it as my best chance of getting a good photo of this Species but it wasnt to be.
So this morning  I took the chance of looking for the Ballyalia lake bird that had been around a while.It took me some time to find  and Im quite happy to settle with some record shots.

Ring billed Gull on the slipway

Always nice to catch up with a Ring billed Gull on the slipway in Limerick City.
I seen a few here over the years , nearly always on a dirty rainy day.

February tradition-- Ringed Brent Geese

It becoming a february tradition that I find a Ringed Brent Goose at Clahane.

This bird was among a small flock of !8 birds present this morning on the  reef.

I send these sightings into Graham Mcewaine of the Brent Geese reasearch group and we should get a bit of info later on

A Bird around the Corofin Loughs

I was on childminding duty, a morning with the sun out seemed like a good time for a round up of birds around the loughs of Corofin, so two small children accompanied me for the drive.

The Loughs were low in wildfowl, with small groups of Wigeon and Teal in corners of Lough Atedaun. 

Tufted Ducks, Little Grebes and 4 Gadwall were up the top of Lough Inchiquin

Lough Cullen only had a Great crested Grebe on it ,the Whoopers were in the usual field up the road.

A Hen Harrier was approaching Toulles Lough but was strictly seen off by Crows'

A lone Drake Goldeneye was the only bird on Lough Bunny.

32 Greenland white fronted Geese were in there winter field near Tubber

Glaucous Gull feeding upon kelp fly

By the end of January there is often white winged gulls to be seen along the coasts,
This 2nd CY Glaucous Gull was among the Black headed Gulls that feed here at Clahane on Kelp fly that are in the wash
I normally find these Gulls around dead washed up animals ,so it was nice to observe the fly picking.

Crested Tit - 1st bird of the year

I was doing my morning washing up at my holiday apartment as I looked out the glass doors a small silhouette landed on a plant outside. I knew what it was as I been looking for 1 for 2 weeks and havnt seen 1 in 25 years

Straight away I had to find my camera and rushed outside to find the Crested Tit up a palm tree then it went up high into pines for binocular views.

1st bird of the year!!  Happy New Year.

Quinto do Lago , Algarve

On arriving at 8am at the carpark on Ayrton Senna avenue , we were straight into a fishing Osprey and a Kingfisher at the main lake.
Along the track round the Quinto do Lago lakes we saw Spoonbills, Cormorants, Egrets, Redshank, Bluethroat and Black Redstarts
 Caspain Terns were in the air over the open waters
At the Soa Lourenco bird hide we saw Little Bittern, Purple Swamphen, Glossy Ibis, Pintail , Gadwall, and a few Tufted Duck
Azure winged Magpies House Sparrows and Hoopoes were abundant.