Common Sandpiper -Clahane

 The tide was very high covering the reefs of Clahane with water .

Over in the corner a Common Sandpiper was on the seaweed dump close enough to photo from the car.

Cory`s Season at the Bridges

 August has seen a steady flow of westerly direction winds, the sea is at its peak temperature.

 The food is flowing our way, followed by thousands of Cory`s Shearwaters which have been consistent for the month so far and other seabirds using the winds, this brings them close to the coast where its possible to see them before they venture back into open ocean on a migratory quest.

Today alone 500 Cory`s per hour and the beauty and excitement of a Fea`s Petrel at 1145.

Great, Sooty and Manx backed up the Shears as did Long tailed, Arctic, Pomarines made up the numbers for the Skuas, still Bonxies remain rare this year

Skuas out of the Mist

 I was at Seafield on the high tide but there was a bit of disturbance for birdwatching.

The wind was increasing rapidly from the west, so I headed up onto Lurga point but wind made going through the gulls on the back beach difficult. 

A few Terns and Kittiwakes were hung up in the wind between Mutton island.

Out of the approaching rain mist came 3 Skuas and straight into the Terns.

2 Dark Arctics put on a display offshore while a Pomarine Skua stayed low over the water.

Shearwater morning off the Bridges of Ross

 Up early, and there seemed no wind, so I decided on going to Lahinch swimming Pool for a morning swim. As I came to the coast at Lahinch a steady west wind was blowing so I motored down the coast and was at the Bridges of Ross by 7:30am. 

You know ITS ON when see the Cory`s Shearwaters passing from the carpark......

When I got to the headland ,Brian Mac and Sean Holland were the early birds seawatching from the hollow and both were wearing big smiles due to the quality of birding that was on offer.

Over the morning over 2000 Cory`s had past by along the Manx line, which today was the Cory`s line which is close in for big Shearwaters, over a 100 Great Shearwaters were in the mix with a 20 or so Sooty Shearwaters on top of our local Manxies 

A Wilson Storm Petrel passed by at 10;30

Storm Petrels were also numerous with a count of over 50

Cory`s Shearwater

Great Shearwater

Manx

Common Terns Lough Atedaun

 A pair of Common Tern were hawking the Lily pads and resting on the lake boulders at Lough Atedaun during the afternoon

The water is low and vegetation is high. Hundreds of Mute Swan and Mallard were along the edges on the far side with Curlews and Lapwing

A female Kestrel was chaperoning a youth high above calling, as were Willow Warblers in the hedgerows

Cormorant and a large Wrasse

This Cormorant landed in Clahane with attitude, it caught the eye as I was watching Gulls.

A smalll while later I had to swing the camera onto it as it took on a challenge of a good 2lb Wrasse

 

Two Adult Med Gull -Clahane

 I was delighted to find a stunning adult Mediterranean Gull on the seaweed picking on the Kelp fly explosion. A Med Gull still remains a decent bird to find along the Clare west coast. 

I enjoyed the quite showy bird and moved along the front to an oncoming adult Med Gull , surely 2 adult Meds aint happening, and now I need to turn around go back to the seaweed dump and check and yes another has joined the other ....this one with slightly `oranger` legs.

So this leads me to why and where from? Could be a failed clutch, could it be young have fledged and now its time to wander feed up. 

Yellow crowned Night Heron photo gift

 So your in a dark riverside lane before light , its lightly lit and your trying to watch a super rare Yellow crowned Night Heron as it preys on Crayfish, looking, watching through bins or a scope, there is just no light to shoot a camera

It becomes a waiting game....

 As you follow the bird, you just dont expect it to fly upstream toward you, land then walk around on river rocks that the morning light is shining on through the tree cover in front of your eyes and force you to take off a 1.4 converter as its just to close to full frame..