Common Eider

These two Common Eiders were feeding at the inner harbour of Liscannor Harbour last Sunday morning.  We only get three to four birds in Clare every winter and rarely do they come this close to shore.  This immature female and first winter drake seemed to be feeding on seaweed.

 Eiders at Liscannor Harbour © John N Murphy

Snow Goose

This Snow Goose at Barrow Bay in Kerry looks ike it will spend the winter there with the pale-bellied Brent Geese.  This is the second bird that I have seen in Ireland this year as late last winter I traveled to Sheskinmore in Donegal to see a bird that was hanging out with Greenland White-fronted Geese.  This bird I photographed in Kerry during early November.  It was on show again today at Carrahane Strand just North of Barrow Bay.

Snow Goose, Kerry © John N Murphy

Short-toed Lark

I have been out of circulation for the past three weeks, mainly dew to the fact that a local railway bridge upgrade had my land-line and internet disconnected for some time.  Added to the fact that I was busy in work prior to a holiday to the Cape Verde Islands off Senegal and west Africa.  During this period I made two visits to Cork and Ballycotton, where I caught up with the Short-toed Lark for my year list and managed to find a Red-breasted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart,  juvenile American Golden Plover and saw a White-rumped Sandpiper, Yellow-browed Warbler and an adult Sabine's Gull at Cobh.  Below are a few shots of the Short-toed Lark from the beach at Ballycotton.

Short-toed Lark at Ballycotton beach © John N Murphy

Sabine's Gull

This adult Sabine's Gull has been visiting Cobh in County Cork for the past eight winters.  I visited it over a month ago on a trip to Ballycotton for the Short-toed Lark.  Always a great bird to see and one of my favorite gulls.

 Adult Sabine's Gull, Cobh © John N Murphy

Northern Wheatear

This really warm looking Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe was at Seafield Beach, Quilty this evening.  When taking these shots I noticed what appeared to be tar stuck to lower belly feathers on the birds right side.  There are still small numbers of Wheatear lingering all along the Irish west coast. There were no real numbers of waders at Seafield but plenty of gulls feeding the high tide shoreline.

 Northern Wheatear at Seafield Beach © John N Murphy

American Pipit

This Buff-bellied Pipit (American Pipit), was found on the Aran islands by Dermot Breen early last week.  I was lucky enough to catch up with it during my 4 day visit to the island in search of rare migrants.  During our visit there were 4 - 5 Yellow-browed Warblers, two Turtle Doves, one Garden Warbler, one Black Redstart, one Reed Warbler and a selection of other common migrant passerines.

 Buff-bellied Pipit at Aran Islands © John N Murphy

Turtle Dove

I spent 4 days out on Inishmore the Aran Islands last week with a few friends.  I came upon one Turtle Dove in Kilmurvey Wood and this elusive bird in a beautiful little house and garden just outside Kilronan. The bird eventually gave long enough views to snap off the following series of shots.

 Turtle Dove on the Aran Islands, County Galway © John N Murphy