Willow Warbler

This Willow Warbler was actively feeding between the heavy showers of rain in the house garden on Great Saltee Island last weekend.  At this time of the year they are getting scarcer as many have already departed for their long migration to subtropical countries in Africa.

Willow Warbler searching for insects within a Sycamore Tree on Great Saltee Island © John N Murphy

Willow Warbler

At this time of the year Willow Warblers have now settle in after returning from Africa in late March and females are already sitting on eggs.  They don't waste any time and we still have birds returning from Africa. 

Willow Warbler

I went birding at the Shannon Airport Lagoon early this morning in search of Garganey or some rare vagrant but to no avail. At the Lagoon (SAL) there was one Peregrine Falcon mobbing a large flock of over 3,000 Black-tailed Godwits.  With the godwits on the mudflats, were a flock of over 1,000 Golden Plover, five Little Egrets were in the lagoon itself, along with five Water Rails and a half dozen Willow Warblers singing from the willows.