Bluethroat

I was in Waterford today and got to Ballinclamper Beach at Clonea just outside Dungarvan to see the Bluethroat that has been on the beach for a few days now.  Managed to find him fairly quickly and also came across a Buff-bellied Pipit.  See the photos below of the Bluethroat.

Irish Hare

While out and about today searching for the female Marsh Harrier at Tool's Lough in the Burren, I came across this Hare who was sitting out in an open field in the rain.  He was not too worried about me approaching him and he sat up and had a good scratch and a preen, shaking off the rain, before trotting off to another field nearby.

Cranes

Since the new series was launched I have not had much time to do any birding.  Today 18th November 2011 I got a chance to go to Cork to look for a few migrants.  We started at Middleton where a flock of 19 Cranes have been feeding in stubble fields for the last week (see below).  We also got to Power Head where we clocked up the Pallid Harrier, a Pallas's Warbler, one albino Hen Harrier and four other Hen Harriers.  Between Rostellan and Aghada we counted 46 Mediterranean Gulls.  An excellent days birding in such wet conditions.