Kingfisher

I was back at Kilcoole again yesterday, Saturday 29th June to see the Lesser Whitethroat.  The bird was singing deep within the Buckthorns, but showing very occasionally and only during flight as he made his way along the bushes.  I met young Keogh, Des, Conor Foley and Jimmy Murphy while waiting for the bird to pop up.  Afterwards I went down to south Wicklow with Jimmy, where we took in Red Cross for the Red Kites and on to a location in the south of the county, to look for Great Spotted Woodpeckers.  While searching for the woodpeckers, we came across this stunning male Kingfisher on a stretch of river catching fish.  Always a great bird to brighten up the day.

Kingfisher in south Wicklow © John N Murphy

Red-backed Shrike

I rushed down to Wexford yesterday evening after work to see the male Red-backed Shrike that was found in Lingstown.  By the time I got there a few people had gathered to see it.  The sun had dropped nicely and the strong heat haze of the earlier part of the day had cleared. It made a nice change to seen an adult summer bird in Ireland, as most that turn up here are scruffy juveniles in Autumn.

Adult male Red-backed Shrike at Lingstown Tacumschin,Wexford © John N Murphy

Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth

I was on Arranmore Island in Donegal last Friday and Saturday.  While waiting for the boat to push off on the Saturday morning, I came upon these two Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moths feeding on scented plants in the harbour next to Bru Hostel.  I first took them to be Hummingbird Hawkmoths but on further inspected they turned out to be Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth. There have been 13 previous sightings in Donegal, but non for the island.  Throughout the country there have been 191 records with the majority coming from county Fermanagh, (see http://www.mothsireland.com/specieslist.htm).

 Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth © John N Murphy

Insects Emerge

The garden at home has come alive over the last few days with spiders lacewings, beetles and the weevil below chewing through some of my veggies.

 Common Weevil © John N Murphy

House Spider © John N Murphy

Lacewing © John N Murphy

Ringed Plover Nest

I was back in Wexford again this weekend to try and find a few more summer migrants for my list but not many were migrating through due to the Northerly wind.  In south Wexford I came upon this Ringed Plover nesting on a shingle beach.  The bird was very confiding as you can see from the photographs attached. I did manage to find a Hobby at Ring Marsh, which made the trip to Wexford worth it.

Ringed Plover attending its nest © John N Murphy