Purple Sandpipers

I was back at Seafield, Quilty yesterday in west Clare.  There were 50 Purple Sandpipers on the rising tide picking amongst the rising seaweed with lots of other waders.  There was also on first-winter Ring-billed gull and a couple of Wheatears.

 

 

Purple Sandpipers at Seafield John N Murphy

 Turnstones John N Murphy

First-winter Ring-billed Gull John N Murphy

Black-tailed Godwit

This Black-tailed Godwit was at Ballycorrick Bridge, Ballynacally this afternoon.  Birds do not normally frequent this creek in spring and it is much better in autumn when young birds gather here to feed in the soft estuarine mud.

 

 Black-tailed Godwit at Ballycorrick Bridge John N Murphy

 

Blue P Red N & Pale Belly

I dropped into Cromane in Kerry this afternoon.  While there I saw the first-winter Glaucous Gull that I photographed on my last visit and three colour ringed Pale-bellied Brent Geese.  I tend not to take many shots nowadays of Brent Geese as in the past I took so many that a re just sitting in the office in slide boxes or on hard drives.  Spending time today taking these shots and 300 more I forgot how social these geese are with lots of squabbling between different groups and family parties.  Great to see.

 

Pale-bellied Brent Geese John N Murphy

Glaucous Gull

This first-winter Glaucous Gull was feeding on a dead pup seal  along the shore near Cromane, Castlemaine, Kerry late this evening.  The tide was fully in and the Spoonbill was roosting on a headland east of the pier at Cromane.

First-winter Glaucous Gull at Cromane John N Murphy

Iceland Gull

At Reenard Point, Kerry tis evening there were three Iceland Gulls.  One adult, one third winter and a first-winter.  Here are a few shots.

Iceland Gulls, Reenard Point, Caherciveen, Kerry John N Murphy

Great Northern Diver

I was working in Caherciveen, south west Kerry today and visited Reenard Point late in the afternoon to look for gulls.  There were a great mix of gulls, some seals and Great Northern Divers off the Pier. This confiding bird came close and gave a great opportunity to photograph.

 

Great Northern Diver, south west Kerry John N Murphy