Twite bring in the winter

I was out and about yesterday in the misty wet rain and got as far as Clahane near Liscannor Bay.  There were over 50 Rock Pipits feeding the roadside on high tide and a small mixed flock of finches with three lovely Twite among'st them.  Here are a few shots of the birds that I took out the window of the car in the miserable conditions.

 

 Twite at Clahane John N Murphy

Scandinavian Rock Pipits

Clahane in Liscannor Bay on the west Clare coast is a great location for Rock Pipit, I was there on Saturday 11th March 2017,  where there were up to 60 Rock Pipit and three birds showing characteristics of Scandinavian Rock Pipit race Anthus petrosus littoralis.  Here are a selection of shots of Scandinavian type birds and the nominant race of Rock Pipit.  There are up to six different individuals in this selection of photographs. Please feel free to comment on any of the birds photographed below.

 

Rock Pipits at Calhane, Liscannor Bay © John N Murphy

Stonechats & Rockies

I spent yesterday the 2nd January 2015 going through pipits and Stonechats on the shoreline at Clahane beach in Liscannor. This site has turned up Buff-bellied Pipit and Water Pipits in the past.  Unfortunately there were no interesting pipits there yesterday only the bog standard west coast Rock Pipits and plenty of Stonechats, all feeding on a hatch of flies along the road and in the decaying seaweed.

 

 Rock Pipits Anthus petrosus John N Murphy

Stonechats at Clahane John N Murphy

Great Northern Diver

Visited Clahane and Liscannor after Quilty today.  No sign of the Water pipit at Clahane but there was a large flock of mixed gulls, nine Purple Sandpipers and a small few Great Northern Divers.  This one was almost in full summer plumage.

Rock Pipit

I visit a lovely little National School at Furglans near Ennistymon today and afterwards skipped down to nearby Clahane to look for an early Wheatear.  While at Clahane I managed to locate the Water Pipit, and at least 70 Rock Pipits were still feeding along the shore.

Pied Wagtail

I did a tour of west Clare today, beginning at Seafield, near Quilty where there were hundreds of wading birds on the shore and many of the Turnstones were colour ringed. Also had a colour ringed Saderling and first year Herring Gull. Near Quilty I managed to find an Eastern Jackdaw and re-located the Water pipit within a flock of Rock Pipits just south of Seafield.  I then passed through Quilty village on my way north towards Clahane.  In Quilty village an adult Ring-billed Gull was on the beach.   When I got to Clahane the second Water Pipit was on the shoreline feeding with Redshank and Turnstones.  These Pied Wagtails were showing well, along with Rock Pipits.