Gannet

We also visited the Gannet colony while on the Saltees last Saturday.  I was amazed to see so many birds still gathering nesting material this late in the season.  Many of the adult Gannets were still sitting tight on young birds and others were actively feeding their large almost fully grown chicks.  Just a word of warning.  Any budding photographers who plan to visit nesting seabirds in the future, I please ask that you respect the seabirds and keep a fair distance when getting your photos.  We witnessed Gannets at the colony being harassed by a small group of photographers last Saturday which was a bit disturbing.

Puffin

I made a trip to the Great Saltee Islands last weekend on Saturday 25th June to photograph a few seabirds.  There were plenty of Puffins out and about, standing guard at their burrows and pottering about on the cliff tops.

Black-tailed Godwit

A small group of Black-tailed Godwits were also at Lady's Island Lake last Tuesday 14th June 2011.

Dunlin

Also at Lady's Island were many other waders, including these Dunlin in stunning summer plumage.

Ringed Plover

Also during last Tuesday 14th on my trip around Wexford I came across Many Ringed Plovers with nests and young.  This bird at Lady's Island Lake was very approachable and happy to have its photo taken.

Sanderling

These Sanderling were photographed on Carne Beach, in Wexford on 9th January of this year.  The colour ringed bird was tagged at Sandgerði, Iceland on 17th May 2009. From Iceland it arrived on Carne Beach in September 2009 and remained there into Spring.  Then it made the returned journey back to Iceland where it was spotted at Sandgerði, back where it originally came from.  In August 2010 the bird re-appeared on Carne beach and is overwintering at the moment.