Ring-billed Gull

This adult Ring-billed Gull was on the railings of the slipway at Ballyallia lake this afternoon.  There have been at least seven of these North American Gulls throughout Clare this winter.

 Adult Ring-billed Gull at Ballyallia Lake © John N Murphy

Waxwings still here

These Waxwings were at Cahercalla in Ennis on Sunday found by Barry Howell.  I had to go to see them and get more shots of these colourful birds.  Attached are a series of shots taken of the 12 birds present at Woodlands Estate.

Waxwings in Ennis © John N Murphy

Waxwings for the New Year

Since the arrival of Waxwings in Dublin just before the Christmas of 2016, I have been checking Ennis every time I pass through. Yesterday on my way home from work in Galway I checked a few estates around the railway station near St. Michaels Villas.  There were lots of berries still on bushes near the Grotto at St. Michaels and as I drove by a few of these small gardens I noticed one Waxwing in a low tree with a flock of Starlings.  Eventually I tracked down the rest of the small flock of five and got the following series of photos in dull, fading light.

Waxwings in Ennis © John N Murphy

Waxwing

Waxwings eventually arrived in numbers today when a flock of 35 - 40 birds turned up in Ennis.  These have to be one of the most photogenic birds about.

Waxwings in Ennis © John N Murphy

White-fronted Geese

Yesterday while passing through Ennis I stopped off at Ballyallia Lake where there were three White-fronted Geese, one little Egret and 74 Whooper Swans.  These three white-fronted Geese were probably lost from a small party that normal frequent Lough Muchanagh not too far north of Ennis.

Garganey

This pair of Garganey turned up at Ballyallia Lake, Ennis yesterday.  The pair have been skulking around in vegetation near the mouth of the River Fergus on the town side of the lake.  In Clare we see few of these birds on an annual basis and when we do they normally tend to be juveniles in Autumn, normally in September.  This is the second time in the last two years that this species has appeared at this lake.  Hopefully a sign that it may be an annual occurrence. 

Azure Damselfly

Also at the Lees Road Wood I saw my first blue damselfly of the year.  It was a common species the Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella, a species that hatches normally in May through to July and can be identified by the black U shaped marking which is separated by a small area of blue before another black mark at the base of segment two on its back.

Hover Fly (Leucozona Lucorum)

After visit a school in Ennis on Wednesday 11th May, I went to nearby Lees Road Wood on the outskirts of town to look for Red Squirrels and came across a great variety of bugs and insects, including this common hover fly Leucozona Lucorum.

Sundown

I was coming through Ennis on my way home on two evenings towards the end of this week and had to stop to get photo's of the spectacular sunset over the tower at St. Flannan's College from the bog road.

Common Frog

I payed a visit to a small pond near Drumcliff in Ennis, a spot where I know Frogs breed every Spring.  They did not disappoint as there were hundreds spawning, calling and doing what Frogs do at this time of year, having fun.  There were also Smooth Newts coming to the surface to take air in the warm sunshine.