Willow Warbler

This Willow Warbler was actively feeding between the heavy showers of rain in the house garden on Great Saltee Island last weekend.  At this time of the year they are getting scarcer as many have already departed for their long migration to subtropical countries in Africa.

Willow Warbler searching for insects within a Sycamore Tree on Great Saltee Island © John N Murphy

Lesser Black-backed Gull

I was back on the Great Saltee Island, in Wexford again today. The hope was that there night be some migration through the island, but unfortunately it was very quiet.  The only birds of note were; one Short-eared Owl, one Common Redstart that disappeared very quickly, glimpses of a Garden Warbler, two Blackcaps, two Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaff, one Peregrine, four Chough and a handful of Wheatears and Sedge Warblers.  So my camera got little use except for the Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus graellsii near the Ring that I spent a some time photographing.  Nice gulls though.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Great Saltee Island © John N Murphy