Common Raven

Given that today is the ancient Irish Tradition of Halloween (Oiche Shamhna), I have decided to share some photos of my black corvid carrion friend "Robbie" who lives back at Castle Point in west Clare. When I was growing up (100 years ago), these beautiful birds were highly persecuted and poisoned to stop them eating lambs etc.. Nowadays such practices have thankfully been banned and are completely illegal. At Halloween Raven images pop up regularly on film posters and posters depicting the Halloween season. The Celts strongly associated the Raven with war on the battlefield and death. But nowadays they can live a fairly sedentary life, away from the close proximity of humans and get on with being masters of their own territories.

Robbie here is the main reason why I managed to find a Lesser Kestrel in west Clare last year, 130 years after the first Irish record. It was he I first noticed at the end of the car park near Castle Point, Kilkee.  I drove down to photograph him but found the LK instead. Now I have my lunch in that car park, whenever I am working back around the west Clare area. As you can see he has copped on to me throwing out my bread crust after my lunch and is taking full advantage of it. Such a fantastic and intelligent bird. Long Live the Raven.

Common Raven John N Murphy

Arctic Warbler

During my recent visit to Clare Island (11th to 13th October 2021), I managed to find this rare Siberian Arctic Warbler, a first for the island and a 16th Irish record. The first one I seen in Ireland was a long way back on 6th September 1986 (only the 6th Irish record at that time), in Kilbaha, Loop Head.

Arctic Warbler, Clare Island John N Murphy

Wader migration has begun

The last few weeks has seen the start of Trans Atlantic waders arriving from Arctic Canada and North America. Short-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper and the sixth country record of Western Sandpiper at Dungarvan in Waterford. At the same time Wood Sandpipers and Little Stints are the beginning of waders starting to pour south out of  Scandinavian and Siberia. Here are some shots of Little Stints (the first shot with a Dunlin), which are sometimes confused for the rare North American Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Juvenile Little Stints in west Clare, Autumn 2020 John N Murphy

Red Kites of Wicklow

 I have travelled through Wicklow in the last few weeks on three occasions and managed to see up to 18 to 20 Red Kites on all of my trips in the Red Kite capital of Red Cross to Avoca. Here are a few snap shots.

Red Kites at Avoca John N Murphy

Whitethroat Recovery

In recent years Whitethroats with their scratchy song have slowly recovered throughout the country. Even in Kerry birds have been recorded this year after an absence of many decades since the big crash in the 1970's. Throughout the country this year, I have never heard or seen so many birds. Hopefully the tropical weather we have received over the last few weeks, will help these warblers and many more to produce enough young and return to Africa for the winter, coming back next year in droves to breeding grounds throughout Ireland. 

Whitethroats John N Murphy

Lapwing Return

Over the past three weeks while travelling to different parts of the country, I have noticed that large flocks of Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus have begun to move out into open fields after leaving the security of their breeding grounds in bogs and lakeshore edges. Its lovely to see these young birds as seen below, beginning to venture out into the green fields and start developing their own characters as we move closer to the end of our breeding season.

Immature Northern Lapwing feeding in open fields John N Murphy

Smews in Spring

Back in May a pair of Smew frequented Gortglass Lake near Kildysert, over a three day period. At the time it looked like they might be settling in to breed.  But after weeks of constant monitoring they could not be re-located. They obviously headed back to Scandinavia after going off course during their northerly migration.

A pair of Smew at Gortglass Lake John N Murphy