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Leave a comment Scarriff Bay
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Leave a comment Shannon Airport lagoon
The best time of year to visit the lagoon is from May to October. In early summer Sedge and Willow Warbler songs echo throughout the reeds and sallies. Common breeders at the lagoon include, Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, all the tit family, Coot, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Water Rail and Snipe. Duck such as Gadwall, Wigeon and Shoveler have all over summered and it is suspected that some of these duck species have bred in the Lagoon.
Rareties at the lagoon have included; Spoonbills, Greater Flamingo, Ruddy Shelduck, Goosander, Ruddy Duck, American Wigeon, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpipers, Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Baird’s Sandpipers, White-rumped Sandpipers, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitchers, Wilson’s Phalaropes, Red-necked Phalarope, Long-tailed Skua, Bonxies, Laughing Gull, White-winged Black Tern, Savi’s Warbler, Citrine Wagtail, Bluethroat, Crossbills and Snow Buntings.
Leave a comment Rareties at the lagoon have included; Spoonbills, Greater Flamingo, Ruddy Shelduck, Goosander, Ruddy Duck, American Wigeon, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpipers, Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Baird’s Sandpipers, White-rumped Sandpipers, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitchers, Wilson’s Phalaropes, Red-necked Phalarope, Long-tailed Skua, Bonxies, Laughing Gull, White-winged Black Tern, Savi’s Warbler, Citrine Wagtail, Bluethroat, Crossbills and Snow Buntings.
Shannon Estuary & River
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Leave a comment Ballyallia
Ballyallia Lake is three miles north of Ennis just off the main Galway road. In winter it is very good for wildfowl especially ducks and hosts many other species of waders on its wet meadowed shores.The lake holds breeding Great Crested and Little Grebes. Coot and Moorhen are also plentiful. Winter Birds include a feeding flock of approximately 40 Whooper Swans which feed mainly on grassy fields at the Drumcliff graveyard end of the lake.
Ducks commonly found on the lake are, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted, Pochard, Pintail and Shoveler in National numbers of importance.
Waders seen in winter include Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Snipe.
Passerines found around the shores and tree lined areas include Jay, Raven, Kestrel, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail and Brambling. A Lesser Whitethroat was found over-wintering in the 1970’s.
Ducks commonly found on the lake are, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted, Pochard, Pintail and Shoveler in National numbers of importance.
Waders seen in winter include Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Snipe.
Passerines found around the shores and tree lined areas include Jay, Raven, Kestrel, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail and Brambling. A Lesser Whitethroat was found over-wintering in the 1970’s.
Rare or scarce birds found on the lake were Ring-necked Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, Little Egrets, Great White Egret, American Wigeon, Little Gulls, Green-winged Teal and Jack Snipe.
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Auginish Island
Aughinish Island is found on the north Clare coast in Galway Bay. It is connected to the mainland by a causeway and has a Martello Tower on the north east end of the island. You can drive onto Aughinish from the main road (N67) which runs between Kinvarra and Ballyvaughan.
It is best in winter for Divers, Grebes, Brent Geese, Long-tailed Duck and a variety of other seabirds and diving duck.
Scarce and rare birds here have included Ross’s Gull, Snow Bunting, Slavonian and Red-necked Grebe, Black Redstart and Forster’s Tern.
It is best in winter for Divers, Grebes, Brent Geese, Long-tailed Duck and a variety of other seabirds and diving duck.
Scarce and rare birds here have included Ross’s Gull, Snow Bunting, Slavonian and Red-necked Grebe, Black Redstart and Forster’s Tern.
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Bridges of Ross
Bridges of Ross 2006 © John N Murphy
The Bridges of Ross is located on the north side of the Loop Head peninsula. It is low lying and seabirds pass very close to shore during autumn migration. When sitting at the sea-watching point one faces northwards, so the light and sun is always at your back. Seabirds normally pass very close to shore if not over your head. This makes for really exciting watching and allows the observer superb views of all passing seabirds.
During late summer and early autumn Great, Cory’s, Balearic, Sooty and Manx Shearwater passage can be excellent. All four skuas, Great, Arctic, Pomarine and Long-tailed are regular and occur from late July to early November. Storm Petrels can be seen from mid July to late October. Wilson’s Storm Petrels are seen normally from mid July to mid September with mid August being the best time of year for passage. Leach’s Petrels are always that bit later and occur in large numbers from late September to late October. Sabine’s Gulls also appear from mid August to late October. Grey Phalarope are regular in September and October. Little Auks put in an appearance from early October to late winter depending on wind direction. Other wildlife: regularly seen off the Bridges are Whales, Dolphins and sunfish.
In autumn the best sea watching conditions are often after northwesterly gales, especially if the storm centre lies well to the north between Scotland and Iceland or if a fast depression moves down from Greenland and arctic Canada across the north Atlantic. These systems blow in Sabine’s Gulls, Leach’s Petrels, Little auks, and Grey phalaropes along with a good selection of skuas. Of the rarer seabirds so far there has been ten Fae’s Petrels, two Swinhoe’s Petrel, one Sooty Tern and three Little Shearwaters.
March 2006
Friday 31st March 2006
The female Ring-necked Duck was seen in the morning (John N Murphy) and was joined by
the male in the afternoon (Tim Griffin).
There were three Swallows also on Ballyallia Lake.
Thursday 30th March 2006
The drake and hen Ring-necked Ducks were still at Ballyallia Lake (Tim Griffin).
Wednesday 29th March 2006
There were some Sandmartins near a Quarry in Ennis today.
Saturday 25th March 2006
One drake Ring-necked Duck was at Ballyallia Lake this afternoon (John N Murphy et al).
A drake Green-winged Teal was at Bell Harbour.
A dark-bellied Brent Goose was at Lough Murree, near the Flaggy Shore.
There were 15 Black-throated Divers between Finvarra Point and Aughinish Island.
One Red-necked Grebe was off Doorus Pier near Aughinish Island along with one
Long-tailed Duck and one Sandwich Tern.
Great Northern Diver John N Murphy
Friday 24th March 2006
There was a drake and a hen Ring-necked Duck at Ballyallia Lake, Ennis.
Thursday 23rd March 2006
There was a Merlin at Quilty today.
Wednesday 22nd March 2006
There were five Wheatears near Tullig, Cross in west Clare today.
A count of 11 Little Egrets was had at Moyasta, Poulnasherry Bay.
There was a second-winter Ring-billed Gull and two Common
Sandpipers at the Quay in Clarecastle this evening.
Thursday 16th March 2006
There were 30 Whoopers Swans on wet meadows
along the Cullenagh River just south of Cullenagh on the Ennistymon road.
Wednesday 15th March 2006
There was a Merlin near Knockhogan on the main
Quin to Ennis road.
Tuesday 14th March 2006
The drake Ring-necked Duck was at Ballyallia Lake today (John N Murphy).
There were five Little Egrets at Poulnasherry Bay.
Sunday 12th March 2006
A second-winter Iceland Gull was at Ross Bay, Loop Head.
There were 93 Whoopers Swans between Latoon South and Ballygirreen.
There was one Chiffchaff at Pine Grove, Ennis.
Five Greylag Geese were at Finn Lough, Newmarket-on-Fergus.
Friday 10th March 2006
A drake Ring-necked Duck was on Ballyiallia lake today (S. Nugent)
The 15 White-fronted Geese were at Tullagher Bog today.
Wednesday 8th March 2006
A Common Sandpiper was seen in Clarecastle.
Sunday 5th March 2006
There were three female Ring-necked Ducks
at Knockalough, Kilmihil (John N Muphy et al).
There was one Crossbill at Boolynagleragh Bog.
There were 13 Snow Buntings at Loop Head.
Two Little Egrets and the white Curlew were
at Poulnasherry Bay.
Three female Ring-necked Ducks at Knockalough © John N Murphy
Saturday 4th March 2006
The drake Green-winged Teal was still at Querrin (Maeve & Christy Meehan).
A group of 24 Red-throated Divers were off Querrin Point.
There were three Black-throated Divers off Finvarra Point.
The Black Redstart was still in Kilrush.
The Barn Owl was seen again in Kilkee.
Friday 3rd March 2006
The Barn Owl was one again seen hunting in Kilkee.
Thursday 2nd March 2006
One Jack Snipe was flushed at Ballyallia Lake.
There was one Black-throated Diver at Liscannor Bay with
two more birds off the rocky beach in Clahane.
A Barn Owl was seen hunting late this night at Kilkee.
A male Hen Harrier was seen west of Connolly.
A first winter Iceland Gull was at Lough O’Donnell, Quilty.
Wednesday 1st March 2006
Two Black-throated Divers were between Cappa and Aylevarroo, Kilrush.
A female Blackcap was in the Hermitage, Ennis.
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