Grey Heron, Aredea cinerea

This heron flew up from just below the wall along the estuary, and just landed at the other side.

This youngster just wants a little attention

Great Tit, Parus major, searching for grubs amidst the weeds.


All this searching makes one vry thirsty

male House Sparrow, Passer domesticus

And this photo is posted specially for a Canadian blogger, under her Google name of Old Crow. I know that she loves this specie's handsome plumage.
So this Hooded Crow, Corvus Cornix, is fpr you!


Female Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs.

The number of Chaffs is increasing almost daily; the migrants are arriving from the continent and the Chafflings have now moulted into the adult plumage. They are one of my favourite species, they have very special characters, I think.

Katja, my homehelp, reported that another bird has been killed; she saw a lot of feathers underneath the feeders at the shed.
So I've shifted the big Fatsia japonica next to the shed, hopefully the large leaves will now block the felines.

Dunmanus Catch

Herring Gull, Larus argentatus .

And down the throat it went.

Full stomach, no wonder it likes to pose now!

At the pier in the Durrus estuary Frouke, my cousin from The Hague, and I spotted this Gull foraging in the mud, taking advantage of the rich pickings at low tide. Jean, my homehelp, asked how long I'd been sitting there to take the picture of said Gull with its crustation. I started shooting as soon as I'd seen its head down in the mud. Lucky it came out so well.
This Swan was relaxing in the Sun. Again, no sign of any offspring.

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor

Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
There was not much wildlife to see, so I focussed on these pictures instead.
A few years ago, Cork county council built a walkway from the harbour in Bantry town, to Newtown, a newer part of the town. It passes around the headland at the beach, further eastwards. The last bit, where it should connect to the council estate in Newtown, is still not finished, but it is used quite a lot already. In this climate of healthy living and fears of an obese nation, creating more interesting (dog) walks. The other plan was to connect Bantry harbour with the Bantry airstrip, about 1/2 mile from the Abbey at Bantry's cemetry. This walkway was started but itdoes just hug the corner, where they built a new slipway. I understood that there are disagreements with the landowner(s) of the land in-between. Whenever I am in respite in Bantry, I often go to the airstrip, to brave the strong winds in the hope of spotting those animals which like it there. I just pray that one day these walkways can be finished. I'm a bit sick of having to turn around when I cannot go any further.

Anyway, here's just a few pictures from the Abbey.


View over to Harbour View from the Abbey.




Harbour View.
We first lived in the white building on the right, (middle floor, 2 windows on the right) with Earthwatch on the ground floor, in those days. We also lived in the last (tall) building on the left, (groundfloor-2 windows on the right, which you cannot see) This used to be Hotel Terminus. The name came from the railway terminal which was at the pier about 200 metre from the Hotel. The low building is now a hostel.
There are still bits visible from the old terminal, The bottle banks are now housed among these old walls. It is a bit of a dead zone of the town.

These are taken at Lough Hyne, near Skibbereen, Lough Hyne is Europe's 1st marine nature reserve.
It is sad to know that it is also Ireland's only Marine nature reserve.









Herb Robert, Geranium robertianum.

Searching for a Gull: a flying visit to Bantry harbour.

Juvenile Gull.

I was looking for a Great Black backed Gull, Larus rudibundus, for a photo, this week, and while it has been raining most days for 2 weeks now, I managed to find a few spare minutes between getting my fresh veggies and fruit at Organico, and leaving with the bus, which needed to be back in town in time to collect the rest of the group from the cinema. there was not a Great Black-back to be seen, however. A first for me! Being the largest Gull on the mud, it would be hard to miss, or so I thought. The harbour wall is too high for a quick and proper look. Behind the board, showing off the different birds found Bantry Bay, there is a small opening leading to a set of stone steps into the harbour itself. Looking down, I spotted this immature Gull. the size of either Herring Gull, lesser Black back or the Great Black backed Gull. Identifying juvenile Gulls is very tricky. Apart from a need to ID them, the patterns often remind me of those found in the human world. Many markings, colourings around me make me think of fabrics, or other materials which had similar ones. After taking a few shots, I spotted John the driver, and I started making my way round the parking lot to the dip in the pavement to allow my wheels to get of the pavement without me breaking my back.
As I moved about in a hurry, I did manage to capture this lovely Pied Wagtail juvenile. .
Pied Wagtail, Motacilla alba.




This House Sparrow, Passer domesticus, was moving about in front of me, and apparently not interested in having its picture taken.

Herring, and Blackheaded Gulls

These pictures are from last month, when I spend a few hours observing these immature Herring Gulls, Larus argentatus. It was nice and dry during this time, although the wind did bother me a little.

The harbour master kept a check on business and yet it was not bothered by my approach. It stayed where it was while the other two kept going to and fro-a game of flying off and landing again-


Sometimes they were on terra firma just long enough for the shutter to close, like here when they thought giving the master a few extra eyes might win them a few points.



A little further, near the old pier, I took some time to watch a number of Blackheaded Gulls, Larus ridibundus, a much smaller specie than the Herring Gull.

This Blackeaded Gull, Larus ridibundus, was the proud owner of its own island. peace didn't last long though; with the wind speed and water levels rising, real estate like this became sought after by more of its specie.


Not easy to keep hold of what you got!
A young Herring Gull, Larus argentatus,


The wind was picking up fast and the new tide was coming in also; This Blackheaded Gull stood on top of a bit of rock,, and looked very vulnerable.

Blackheaded Gull, Larus ridibundus.
the water kept swirling around its feet, and I caught this one in a moment of shame perhaps, that it was too scared to look at all this water getting higher and higher.
Eventually, the Gull did look down and the "shock" of all the water has it loose its balance. Lol.