Ireland 2024

Mark Finn
September 28-October 6

Ireland has been under-watched by birders for several years but it has steadily built up a reputation for seabird passage and passerine migration in the right weather conditions. This was our third visit in recent years and once again several interesting species were observed. Wetland species appear to be colonising Ireland with notable sightings of Great and Western Cattle Egrets, Glossy Ibis and Western Marsh Harrier. The winds did not help for rarer shearwaters but we managed to see Grey Phalarope and a Baird’s Sandpiper which are scarce but annual migrants. The following diary and birdlist should bring back happy memories of an enjoyable tour. The next tour is in October 2025

September 28th: Dublin, Islandavanna, Ballyvallia Lakes, Kilkee
Daily 33 New 33 Running 33
Weather: Mixed with sunny spells and showers on a SW wind

Most of us arrived in Dublin on September 27th and the tour commenced on the morning of the 28th as we left the city and headed towards the wild and sparsely populated county of Clare. Along the way the commoner birds of Ireland were noted including Common Buzzard, Hooded Crow, Rook, Western Jackdaw and Eurasian Magpie. We started birding around Ennis the county town of Clare with a visit to Islandavanna. This area of the River Shannon is not easy to access and is best visited on a rising tide. A helpful resident gave us the best points for birding with trees around his house having European Robin, Common Chaffinch and Goldcrest. Islandavanna is a tiny hamlet of a few houses but offers views into the river which is wide at this point. The remaining muddy patches attracted over eight hundred Black-tailed Godwits of the Icelandic race plus Red Knot, Dunlin, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Redshank. A surprise find was a Great Egret feeding along the edge with Grey Herons. Wildfowl numbers were low and included a few Mallard and Eurasian Teal. In the fields the group located Common Stonechat of the hibernicus race, Common Starling, Meadow Pipit, White and Pied Wagtails and several Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls. A visit to Ballyvallia Lakes only added Mute Swan before we headed to Kilkee on the North Atlantic coast our home for the next three nights.

September 29th: Kilkee, Loop Head, Bridges of Ross, Clarefield, Seafield
Daily 36 New 13 Running 46
Weather: Rain showers and cloudy spells on a E wind 12c

A very challenging day weather-wise lay in front of us today with poor conditions and a strong easterly wind which is rare in Ireland. Before leaving Kilkee we added House Sparrow and several Pied Wagtails. A stop at Kiabara on the way to Loop Head was good for Northern Gannets, Great Black-backed and European Herring Gulls, Common Redshank and a couple of Common Guillemots offshore. A walk around the lighthouse walls at Loop Head held several Meadow Pipits and a single Eurasian Wren and a flock of European Golden Plovers. Stops at Bridges of Ross, Kilkee and Clarefield which gave us access to a tidal area of the River Shannon. A picnic area made a good viewing area into the estuary and we located Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Rock and Meadow Pipits, Northern Wheatear (Greenland race), White and Pied Wagtails. In the afternoon the group visited coastal areas of County Clare including Seafield. The beach here held Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, and many gulls including the first Common Gull of the tour. I headed back to Kilkee with the local reservoir holding a pair of Mute Swans and six Eurasian Wigeon.

September 30th: Kilkee, Bridges of Ross, Lahinch, Clahane, Loch Atedaun
Daily 58 New 25 Running 71
Weather: Cloudy with morning showers followed by a sunny afternoon on SW winds 16c

Thankfully the strong winds of yesterday had died down and changed direction. A return visit to Bridges of Ross via the coast road was our first objective. In a well vegetated gully the group located the first Common Blackbird of the tour plus Dunnock and Reed Bunting on wires. Also present were late Barn Swallows and Common Stonechats. On arrival at Bridges of Ross we walked towards the cliffs and started a short seawatch of around two hours. Many species came close to shore and included Northern Gannet, Manx Shearwater, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbill and two Red (Grey) Phalaropes. A female Merlin also arrived in off the sea before heading inland at great speed. On the walk back a pair of Red-billed Chough, Rock and Meadow Pipits and a single Tree Pipit. After picking up supplies in Kilkee we headed towards the surfing friendly town of Lahinch. Careful scanning of offshore waters produced sightings of Red-throated Loons and Common Scoter. A diversion to Clahane added Pied Wagtail, European Goldfinch and Common Linnet to the tour list. The final stop was Loch Atedaun which proved to be very productive for birdlife. The highlight was a juvenile White-tailed Eagle perched on a large rock looking for suitable prey. Wildfowl were well represented with sightings of Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Eurasian Wigeon. On the muddy edges Little Egret, Northern Lapwing, Ruff and Black-tailed Godwits whilst the deeper water areas held Little and Great Crested Grebes.

October 1st: Kilkee, Tralee, Blennerville, Fenit, Banna, Clonakilty
Daily 54 New 11 Running 82
Weather: Sunny with light SW winds 18c

Today I travelled south into County Kerry to visit the habitats around Tralee. On arrival a visit to Blennerville which has extensive mudflats and areas of the sea. Scanning the area produced c2800 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, the common wader species for Ireland, Common Greenshank, Grey Plover and Common Moorhen. In the canal area a Common Kingfisher was briefly seen. In the afternoon a visit to Fenit where the calm waters of the estuary attracted Great Crested Grebe, Horned Grebe, Sandwich Terns and a good range of wildfowl and waders. At Fenit the causeway allowed us to locate Black Guillemot an uncommon bird in this area and overhead two Common Loons looking for somewhere the safely land. At 1600 I set off towards the small town of Clonakilty our next base.

October 2nd: Clonakilty, Lissagriffin, Mizen Head, Rosscarbery, Galley Head, Inchydony
Daily 61 New 10 Running 92
Weather: Mostly sunny with occasional cloudy spells SW winds 18c

This morning I headed towards the most mainland southerly location in Ireland, Mizen Head. Before we arrived a visit to the shallow lake habitats at Lissagriffin. Around the edges Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Grey Heron and Little Egrets. The muddy edge looks good for vagrant waders but on this occasion we could only find a Dunlin of the larger races and Eurasian Curlews. In the reedbeds Eurasian Skylark and Reed Bunting were added for the day list. Mizen Head is close by and any patch of trees is worth checking. Today we recorded new birds for the trip including the very localised Great and Blue Tits, Goldcrest, Willow Warbler of the larger Scandinavian races, Common Stonechat and a constant stream of Meadow Pipits which were being harassed by at least two Eurasian Sparrowhawks. On the way back Common Pheasant and Common Kestrel were noted. Lunch was taken at Rosscarbery with very close views of Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Common Greenshank, and large numbers of gulls including Lesser Black-backed. The rest of the day was spent near Galley Head and Inchydony with similar birds from earlier plus Little Grebe, a calling Water Rail.

October 3rd: Clonakilty, Cape Clear Island, Rosscarbery
Daily 47 New 2 Running 94
Weather: Cloudy with SW winds 17c

After breakfast I headed towards Baltimore which is the departure point for Cape Clear Island. The crossing was uneventful for birds and we landed on time to begin an exploration of the island. The main area to visit was around the loch and its adjacent habitat of mature trees, sycamore and bushes. The corvids were particularly numerous with groups of Red-billed Chough, Hooded Crow and Northern Raven. A feeder near the north pier attracted Rock Dove, Great and Blue Tits and House Sparrows. The walk towards the loch was good for Common Stonechat, Common Linnet and in the loch itself Little Grebe, Mallard and the widespread gull species. Near the last house we eventually located a European Turtle Dove feeding on the ground and a European Pied Flycatcher playing hard to see in a coniferous tree, also present were two unidentified warblers which were probably Common Chiffchaffs. Our time was running out with the ferry departing at 1600 hours which is earlier than scheduled. The return boat trip added Common Guillemot, Great Cormorant and European Shag to the day list. Our final stop was at Rosscarbery with similar birds to yesterday plus the addition of three Sandwich Terns.

October 4th: Clonakilty,Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, Cullicloe, Rosslare Strand
Daily 49 New 3 Running 97
Weather: Rain showers and spells of cloudy conditions on a S wind 14c

Our journey today was along the southern coast of Ireland towards Waterford and then Wexford. The first birding stop was Wexford Wildfowl Reserve which is an area of farming land, lakes and adjacent estuarine habitats. From the tower hide we located a flock of Whooper Swans, Greenland White-fronted Geese and in the small pools Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Mallard and Common Moorhen. A visit to Cullicloe added a large flock of Common Scoters and Northern Gannets passing by. Our last birding stop was at Rosslare Strand which was exceptional for high numbers of birds including Pale-bellied Brent Geese, Little Egret, Black and Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover and returning Common Shelducks from their moulting grounds in Northern Europe.

October 5th: Tacumshin, Lady Islands Lake, Hook Head, Rosslare Strand
Daily 72 New 10 Running 107
Weather: Cloudy with occasional rain showers on a SE wind 15c

Tacumshin was our destination today and is probably the premier birding site in Ireland. On arrival an initial exploration of the marsh produced many Barn Swallows and at least three Sand Martins. In and around the extensive reedbeds the group recorded Western Marsh Harrier, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, and a party of Whooper Swans. On the open waters of Tacumshin a wide range of wildfowl which included Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, a female Greater Scaup and Tufted Ducks. The wind was starting to increase when we visited Lady Islands Lake where we added good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls, Greylag Geese, Ruff, Dunlin and Common Moorhen. I decided to visit Hook Head which juts out into the Irish Sea. Offshore we located passing Northern Gannets and several groups of Arctic Terns and a single Sandwich Tern. On the rocks the group located Great Cormorant and European Shag, Rock Pipit and Ruddy Turnstone. A return to Lady Islands Lake was productive for Western Cattle Egret and a Baird’s Sandpiper plus a Common Snipe feeding in the open. We ended the day at Rosslare Strand with similar birds to yesterday.

October 6th: Kilcoole, Dublin
Daily n/r New 1 Final 108
Weather: Heavy rain on a squally SW wind 11c

Our final morning was a visit to Kilcoole a coastal site in County Wicklow. The weather was truly awful which made birding almost impossible at times. After an hour I decided to abandon the visit due to weather conditions. WE then visited a woodland and marsh area where we added a party of Long-tailed Tits but little else. Late morning we made the drive north to Dublin where the tour concluded.