American Golden Plover

I took a trip to west Clare last Saturday (19/9/15)  to check out some of the wader sites and ended up on the Loop Head peninsula late in the day.  One of two adult American Golden Plovers that were found at Fodry, Loop Head, Co. Clare earlier in the week (16/9/15) was still in the area, hanging out with a flock of 30 Golden Plovers.  American waders have been very scarce in Ireland this autumn so it was nice to catch up with this bird.

Here is the bird again below with some of the Golden Plovers.

Marsh Harrier

This Marsh Harrier has been visiting the Coonagh Nature Reserve for the past month or more.  It was first seen there on August 2nd last. It has been seen hunting inside the reserve on several occasions and has also travelled across to the Bunlicky Lagoon on the south side of the inner Shannon Estuary. It is the second record of the species at Coonagh and the third for Co. Limerick.

Most views of the bird have been distant so it has been difficult to get any good shots so far. I got these shots this evening as the light was fading.

I initially thought the bird was a probably sub-adult female, however as both adult and sub-adult birds have such variable and overlapping plumage features, it may not be possible to be sure how old the bird is other than to say it is at least in its second year.