South Slob

Took a spin out to the South Slob in Wexford today to see if any summer birds were still here or any of our over-wintering birds had arrived. Luckily there was both. In the field by the small bridge near the lake I picked up two Wheatear and one late Swallow. Further out in the same field were a flock of 19 Whooper Swan and as I was watching them 6 Brent geese flew over towards the north slob.

Whooper Swan

There were large flocks of Reed Bunting and several flocks of up to twenty Goldfinch moving between thistle patches. These flocks came in useful as on two occasions when they rose up noisily they alerted me to the presence of a couple of raptors- firstly a Sparrowhawk near the causeway, then a Hen Harrier around the pines near the farm.

Sparrrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

Moving on, I headed for the bridge over the channel where I've seen Kingfisher before but haven't been able to get a pic. Today must have been my lucky day. Sneaking up at a near crawl I scanned the over-hanging branches and rocks. I found what I was hoping for and got a couple of decent shots before being noticed.



 

 

 

Moving on I found a lone Golden Plover in the field after the roofless barn and scanning the farm, fields and trees from the railway bridge I found 2 high circling Buzzard, 9 more Whooper and another Wheatear. Crossing the causeway on the way back I saw two Grey Plover, 6 Red-breasted Merganser and 13 more Brent.

 

Golden Plover