The elusive one

I've just realised it's been a while since I've had an Otter photo on the blog - we are seeing them most days but they are too far away for the camera most of the time. We started the day with cracking views of the WT Eagles and also quite a few juvenile Common Crossbill in a flock of 20 birds. Next up was the elusive one - mum and cub Otter just offshore but they didn't come any closer!

We had a male Hen Harrier flash in front of the motor as a shower of rain lashed the windows. There are still a few Red-breasted Mergansers hanging around - presumably these birds will breed here. The Tawny Owl was roosting in the barn on another of my infrequent visits.

The Dunlin flock on the beach was enhanced by two Sanderling.

A couple of Golden Eagle were seen while we checked out these two Common Terns.

We also had a couple of Twite, 12 Whimbrel, Sparrowhawk, Mountain Hare and I got a glimpse of three Black-tailed Godwit landing in a place that we couldn't view!

Too much

Lots of photos in this one so I'll not do too much writing! Nice weather again and plenty of close sightings on this tour - Swallows are everywhere now.

There had been rain overnight so it was no surprise to find a Dipper at the mouth of a stream.

This 2 year old WT Eagle gave us a nice fly past...

...and a pair of Golden Eagle were flying around...

...above an adult WT Eagle.

We saw plenty of GN Diver but some of the views were like this!

A Greenshank was a surprise find as I haven't seen any for a couple of weeks.

Finally we have a few waders arriving - Dunlin on the beach.

We also picked up a Sedge Warbler singing on the fence.

A Black-tailed Godwit flew off...

...as this Brent Goose wandered down to the sea. This bird was ringed on 21st March at North Bull Island, Dublin.

Plenty of Rock Pipits to be seen...

...and the Lapwing chicks have hatched.

I've not had Rock Dove on the blog for a while so here it is.

There are not too many Golden Plover around at the moment and this single bird was very confiding.

Skylark - I'll say no more.

Mustn't grumble

A bit of poor weather to start the day stopped us from seeing Golden Eagle but we managed to get Peregrine instead just as the rain started! There was plenty to see while the showers came through with Greenshank, Hen Harrier, GN Diver, a close WT Eagle and two distant WT Eagle being the highlights. We paid another visit to the Golden Eagle site and got a single bird flying around...

...and then being chased by a couple of Ravens.

When the sun came back out in the afternoon a couple of Common Terns at one stop was the best we could manage. Another shower pushing through seemed to stir things up again as we picked up Mountain Hare...

...a sleeping Black-tailed Godwit...

...a few Dunlin, Ringed Plover and about 30 Whimbrel. The return journey turned up a single Red-throated Diver...

...and a couple of Cuckoo.