Ireland 5th - 7th January 2010

The trip was very much work related and no chance to get out birding but I did see one or two whilst on the trip worth noting. I took my binoculars and camera with the hope of sea watching on the 8.20 ferry from Holyhead to Dublin but with Tuesday being the day the weather turned the crossing wasn't the best and even though I saw a few different species I couldn't get any photos and very few I could identify in the short time I saw them. Black Headed, Common, Herring, and Yellow Legged Gull were all noted. Waders included Curlew and Knot plus two other species flying feet from the surface and out of reach for an proper identification. Redwing were common across all days as well as Rook, Magpie and Chaffinch. A Pied Wagtail visited my place of work everyday regardless of the heavy snow and the 3 Hooded Crow on my last day were a suprise. The only photos I managed to get were of a sheltering Hare in an area next to the site I was working, initially there were 2 and boxed (I'm sure I've read somewhere its the females that do this) briefly before one decided to move off.

HARE SHELTERING FROM THE COLD

A Tawny Owl was my last sighting of the trip but that was whilst driving at 2am along the A55 on the way home this morning.