A short return visit to Donegal this November to look in at Mum and Dad's grave and to revisit old birding haunts. Sunday was spent travelling and calling in at the grave which was, as always, neat and tidy.
Monday 9th
A still, quiet morning with frost on the ground. I went round to Mullaghderg. The bay was pretty still and only contained a couple of Great Northern Diver and plenty of Cormorant. Sadly there was no Long tailed Duck in the bay. A single Curlew was on the long strand.
Moving around the headland the long bay held Oystercatcher and a single Sanderling. At sea there were a number of divers but too far out to get and accurate ID. Rock Pipit were fitting around and there was a good variety of gull including Common and Great Black-backed.
A flight of eighteen Barnacle Goose flew in from the Glenties area.
A school of Dolphin were feeding just of shore and I spotted them again crossing the big bay.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409226494
I moved around to Carrackfinn and the Annagry Estuary parking down near the far end of the estuary. With the light behind me and the tide well out I set off down the remaining part of the estuary in search of waders. Sadly there were not the numbers that I've had in the past with only three Ring Plover feeding along the retreating water edge.
Walking up the road to the little lake I kept scanning the flocks of Jackdaw in the hope of finding Chough but with no luck only seeing Stonechat and a Dunnock. Across the lake there was a Mistle Thrush and on the water three Little Grebe and a single Moorhen.
Very little was on Carrackfinn except another Mistle Thrush and more Stonechat. Having called in for coffee at the airport I walked down to the estuary and headed back towards the car. There was plenty of Curlew about and IK came across of about a hundred and fifty Golden Plover with two Sanderling mixed in.
Further along I was pleasantly surprised to discover three Grey Plover which was a new species for me in this location.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409264837
Burtonport is having a bit of a revamp and is looking a lot better. The sea was very still and there was a good number of Black Guillemot one of which came in close and then into the harbour. On the far side of the inlet there were six Red-breasted Merganser.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409301508
Final stop for the day was Keadue Sounds. A single Golden Plover was on the shore line. On the far side was a single Little Egret.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409307982
Weather:
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Clear sky - few clouds
Temperature: 5 - 8°C
Wind: Mostly calm - moderate breeze
Wind Direction: N - E
Cloud Cover: 0%
Sunrise: 7:53am
Sunset: 4:41pm
Weather generated by RainCrow
Tuesday 10th
A rather grey morning saw me off to Bunbeg to see if anything was in the harbour but there was little of worth other than the usual.
Full sightiings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409443581
I moved on to Magherclogher Beach. Although it was cold the bay looked its usual spectacular location. The boat has virtually disappeared, which as it was intact when we used to visit as children is some sort of statement on life!
The beach had a number of Herring, Common and Great Black Backed Gull loafing on the sand along with a number of Oystercatcher. Of shore there was a single Red-breasted Merganser and two Chough passed over.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409449034
A short move to the golf course resulted in three Chough feeding beside the road giving a greeat opportunity for photos.
Next port of call was Port Arthur Beach. Two more Chough were feeding on the dunes and two Great Northern Diver were just off shore. A large group of Cormorant were loafing on the nearbyh rocks.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409457747
My next stop was a new location for me, Bunaninver Port and Gully. Initially I thought it would be a short visit but the number of Stonechat and Robin was interesting as was a single Song Thrush and in the bay was a Grey Seal and a couple of Great Northern Diver.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409463989
Another new location was Trá na gCloch a stretch of coast opposite Tory Island. However as I approached the location I discovered a young seal on the side of the road some 200m away from the sea. The seal moved into the grass on the bank and when approached hissed. Given its location and size it was impossible to get it back to the water and as there were no other seals in sight it seemed unlikely to survive without help. I contacted the Irish Seal Rescue Organisation, giving location detail and sent a video of the seal.
At Magheraroarty Pier and beach there was a female Eider Duck close inshore and four Bar-tailed Godwit feeding along with three Redshank. Just off the pier were two Black Guillemot and a single Great Northern Diver. Flitting around the pier were three Rock Pipit.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409505222
Called in at Mullaghderg on the way home but nothing to report!
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Overcast clouds - clear sky
Temperature: 8°C
Wind: Light breeze - moderate breeze
Wind Direction: E
Cloud Cover: 100%
Sunrise: 7:55am
Sunset: 4:39pm
Weather generated by Raincrow
Wednesday 11th
Headed south towards Dooey calling in at Dungloe Bay. The weather was so still as was the water in the harbour, making it a glorious sight. Good numbers of Redshank and Curlew as well as Teal. Three Red-breasted Merganser were out in the bay.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409707333
From Dungloe I headed to Maghery stopping above the Strand before going down to the pier. At last a good number of Dunlin and a few Turnstone.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409707594
As the birds were scattered by a dog walker I moved on to the pier, a location that is special to me for personal reasons! There was little in the bay other than three Red-breasted Merganser feeding and a further six flying by. On the lake there was twenty-two Mute Swan and twenty-seven Wigeon.
Full sightings list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S409707756
A half and hours drive took me down to Dooey in search of geese. Sadly the Geese Field held only Greylag.
Weather
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Broken clouds
Temperature: 9°C
Wind: Gentle breeze - moderate breeze
Wind Direction: NE - N
Cloud Cover: 63 - 75%
Sunrise: 7:56am
Sunset: 4:38pm
Weather generated by Raincrow
