Rathlin Island

While in Northern Ireland recently had a nice day trip to this beautiful island with lovely landscapes covered in Orchids, one field had easily over a thousand an amazing sight.

Walked up though the hills and had a nice selection of moorland species with good numbers of Linnets, Meadow Pipits, Stonechats and a few Wheatears with the odd Raven and Buzzard which were surprsing difficult to see in Ireland.

View of one of the Male Linnets

A nice Singing stonechat

Meadow Pipit with food for nearby young

A Young Wheatear

Then walked to the main cliffs and viewing point where there where a nice mixture of seabirds with Fulmars and Kittiwakes patrolling the cliffs with thousands of Guillemots and Razorbills with a few Puffins nesting in the cliffs.

The Seabird cliffs

Gliding Fulmar

Auks on the rocks

Flying Razorbill

Flying Guillemot

Also around the cliff and around Ireland Coast were a few Choughs and many young Rock Pipits and historic an upside down Lighthouse.

Calling Rock Pipit

Chough in flight

Calling Chough

Then headed back to the boat via the seal point thanks to the local bus driver where we had a nice view of the sandy beach and a few pairs of Eiders with their chicks a lovely day out.

Basking seals

The bay from the south of the island

House Martins down to collect nesting materials

Eider with family

Corn Buntings on the Wallington Road

Earlier in the week was in the Royston area so decided to have a drive around the Wallington Road using the car as the hide, sure I am not the first people who done that.

Road was full of love with Yellowhammers and Goldfinchs all around and beautful views of the farming landscape.

Then heard the call of a Corn bunting in a area by a Bridleway so decided to go for a wander. A nice walk was instore with at least five singing male Corn Bunting plus a few female birds showing very nicely.

Singing Corn Bunting

One of a few showing well

Also had a few groups of Linnets and Yellowhammer around and a nice Hare showed briefly this area is always worth a few hour walk whatever the time of year.

Hare in the Grass

One of many Yellowhammers around

Wood White in the Burrens

In june had a few weeks in Ireland one of the hightlights was the Burrens in County Clare. One sunny morning decided to head to a nature trail in the middle of the park but due to not finding it came across a nice little wood where had a nice view of a Red Squirrel and with the  sun coming out a few butterflies started to show with a few Wood Whites on the wing as well as a few Common Blues and my first Meadow Browns of the year.

Feeding Wood White

Feeding Common Blue