This past fall we both decided to put a big check mark beside one of our places we have always wanted to visit, the Emerald Isle. There were so many sights we wanted to see, places we wanted to visit, and (me), birds I hoped to photograph! Ancient castles, churches, and monasteries, authentic Irish Whisky (again me!), scenic coastlines, famous Irish towns, and of course the food! The trip was what we had hoped for and more, a wonderful experience filled with many memories. This blog highlights some of the areas we visited, and some of the birds I was I was fortunate enough to photograph while there. Hope you enjoy the read!
After picking up the rental at the airport, having a delicious traditional Irish breakfast at the Donkey Shed Restaurant, and a quick walk in Balrath Wood Park, we headed to the Shoreline Motel in Donabate. Situated right on the rocky Ireland coast, it gave me some great opportunities to photograph several birds during our stay there! My first bird photos of the trip included shorebirds such as Grey Heron, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew, and others! The motel grounds and walking trail along the grassy coast allowed me great shots of Eurasian Stonechat, Common Blackbird, European Greenfinch, and European Robin.
European Robin, Gray Heron, Common Blackbird, Eurasian Curlew, Eurasian Stonechat, Small Common Tortoiseshell Butterfly
We next had an overnight stay in the lovely town of Roscommon, where we visited Roscommon Castle, The Sacred Heart Church, and the nearby Clonmacnoise Monastery. While exploring these areas several common birds such as Goldcrest, Eurasian Magpie, Wood Pigeons, and Pied Wagtails were seen.
Clonmacnoise Monastery, Roscommon Castle, Eurasian Magpie
Next we headed to Galway, where we spent the next few days exploring. One of the areas we visited was Ballyloughane Beach, with great shorebird birding opportunities, especially at low tide when the exposed seaweed covered rocks and tidal flats brought flocks of shorebirds to feed.
Top to Bottom, Ballyloughane Beach, Little Egret, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Hooded Crow.
We also did a drive through the Doolough Valley, a beautiful area with a tragic past. We learned the history of the valley and why the sheep that free-range there are dyed in various colors. We were also visited by a pair of soaking wet Pied Wagtails, it seems also every road stop had a pair of these hanging around!
Pied Wagtail
Our next destination after leaving Galway was to head further south to the town of Tralee for a few days, where we explored Killarney National Park, drove the Dingle Peninsula/ Slea Head, and gazed at the spectacular view in Conor Pass. We also did a Pony & Trap tour of the Gap of Dunloe, a very unique and informative experience filled with stories, breathtaking scenery, and yep, a few birds to add to the Ireland list!
Gap of Dunloe
Top to Bottom, Mistle Thrush, Great Tit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Blue Tit, Speckled Wood Butterfly, Eurasian Wren

Something I did not expect to see......while on the boat part of our Gap of Dunloe tour I interrupted our story-telling guide with one word.......Eagle!! The native White-Tailed Eagle, that went extinct in Ireland in the 19th century, was re-introduced and I was so lucky to see this pair soaring overhead! Luckily our guide was as well, and he informed the group of the Eagles and their history. Such an amazing sight to see!

White-Tailed Eagle
Another one of the birding highlights here was Inch Beach, a simply amazing place that has to be seen to be appreciated. I was very lucky here to see several species of birds, and the hard-packed flat sandy beach made it easy walking. I was able to get great opportunities to photograph birds in flight! The rocky coast around the beach was a great spot as well for European Robins, Pied Wagtails, Rock Pipits, and others.


Rock Pipit
From Tralee, it was back across to the east coast to our next stop, Wexford. This area is home to the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve at the North Slob, a renown protected area for many migrating and overwintering birds. We spent some time in a blind watching flocks of birds, including Mute Swans and Northern Lapwings. From there we headed to the Raven Nature Reserve, where we spent some time exploring trails through old growth forest, and along the beautiful beaches found in the area.

Northern Lapwings

After Wexford, we headed north back to Dublin for our return flight home. We had an amazing experience, with adventurous drives, wonderful food experiences, great people, unreal scenery, and of course, so many photo memories to look back on! Below is a galley of a few more photos taken during this trip.......now, where is the next adventure going to be?

Top: Willow Warbler Bottom: Common Chiffchaff
Rook, Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw, Dunnock, Common Gull, Red Fox.
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