Wildlife at all times has the capability to shock and delight us. Irrespective of how lengthy you’ve been watching and learning wildlife, how acquainted you’re together with your native patch, you by no means can inform what you may encounter on an outing. The potential for the surprising is at all times there… whether or not it’s a very new species, or a well-recognized fowl or animal exhibiting some uncommon behaviour, that prospect of the unknown is one factor that makes wildlife-watching such an enchanting and thrilling pastime.
Our current spring Uncover Wildlife Weekend was a main instance of precisely that phenomenon.
We’d had a improbable weekend watching all types of wildlife spanning a number of habitats alongside the West Cork stretch of Eire’s Wild Atlantic Manner. We had some nice views of summer time plumage nice northern divers from a coastal vantage level, watched late-staying and resident waders and wildfowl on the estuaries, inlets and tidal swimming pools, listened to our resident breeding birds and summer time guests in full music.
As at all times, one of many highlights of the weekend was venturing out on the North Atlantic with Cork Whale Watch. There we loved some some memorable encounters with actually lots of of frequent dolphins, dozens of minke whales, and lots more and plenty of seabirds. Large rafts of Manx shearwaters took to the wing as we handed by, whereas auks (guillemots, razorbills, and puffins) dived beneath the floor. Storm petrels danced over the waves as varied gulls, gannets and the occasional nice skua sailed by.
A go to to a naturalised beech woodland served as a beautiful distinction to the continuous motion of being out on the water. The dappled daylight beneath the cover, the mild sigh of the breeze via the treetops, offering a welcome calm as we loved a refrain of woodland birdsong and excellent views of a number of woodland residents.
However the spotlight of the weekend was nonetheless to come back.
The cetaceans weren’t taking part in ball on Sunday morning for our shore-based whale watch from a coastal vantage level overlooking Rosscarbery bay. Regardless of very best circumstances, the bay was quiet. When that occurs, it usually means there’s a big aggregation of forage fish in a single location (both offshore, or additional east or west alongside the coast), and whales, dolphins, gannets and every thing else that eats fish make a beeline for them.
A stunning singing whitethroat, some fly-by chough, and the aerial mastery of fulmars as they wheeled to and from their nesting websites alongside the cliff stored us entertained. We checked a neighborhood stream for dippers, and a few had a fleeting view of 1 disappearing into bankside vegetation. Being out on the lookout for wildlife is an gratifying and worthwhile exercise in and of itself, however I couldn’t assist feeling the morning was under-delivering.
Our final cease earlier than ending up for the weekend was the Clogheen/White’s Marsh space, south of Clonakilty. There had been nice and cattle egrets within the space just lately, and whereas they hadn’t been reported for just a few days, it was nicely price checking.
We made our manner alongside the causeway from the north aspect of Clogheen, heading south in the direction of Clonakilty, periodically stopping to scan the marsh for something fascinating. The very first thing we picked up was a ruff on the sting of the northern pool. Even once they’re not in full breeding livery, ruff are very placing waders. It was a primary for a number of within the group, making for a good-looking addition to the weekend record.
We moved on. As I scanned a channel working east to west via the marsh, one thing on the financial institution caught my eye. I ended the scope lifeless. Absolutely I used to be seeing issues. I checked once more, zoomed in, refocussed.
There, preening itself in my scope view, was a Purple Heron. I may barely include my pleasure. What a fowl!
I put the information out because the group loved improbable views of this gorgeous uncommon fowl. As different birders arrived we moved on, and whereas technically we completed the weekend with some very good male Pintail, a male Shoveler and a Cattle Egret in the direction of the east finish of White’s Marsh, I feel it’s truthful to say the Purple Heron stole the present.
You by no means actually know what you may see on these weekends. Each one is totally different, and I can’t wait to see what the remainder of 2022 has in retailer.
If you happen to’d like to hitch me on the West Cork coast for one in every of these weekends, I at present have simply 2 areas obtainable on our summer time weekend working from 15-17 July, and there’s nonetheless loads of house on our October weekend (07-09), which coincides properly with peak autumn fowl migration and fin whale season.
For extra particulars on the weekends, and to guide your home, try our wildlife weekend reserving web page right here.
