Dia Dúit ó Baile Átha Cliath
Tags brent geese, bull island, dublin, hooded crow, malahide
I've just returned home from a lovely week in Dublin, staying with friends in Swords, while attending to some family busines. A good craic was had by all without any exaggeration!!
Not long after our arrival, my other half had to attend a meeting in the city, so myself and Geraldine - our friend and hostess - took a stroll around Phoenix Park while we waited. There were all of the usual park residents - Magpie's, House Sparrow's, Pigeon's, Chaffinches, Robin's, Starling's and Blackbird's, but I was taken by the number of Crow's, Jackdaw's and Rook's, they were everywhere. I was particularly pleased to see the Rook's, as I had only ever seen one before, last year at Knott End.
I had one day to myself during the week to do some 'proper' birding, and had decided to go to Malahide estuary. My lovely hostess, Ger, supplier of scrumptious breakfasts and endless cups of tea, came with me to see what this bird watching yoke was all about.
Ireland has experienced the same bad weather that we have had in England and whilst I was there we had freezing, icy cold mornings, and dull grey days. The Malahide estuary was unfortunately flooded, so I could not walk along it for more than a couple of hundred metres, before the path vanished under water.
We were able to see many Mute Swan's here. The estuary is a well known wintering ground for them and they have been studied here for many years. There was also Mallard's, Tufted duck's, Pochard, Great Black-backed and Lesser Black-backed gull's, Herring Gull's, Black-headed gull's, Grey Heron's and Great Crested Grebe.
The floods had put paid to my hopes of going further a-field to look for the many sea birds that frequent the estuary and within a few minutes of our arrival, it began to rain again!
Ger drove us along the coastal road through Malahide, did I mention she was chauffeur for the week too! The rain stopped and a double rainbow appeared over the estuary, vanishing into the Irish Sea. We stopped for a stretch of the legs and to find a café. We also saw loads more Jackdaw's, Redshank's and 3 Pied Wagtail's. We drove as far as Howth and then Ger began the trip back home to Swords, swinging past Bull Island on the way.
We didn't actually go onto the island, but stopped on the causeway that leads to it. Our visit wasn't planned because of the flood at malahide, so this meant that we arrived late in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to set. We stayed on the causeway for about half an hour before heading home.
We saw masses of all the usual gulls, Redshank, Shelduck's, Mallard's, Oystercatcher's and Black-tailed Godwit's and a solitary Little Egret. I was delighted to see 2 Brent Geese feeding on the mudflats, I've never seen them before and Ger was determined to 'get me something good' while I was on her turf!! Well, she needn't have worried - the Brent Geese were good enough, but a short while later, I saw a Hooded Crow, feeding on a patch of grass - another first. I need to make more unplanned trips!! Ger, who had been using my binoculars since Malahide and still hadn't given them back, found a Meadow Pipit!
Here is a picture of the best Irish bird, and newly hooked birder - Ger, along with a view of Dublin from Bull Island (the 2 small birds in the foreground of this pic are the Brent Geese) A grey image of malahide estuary and then the marina in Malahide.
I've created a Dublin album to put my other pictures in and here is a link to the area if anyone is thinking of visiting, or just for interest: http://www.bwifingal.ie/map.html
Not long after our arrival, my other half had to attend a meeting in the city, so myself and Geraldine - our friend and hostess - took a stroll around Phoenix Park while we waited. There were all of the usual park residents - Magpie's, House Sparrow's, Pigeon's, Chaffinches, Robin's, Starling's and Blackbird's, but I was taken by the number of Crow's, Jackdaw's and Rook's, they were everywhere. I was particularly pleased to see the Rook's, as I had only ever seen one before, last year at Knott End.
I had one day to myself during the week to do some 'proper' birding, and had decided to go to Malahide estuary. My lovely hostess, Ger, supplier of scrumptious breakfasts and endless cups of tea, came with me to see what this bird watching yoke was all about.
Ireland has experienced the same bad weather that we have had in England and whilst I was there we had freezing, icy cold mornings, and dull grey days. The Malahide estuary was unfortunately flooded, so I could not walk along it for more than a couple of hundred metres, before the path vanished under water.
We were able to see many Mute Swan's here. The estuary is a well known wintering ground for them and they have been studied here for many years. There was also Mallard's, Tufted duck's, Pochard, Great Black-backed and Lesser Black-backed gull's, Herring Gull's, Black-headed gull's, Grey Heron's and Great Crested Grebe.
The floods had put paid to my hopes of going further a-field to look for the many sea birds that frequent the estuary and within a few minutes of our arrival, it began to rain again!
Ger drove us along the coastal road through Malahide, did I mention she was chauffeur for the week too! The rain stopped and a double rainbow appeared over the estuary, vanishing into the Irish Sea. We stopped for a stretch of the legs and to find a café. We also saw loads more Jackdaw's, Redshank's and 3 Pied Wagtail's. We drove as far as Howth and then Ger began the trip back home to Swords, swinging past Bull Island on the way.
We didn't actually go onto the island, but stopped on the causeway that leads to it. Our visit wasn't planned because of the flood at malahide, so this meant that we arrived late in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to set. We stayed on the causeway for about half an hour before heading home.
We saw masses of all the usual gulls, Redshank, Shelduck's, Mallard's, Oystercatcher's and Black-tailed Godwit's and a solitary Little Egret. I was delighted to see 2 Brent Geese feeding on the mudflats, I've never seen them before and Ger was determined to 'get me something good' while I was on her turf!! Well, she needn't have worried - the Brent Geese were good enough, but a short while later, I saw a Hooded Crow, feeding on a patch of grass - another first. I need to make more unplanned trips!! Ger, who had been using my binoculars since Malahide and still hadn't given them back, found a Meadow Pipit!
Here is a picture of the best Irish bird, and newly hooked birder - Ger, along with a view of Dublin from Bull Island (the 2 small birds in the foreground of this pic are the Brent Geese) A grey image of malahide estuary and then the marina in Malahide.
I've created a Dublin album to put my other pictures in and here is a link to the area if anyone is thinking of visiting, or just for interest: http://www.bwifingal.ie/map.html
Total Comments 8
Comments
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A very enjoyable read Alan.......what does the title mean?
Glad you saw some good birds despite the floods and that you've enrolled another birder to the folds too!
Hooded Crow and Brent oose would be good enough for me too!Posted 05-12-09 at 09:15 AM by Twitcheruth
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Thanks Ruth,
It was a great visit and I'm hoping to make regular birding trips in the future.
The literal translation of the title is; ''God be with you from the town of the Ford of the Hurdles'' but it's modern day usage, and what I wanted to say, is; ''Hello fron Dublin''Posted 05-12-09 at 01:11 PM by alanjns
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Thanks for the info Alan......gaelic looks great written doesn't it!Posted 06-12-09 at 09:56 AM by Twitcheruth
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Yes Ruth, it looks a nice language, but it is rarely spoken. I asked my friends how to say Hello from Dublin, 'cos I thought it would be nice to put on the blog, but they had to make several phone calls to find out!!!!! I felt awful for asking!Posted 06-12-09 at 10:05 AM by alanjns
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Dia dhuit a Alan. Cad é mar atá tú? I am glad that you had a lovely time in Dublin. That was a nice selection of birds that you have seen. Plus The Hooded Crow! We have so many of them up here in Northern Ireland. We could spare you a few. lol. Irish hospitality is brilliant, isn't it.
Go raibh míle maith agat (many thanks) for the very interesting read.
Beannachtái Ó Bangor.
Slán go fóill.
Pete.Posted 06-12-09 at 05:34 PM by DorsetBoy
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Dia dhuit a Pete. Táim an-maith thankyou. Tá áthas orm thaitin leat é.
Slán go fóill
AlanPosted 06-12-09 at 08:56 PM by alanjns
Updated 07-12-09 at 02:13 AM by alanjns -
Hi Alan. Looks like you are learning the lingo very well. I only know a very few words but I love the language.
I am surprised by the Pied Wagtails that I have seen lately...they seem to be quite tame? I walked by a pair in our bus depot around 8 feet from them & they just hopped on by with no worries. Lovely wee things. Then there are the crows/hooded crows that get in the bus station looking for scraps...I can walk by them about 5 feet away with no problem. I love watching them as they are so inquisitive. All the best. Pete. P.S. Thanks for the friend request.Posted 07-12-09 at 08:31 PM by DorsetBoy
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A super report of what sounds a very exciting week in Dublin, Alan. Good that you did a bit of recruiting too!
Posted 08-12-09 at 01:31 PM by Little Sparrow
