Ireland!

[midnightfox]

I'm going to Ireland on Saturday Morning! 3:00...a.m! I'm going on the ferry and then we have a four hour car journey to look forward to.
I predict short tempers
We're staying for two weeks, the west coast(Gallway) the first week and the east coast(County Wexford) the second week.
Anyway I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of wildlife I could expect to find, I know there are reports of Pine Marten were we are staying but does anyone know what else could be there that I am not likely to see in Wales.
Thanks in advance
Oh by the way this means I will not be on the forum for two weeks-but I doubt you'll miss me, I have very little to contribute to this forum by way of interesting information etc as I am boring and a lot younger than most of you.

[eeyore]

I prescribe Guinness for the short temper problem

Wildlife wise Otter, red squirell, numerous seabirds...

check out the ulster wildlife trust for more http://www.ulsterwildlifetrust.org/

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by midnightfox

I'm going to Ireland on Saturday Morning! 3:00...a.m! I'm going on the ferry and then we have a four hour car journey to look forward to.
I predict short tempers
We're staying for two weeks, the west coast(Gallway) the first week and the east coast(County Wexford) the second week.
Anyway I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of wildlife I could expect to find, I know there are reports of Pine Marten were we are staying but does anyone know what else could be there that I am not likely to see in Wales.
Thanks in advance
Oh by the way this means I will not be on the forum for two weeks-but I doubt you'll miss me, I have very little to contribute to this forum by way of interesting information etc as I am boring and a lot younger than most of you.

Don't put your self down like that, you are a valued member and we look forward to hearing of your trip and seeing any photo's you may have.
Have a good time..................Jon

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Jonny

Don't put your self down like that, you are a valued member and we look forward to hearing of your trip and seeing any photo's you may have.
Have a good time..................Jon

I second that Jonny, Ive found your posts to be both insightful and interesting midnight. Have a great time and i look forward to seeing your pics when you get back. Incidentally Concrake is another bird that might be seen or heard on your travels. I photographed one at Kilcolman in cork a few years ago but I think they are pretty widespread.

[glsammy]

I know nothing of the wildlife of Ireland, but I hope you have a great time, take losts of pictures and entertain us with your tales of the trip!

[henrya]

Might see Leisler's Bats as well. Irish Hare will be in your areas. Plenty of cetaceans to look out for off the coast. If you get to a bookshop look out for "Exploring Irish Mammals" by Tom Hayden and Rory Harrington.

You'll also meet masses of very friendly people, see loads of flower rich meadows and have a fabulous time.

henrya

[midnightfox]

Thanks everyone!
Nice to know I'm valued
I shall certainly look out for all the animals mentioned and post some photoes when I get back.
See ya all...

[midnightfox]

Hi everyone! As you've probably guessed from the fact I'm posting, I'm back!
I promise I'll tell everyone what it was like in Ireland, what I did etc but I'm afraid I'll have to tell everyone l tommorow. I'm really tired and just want to collapse at the moment and it will also take me a while to extract my diary from the chaos in the car- I just though it would be rude not to tell everyone I'm back.

[midnightfox]

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I couldn't find my diaries.
I'll do just one day today and the rest of week 1 and then week 2..soon.
(WARNING: LONG POST ALERT)

(Extracts from my diary, some parts have been condensed so I don't write 50 pages.)
Day 1, 27th May, Saturday, Week 1 Lough Corrib(I think I spelled that wrong)
Left at 1.15am after a quick bite of toast. I'm sure getting up this early will take years off my life! The journey to the ferry was ordinary and uneventful, though you could alsost feel the excitement that filled the car, also the lights by the road tinged the heavy fog with amber, which made the air look as if it had been turned to treacle.
When we got there, had waited for an hour with hundreds of other vehicles, finally driven into the dim depths of the ship we climbed up seemingly endless stairs and then found a table to sit at- or rather doze at. It was quite funny actually, people all over the ship, slumped in their seats as if someone had sent out sleeping gas.
In fact it actually became acutely embarrassing because one man was snoring away in a manner that would have done a warthog proud (ahem...no offense sir)
(large description of journey cut out)
Because of the heavy fog, we arrived in Ireland at 7:30 am instead of 6:30am, well at least it was lighter.
I will not go into detail about the horrific journey, suffice to say instead of the expected four hours, lt took 6.
After a bit of confusion over where our house was, we found it, unpacked and we all collapsed on the settees.
After a rest and a reviving cup of tea dad went shopping for the basic necessities of life e.g more tea, bread, milk and butter, oh and baked beans. We ate baked beans a lot, that week. I’m not sure I like baked beans anymore...
if I never see them again it will be to soon!
Later we went out in the rowing boat, wearing life jackets that, unfortunately, seemed to have been designed(mainly) not for safety but to see how ridiculous they could make you look.. There are terns nesting on a nearby island and it was brilliant to see their lithe, tapered form swooping above us. Had some fun and games because dad hadn’t rowed for five years, but we managed(just!) To get back safely. Mum had, wisely, declined to come in the boat.
When we got back I stalked round the garden with my camera, took some photos of the house, then watched a male chaffinch in the hedge, who was so close I could see every feather, Didn’t take a picture because I didn’t want to scare him of, he looked so beautiful in the evening light. After he had flown of I watched and took (VERY bad) pictures of a female chaffinch in a tree, who was alarming constantly. I think she had a nest up there.
Then I followed the flight of a little bird into some bushes and I saw the liquid black eyes of a Wren, it’s eyes, like it’s song seeming too big for such a little bird.
Went back in the house, while dad ventured out into midge country( Scotland, at least in my eyes is no longer the worst place for biting midges) to go fishing(don’t worry he didn’t kill the fish, he’s an artist- he takes pictures of those he catches and then paints them, I’m quite proud actually, if you type in David Miller, Artist into google his is the first name on the list.)
When dad had gone me and mum watched four male scoters and one female- through the digiscope -settling down to sleep, also saw more turns, a curlew and a young magpie who flew past the window with his mum, he was ‘tailless- i.e it hadn’t developed yet.

Don't worry there's more 'wildlife' i.e birds in the rest of the week(we saw no wild mammals on our first week in Ireland, and only one bird of prey)

[Rich]

I see you are back by now Jonny, but for anyone else thinking of doing the trip....

Did you see the hooded crows that are everywhere. The hedgerows have miles and miles of fuchsias and crocosmia. Of course in Dingle Bay there is Funghi the dolphin, a great sight when he shows off, and a boat trip to the Skellig islands off the Ring of Kerry is well worth the trip.

Fishing for two hours in the River Barrow where we hired a narrow boat for a week and only saw three other boats in that time. I caught 7 species of fish and kingfishers were flitting everywhere, whilst every weir had it's accompanying herons.