Big Dave in Ireland

December saw me taking a well-earned break by Ryanair to Shannon, Ireland, to spend a few days with friend, former student and Maalie Courtier Big Dave. Dave is a Project Officer with Birdwatch Ireland (roughly the Irish equivalent of the RSPB) and when I visited him in July 2006 he was a Fieldwaorker for the endangered population of Corncrakes in the Shannon Callows (you can see an account of that visit here.) Then, in summer, the River Shannon was confined within its banks, generating excellent breeding habitat for Corncrakes. In winter, the Shannon valley is a flood plain with flood water covering huge areas which are attractive to waterfowl (we found Whooper and Mute Swans, Pintail, Wigeon and Mallard).

Big Dave in summer 2006

The Shannon Callows in Winter with the flood plain under water

Dave has moved on from Corncrakes and is now the Project Officer for Barn Owls and we spent some time during my visit checking ruined castles and nest boxes for evidence of occupation. One evening we waited at dusk at a known site and, on cue, a pair of Barn Owls emerged from a chimney and disappeared into the gathering darkness for their evening's hunting.

Dave checks a Barn Owl nest box high in a ruined castle

Relaxing in Dave's home with a drink in front of a warm peat fire....

...before a pint (or two) of the "black stuff" in a cosy pub in Banagher

The final day was spent on a trip to the west coast at Galway Bay where some wintering seabirds, including Black Guillemot and Great Northern Diver were identified, helping to bring our final bird list for the visit to 80 species.

The sun goes down over the eponymous Bay