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Birdwatching in Killarney & Kerry |
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White Tailed Sea Eagles have been reintroduced in August 2007 to the Killarney National Park. It is expected that they will move to the Kerry Coast and into neighboring Counties in the coming Months. BIRDWATCHING IN KERRY
The Lake Hotel is one of the oldest and one of the most attractively
located hotels in the Killarney region, if not in Kerry. Situated in
45 acres of it's own wooded grounds, the hotel property abuts on to
the 10,000 hectare Killarney National Park. The hotel is an ideal location
for visiting birdwatchers wishing to explore the region. In front of
the hotel, the glistening waters of Lough Leane reflect the images of
Torc, Eagle's Nest and Purple mountains which rise to nearly 1,000 metres.
The largest of Killarney's three lakes, Lough Leane overlies limestone
on it's northern and eastern shores and sandstone on it's southern and
western shores. This geological divide has created a wide variety of
habitats in and around the lakes, from wooded mountain slopes and islands
to shallow reed-filled bays. These bays in particular attract a wide
range of wildfowl (23 species) and wader (17 species). Red breasted
Merganser, Tufted duck and Teal all breed, while rarities such as Garganey,
Goosander, Green-winged Teal and Ring.necked Duck have occurred. Woodcock,
Common Sandpipers and Snipe are also common breeding birds, while Jack
Snipe are frequent winter visitors. Castlelough Bay is located at the
eastern end of Lough Leane, and has a number of small reedbeds located
around it's shores. The largest of these lies in front of the Lake Hotel,
and is best viewed from the raised pier nearby. From here one can get
excellent views of Great - crested Grebes, Sedge Warblers, Tufted Duck
and Coot, with a good possibility of seeing the elusive Water Rail.
The reedbeds attract a good Swallow roost in the autumn. Red deer are
often seen in the woods at the edge of the reedbeds, and there is a
good chance of seeing otters here in the morning. Within a few kilometres
can be found the most diverse range of woodlands in Ireland. The nearby
Muckross peninsula contains Ireland's only Yew wood, covering 28 hectares.
The mountain slopes nearby hold woods of Sessile Oak and Beech, as well
as mature stands of Scots Pine, Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock and other
conifers. There is also an interesting avian fauna, including Long-eared
Owl, Jay, Sparrowhawk, Siskin and Crossbills. Wood Warblers and Common
Redstarts are occasional. The shores around Ross Castle are fringed
by extensive Alder woods where Blackcap and other warblers breed, and
which in winter attract large flocks of Siskins, Redpolls and other
finches, as well as good numbers of wintering Chiffchaffs. Dipper and
Kingfishers occur on nearby rivers, and a small flock of Greenland White-fronted
Geese winter on bogs in the National Park. Twenty kilometres west of
Killarney the estuary of the rivers Laune and Maine forms a rich feeding
ground for many birds. The mouth of the estuary is protected by three
spits, Cromane and Rossbeigh on the south shore and Inch spit on the
north shore. This whole area, Castlemaine Harbour, provides a wonderful
day's birding against a spectacular backdrop of high mountains. When
the tide drops off, large areas of mudflats are exposed behind Inch
and Rossbeigh. In autumn, this area is best visited on the incoming
tide, when the wildfowl and waders are pushed upshore and thus easier
to view. Large numbers of Wigeon, Pale-bellied Brent, Shelduck, Oystercatchers,
Dunlin and Knot congregate behind Inch with lesser numbers of Pintail,
Teal and Bar-tailed Godwits. American Wigeon have been seen on a few
occasions, but because of a low population density the area is very
under-watched and a lot of rarities are probably missed. On the south
shore, Cromane Point, a shingle spit holds up to 200 Turnstones and
has been visited by little Egrets, Short-eared Owls and Black Redstarts.
Further Southwest, check Rossbeigh for Brent geese and Chough, over
30 of which frequent the sand dunes outside the breeding season. Offshore,
one of Ireland's largest flocks of Common Scoter winter, numbering up
to 7,000 birds, often being accompanied by Velvet and Surf Scoters.
Up to 250 Red-throated divers also winter here. Thirty kilometres north-west
of Killarney lies Tralee Bay. This is one of the best birding areas
in Ireland and is readily accessible along both it's northern and southern
shores. Just outside Tralee, on the N68 road to Blennerville, the estuary
of the river Lee starts. The nearby saltmarsh is an important roosting
site for waders, including many thousands of Lapwings which often provide
spectacular aerial displays. Curlew Sandpipers, Ruff and Spotted Redshank
are regular in this area, and every year rarities such as Greater and
Lesser Yellowlegs, Sociable Plover and Avocet occur. Travelling further
west towards Castlegregory brings you to Brandon Bay, one of the best
Throughout the winter months the bay holds good numbers of scarcer species
such as Slavonian, Black-necked and Red-necked grebes, as well as Great-northern
and Red-throated Divers. On your way, stop in at Lough Gill, an important
site for wintering swans and duck such as Scaup (1200+), Shoveller and
Gadwall. Greater Flamingo was one of the many rarities which turned
up here recently. Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers over winter at nearby
Rough Point. On the western-most tip of the Dingle Peninsula, the wooded
gardens and glens at Dunquin have been attracting interesting sites
for grebes, divers and migrant seabirds, Strong north-west winds in
autumn will funnel birds into this bay and Brandon point is a popular
seawatching point. Great, Arctic and Pomarine skuas are frequent and
Long-tailed skuas turn up annually. Large numbers of Cory's and Sooty
Shearwater, Grey Phalaropes and Sabines Gulls have also American vagrants
such as Red-eyed Vireos and the locality is well worth a visit during
the autumn. North of Tralee one should stop in at Barrow Harbour and
Carrahane Strand, which attract up to 1,000 Pale-bellied Brent Geese
and 10,000 Golden Plover. Further north, just outside the sleepy village
of Ballyheigue lies Akeragh Lough, a Mecca for European and American
rarities. Lying behind the sand dune system of Banna Strand, this lagoon
type lake has a good fringe of reedbeds and mudflats, through which
a river flows to the sea at the nearby Black Rock, another site well
worth checking. The list of rarities which gave been attracted to this
relatively small site is staggering Pectoral and Buff-breasted Sandpipers,
Red-necked Grey and Wilson's Phalarope, Black and White-winged Black
Tern, Forster's Tern and Laughing Gull, Spotted Crake, White-rumped
and Semi-palmated Sandpipers the list is endless. It is a site worth
visiting at almost any time of year. |
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