On the most recent leg of his remarkable journey, Wally the wandering walrus who was first spotted off Valentia Island in Co. Kerry back in March 2021, was seen lounging aboard a moored motorboat in a small cove near Clonakilty on the West Cork coast.Wally, a young male walrus, has travelled extensively on his journey south. After that first sighting in Kerry he's spent … [Read more...] about Wally the Walrus stops off in West Cork
vagrant
Rose coloured starling on holiday in West Cork
Watching your local wildlife, even the familiar characters that surround you every day, is a rewarding and worthwhile experience. But it's always exciting when something a little out of the ordinary shows up.That happened here on the West Cork coast a few days ago, when news broke that a local birder had found an adult Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus) near Galley … [Read more...] about Rose coloured starling on holiday in West Cork
Arctic interloper stuns Irish wildlife enthusiasts
The discovery of a bearded seal in the small West Cork town of Timoleague late last week left Irish wildlife enthusiasts stunned, and led to widespread speculation about what it was doing so far south of its Arctic range.If you watch wildlife regularly you learn to expect the unexpected, and yet nature retains an almost unparalleled capacity to surprise and delight … [Read more...] about Arctic interloper stuns Irish wildlife enthusiasts
Early start for Ireland’s first Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)
Sunday was an exciting day.A late-night exchange on Viber as Saturday drew to a close had me scrambling to get organised for a very early start the next morning. It was half-past midnight by the time I was ready. I set the alarm for half-past-four, and proceeded to not get any sleep for four hours. Yikes!What on earth had possessed me?One of these... that's … [Read more...] about Early start for Ireland’s first Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)