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.
I hope you find this information useful,
Terry
Carruthers (
I.W.E TOURS )
