Birded Dingle with Tom. Usual result. Three Mediterranean Gulls in total (1st winter and two adults.) Also three Teal and a couple each of Chiffchaffs and Choughs. We then began the slow drive back, beginning by going over the spectacular Connor Pass: It was covered in cloud. We then stopped at Brandon Point, the main seawatching point on the peninsula: It was calm; a few Gannets and Fulmars were seen, but that was about it. If I’d know how quickly I could have got there from Dingle I would have tried on better days rather than slogging around in the wind and rain.
Arrived in Dublin early evening (some House Mice were found – by the children – in the underground carpark of the “Premier Inn” hotel.) All over. No decent birds found at all. There must have been good yank birds on the peninsula, the weather conditions were reasonably favourable. Fair enough, it wasn’t a full-out birding trip, but I did average about four hours a day. There is just too much habitat to cover and I didn’t meet another birder all week apart from at the Mourning Dove twitch. Rare birds are rare and therefore difficult to find. I’m pretty sure I identified every passerine I saw - there weren’t that many; but being in the right place at the right time does involve a degree of luck! I will return!
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