My last post was about the walk out to Rue lighthouse. This is the photographs of the wildlife I took while out on the trail. I hopefully will give them the right I.D, so I hope you enjoy the photos.
So the first photos show the Eider duck.
Eider Duck.
Next up is three photos of a Curlew ( NUMENIUS ARQUATA)
A few more minutes along the coast a few more ducks showed up, I think these might be Male Mallard (eclipse) and a Wigeon (rufous female) at the back. The next photo is of a Wigeon (rufous female)?Wigeon
The first bird to be photographed has I move away from the coast is a Stonechat (male) sitting on a wire fencing.
Male Stonechat
The Coot is up next, this is a very common bird here in Ireland found on all types of water ways.
Coot.
The next bird I post on my last blog post has a Golden eye, after looking closer I think it’s a female Tufted Duck
Tufted Duck
I’m now off road and walking up towards the clipp top trail when I hear the call of a Buzzard (BUTEO BUTEO)
Buzzard
Buzzard
Just before the cliff top trail a flock of Curlew’s flew pass.
Curlews in flight
The next batch of photographs were taken from the ruin cottages down by the coast near Rue lighthouse
Rock Pipit.Seals and Eider Ducks
The walk back to Church Bay was by road, and it along the first mile this photo’s were taken.
Again I heard the call of Buzzards, this time there was two riding a thermal over the hills I had just walked. They were at the limit of my lens but I got this shot above.This I’m not sure off but might be the Devil’s – bit Scabious.Black Bird male. these birds will start to change their diet at this time of year. Feeding on more fruits in this case black-berries .Common Carder bee
I have just got back to walking along the coast, a small sandy beach nests in the rocky coast line. I blimb down a take a seat on a sandy bank at it’s edge. It’s from here I get some of the small waders feeding here.
Dunlins feeding along the waters edge.The last two images are Little Ringed Plovers .I believe the two images above are of a Rock Pipit.
These are the last birds I photographed before entering the village. Again I’ll leave you with this photo of the Kelp house .
It’s been a couple of weeks since my walk on Rathlin, the weather was grey and heavy rain has I left home. It rained for most of the 80 mile trip to Ballycastle to catch the 8.30am ferry across to the island. But half a hour before the ferry was due to leave the sky cleared and a beautiful morning took it’s place. The 35 minute crossing was a little choppy with a strong breeze roughing the water. The sun was now reflecting bright from the white houses that line Church Bay has we came into the harbour.
Coming into the harbour area of Church Bay.Looking back at at part of the Church Quarter on my out to Rue lighthouse.
It was time to remove my coat and enjoy the warmth of the morning sun, get a hat on to protect my naked head from the sun and wind.
Island life can be hard on all people and objects.
A short walk and I’m leaving the main Church Quarter on the flat single track road that ends and gives way to the hills ahead.
It seems I’m the only walker heading this way.
The remains of the build on the right in the above photo is the Kelp house. It dominates the view for the next quarter mile. Before I get there I stop to get a few more photos. The beauty that surrounds you here make for a slow hike and a lot of photo opportunities. The colours turning to warm autumn tones, the sounds of the water kissing the shore fills a soul with contented peace.
A look back at the rugged landscape to holds Church bay.Enjoying breakfast on the wild natural grasslands.The Klep house.A little history on the Kelp house.
Heading into the old building you get a feel of it’s size, the work that went into building the stone walls. The closeness of the sea and the views back towards the village.
Using a longer focal length lens to close the distance across the bay.This Rock Pipit has stood and watched me invade it’s space. Thank you little one..
I was going to show you the wildlife I photographed on this walk but it would make for a long blog post. so I’ll add a few and put the rest into another post.
So on with the walk, shortly after leaving the Kelp house the hills start. from the ferry to where I go off road to follow the Roonivoolin Trail is around 1.75 mile. This trail takes you across fram land and its livestock, so if you have a fear off cattle or sheep it’s probably not for you. The path starts along the side of a small lough where I spotted a coots and golden-eyes on the water.
A Coot, if you have ever heard of the saying ” as baldy has a Coot” well you would have if you lived in the UK or Ireland. It’s thought the saying relates to this bird.And here is the beautiful little Golden- eye duck, you can see how it got it’s name. These little ducks feed by diving for there food so you never know where they will surface.
The path is muddy and slippery underfoot has I follow the trail markers on the gentle climb towards the sea cliffs watched over by hardy hill sheep.
I love those eyes and the texture in the horns. In fact heres a close up below, not sure that you would agree with me but that eye is great.You’ll never pass a sheep again without looking at it eyes..Theres always someone to keep you posted the right way on the trail. Terrible pun ,sorry. Another Pipit, not sure if its a meddow or rock Pipit. They all look alike to me.
Another five mintues and you climb over a rickety stile and onto the cliff top walk. the path is a worn trail between a wire fence and a long drop. Watch your step, wet grass is slippery and I don’t fly like the gulls or crows that hug the cliffs.
The clouds are closing in and it looks like rain but with the company of a few woolly sheep leading the way I set off.
I’ll tag behind you..You can see the dog-leg shape of the island from here. The yellow sign tells you to keep away from the edge, where do they put it… yep you go over to read it… Great view down the cliffs.
The walk is safe if you stick to the path beside the fence, and take time out to look at the views. I was sorry I didn’t bring a flask of coffee to enjoy my breaks as I sat on a rock with nothing but the sounds of nature, no man make sounds reached me here. Bar the sounds this one made, but that was only my body trying to get air into it…
The next set of photos are some of the splendid views across the island in all directions.
Just follow the cliffs . the background with heavy cloud cover is the mainland of Northern Ireland.Looking across the island to the East Lighthouse.The rough lands of the island with Northern Ireland around five miles across the water.The grand cliff of Fairhead on the County Antrim coast of N.Ireland.
Has you can see from the heavy cloud cover it was looking like heavy rain coming in. Luckly it stayed on the mainland where there were heavy downpours, we remained dry on the island.
Fairhead in N.Ireland, a rock climders heaven. 30+ years ago I climbed a few routes over there.A moody B&W of the picture above.Two hooded crows sit awaiting me like Odin’s two Ravens ‘Huginn and Muninn’.
Where the crows sat is the point where you turn away from the cliffs and start a downhill walk back towards the road. Below to the right is my destination, the smugglers cottages and Ushet port.
Ushet Port.Rue lighthouse.
Dropping downhill I had one more incounter with the wolly guardians of Rue. Just checking this human was leaving…
Watching you..
With another rickity stile to climb over and a final down hill walk I exit unto the road. Swinging right it was down hill to the cottage ruins. This is where i go into stealth mode. Around Ushet port seals come into here, so it’s keep the ruins beween them and me. There is a break in the rear wall of the cottage closest to them,once inside it’s off with the camera bag and set up with a 150 -600 lens. Using the building for cover i get some shots of the seals. Here a shot below, see how I’m greeted.
A friendly wave from them both.Here is a chopped section of the above shot.
Right it’s time to make my way back to Church Bay, this time its a road walk. There are very few cars on Rathlin so its safe on the roads here.
The call of the Buzzard.A Bee in a flower.
The last few photos were taken on the walk back to the ferry. The rest of the wild life photos will be in another blog post. If you have lasted this long well done on coming with me on this walk, your are always welcome.
Back to Church bay and a visit to a chippie van, across to the beach and enjoyed the best chips/fries ever. On into the village and got a coffee to go, up to a little park area beside the church and sat enjoying my coffee. I still had a hour to kill before the ferry, I spotted the 3pm ferry getting ready so checked if I could change booking and was onboard in minutes. I sat on the upper outboard deck tucked in out of the wind, packed the camera away( I avoid the saltwater spray) and sat relaxing looking up at the cliffs I’d walked earlier in the day.
I’m going to leave you with two B & W photos I took on my walk back to Church Bay. Again thank you for joining me today.
Out early Sunday morning and went up to my local woods, Drumkerragh Forest. A misty view of the forest and Slieve Croob mountain greeted me. Has I set off with camera bag and monopod on my walk, I hoped the sun would burn off the mist. After three hours of walking and into my final mile the sun started to do its job.
This was taken with a Sigma 150-600 mm lens, shot at 240mm. I love the way a telephoto lens can give the appearance of compressed distance between distant objects in a scene.
This area has a large number of ravens around the woods at this time of the year. Walking towards some dead trees just of the trail. Two landed close by on one of the trees.
Missed the first one in but caught the second one landing has seen above.
This next shot is a silhouette shot edited in Silver efex pro, I use this to edit all my B&W images.
Again it contains a lone Raven sitting calling across the valley.
The start of the walk did not look promising from a photography point but I ended the morning with a few good shots to edit in the evening.
I have been looking back through some image files stored on a back up hard drive. So this weeks image was taken in London a few years back. His name is Ralph a Miniature Schnauzer and belongs to my daughter. A little dog with great character who loves attention and to play but would never make a guard dog. He would be putting you out in front to defend him.
First I hope you are all keeping well and safe where ever you are in the world. Here in the north of Ireland we are back in a four week lockdown but we can still go out to exercise. So when the weather allows I pack the camera and head for the coast. I’m lucky that I have some great mud flats where the sea birds and wading birds feed within a 30 – 40 minutes drive. So the following photographs have been taken over the last few weeks along the County Down coast. Most of them have been shot with a Nikon D750 camera fitted with the Sigma 150 – 600 mm telephoto lens, some handheld and others using a tripod fitted with a gimble head. The following link is a great site for bird information here in Ireland and the UK. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/curlew/
The above is the Curlew ( Numenius arquata) taking off , great fun to watch has they sprint up to take off speed.
Here we see the Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) it’s a very distinctive bird with it’s bold black and white plumage, orange beak and legs but most of all that blood red eye.
Next the Brent goose ( Branta bernicla) This small goose is similar in size to a mallard duck. Can be hard to get good photographs with the eye showing because of the dark coloured neck and head. With the setting sun behind me it was just right this evening. They are always in a flock and the on singled out here is seen drinking.
The Snipe(Gallinago gallinago) this is a bird that is getting rare to see here, it’s numbers have declined over the years. When I was a kid at school ( a long time ago) these where common and seen over most marshes daily. I was surprised to see two of them together. The Brent geese disturbed them and these one flew closer to me and nested down into the seaweed.
The Redshank (Tringa totanus) gets it’s name from it’s most distinctive features, their bright orange-red legs. I find these are one of our most common birds along this part of the coast. They can be found in large flocks or today just a few feeding on the incoming tide.
The next photographs where taken from my van when I saw this Kestrel just for the road side. I pulled over and shot a few frames before it moved off.
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) these are a small falcon and are often seen as here along the road sides hovering looking for small prey.
The colour is a little weak in these photographs of the Kestrel with the bright sky behind them but since they were part of the coast outings I included them.
Thank you for visiting and I’ll leave you with a image of Portaferry across Strangford lough.
Brent geese with Portaferry in the back ground and Windmill hill on the right.
This week I jumped into my time machine and went back to September 2018. A time you could go out among people, enjoy a coffee with someone and if someone coughed it didn’t even register with you. So this shot was taken at an Irish moto-x Championship round. It was held at the Laurel Bank circuit near Saintfield, County Down, Northern Ireland. A quick word with the clerk of the course and I had permission to access parts of the course closed to the public. This gets you closer to the action but still staying a safe distance should something go wrong.
Laurel Bank Moto-X circuit.
Eating dirt..
Thank you for traveling along with me, here’s one more from the day.
Air time.
Stay safe and thank you for visiting.
George.
Camera : Nikon D750 with a Sigma 150-600 mm telephoto lens.
Data for first photograph: 1/3200 sec @ f/3.2 : ISO 400
This week we’re off to the coast and a small black and white bird called a Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba) is the subject. They are a common bird here in Ireland and the UK and can be seen all year round. They can be found almost any where, from coast to city centres. When standing they frantically wag their tail up and down or dashing across the ground in search of food.
This weeks photograph is Lambeg parish church. It sits on the banks of the River Lagan a few miles from Lisburn. The first church dates back to 1598 with the possibly of one going as far back as 1306.
The oldest tome stone found in the graveyard dates back to 1626.
I took this photograph of Max about 4 years ago when I lived in County Monaghan here in Ireland. We would go on early morning walks around some of the local lough’s. He was in need of a trim has his wet muddy hair shows this up here. Just look at his face, eager to get back moving through the fields.
Wet and muddy, a happy dog.
Hope he is still enjoying his walks, been a few years since I last seen him.
Take care and stay safe.
George.
Photo data: Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 17 – 70 mm lens.
George McNeill Photography 
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