| Wandering Birder| Europe 2003 | Page 1 / 4 |
Ireland
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 Lesser Black-backed Gull photographed on Skellig Michael. This is a very common gull in Europe. Note Herring Gull bill, yellow legs, darker wings and mantle. |
June in Ireland
I flew into Dublin the first of June and spent three days in the city.
all over the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland were posters advertising the Special Olympics World Championships. The Special Olympics are sponsored by the Robert Kennedy Foundation and this was the first time the World Championship has been held outside the U.S. The athletes stay with host families and I saw families showing their young guests the sites. Some American families stayed in the hostels.
After Dublin I rented a car and made a loop around the island ending in Belfast Northern Ireland after which I took a ferry boat to Liverpool, England. The interesting birding occurred on the Saltee Islands, Skellig Michael and on the North coast of Northern Ireland. I also report on a visit to Killibegs where I photographed the Irish Fishing Fleet in port.
The Saltee Islands
The Saltee Islands are located 20 minutes off the south western tip of the Republic of Ireland. The only tourist boat leaves from Kilmore Quay. There is a fine hostel in Rosslear Harbor. I did not have a phone number to call for reservations so I just showed up one morning in Kilmore Quay where I found a sign that said "Saltee Island Trip Wait Here Captain Declan Bates (053)29684 or (087)529736" Nobody had showed up by 10 AM so I found the Harbor Master and he called for me. Yes, the boat would go at 11 AM and so it did. It was a small boat with me and two birders from Cork. The short trip takes one half hour during which we saw Puffins, Gannets, Razorbills, Kittiwakes.
Once on the island nobody seemed to know where to go so I ended up following the two birders from Cork across the island to a sea stack of Gannets. On the cliffs were Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots ( Common Murres), and Fulmars. Manx Shearwaters and Puffins also breed on the island which is covered with rabbit burrows. I trust the burrows were not shearwater homes because they did not smell.
The two birders from Cork moved to the far end of the island to find Puffins, but I was afraid I would miss the boat back and worked my way back to the stairs. A sign tells you something more about the island.. It is owned by a private individual Michael Neale who called himself the Prince of Saltee. The family comes to the island frequently and stays in a house with no electricity or plumbing. Camping is allowed on the island and a few campers were there during my visit. I do not know how to make arrangements for camping.
I had Ringed Plover and Rock Pipet on the beach and a few Manx Shearwaters on the way home.
The Skelligs
The Skelligs are tiny islands off the east coast of Ireland. They are interesting because of the seabird colonies and for the ancient monastery on Skellig Michael. If you are traveling to Ireland with a non-birding spouse or other relative this may be a good stop. To reach the islands go to Portmagee which is on the scenic Ring of Kerry. One hint about driving the Ring of Kerry, the roads are very narrow and the large tourist buses make the trip in a counter clock-wise direction. I elected the clock-wise direction and had to yield to the oncoming buses because they take up more the half the road and yield to nobody. I was rather unimpressed with the Ring of Kerry. The Dingle Peninsula is much more scenic.
Portmagee is a nice little town with a fine bakery for lunch and coffee. The other interesting thing was a public toilet with a sign proclaiming it 2002 Top Irish Toilet. The day before my trip to the island I toured the Skellig Experience across the bridge from Portmagee on Valentia Island. This is a good introduction to the archeology and natural history of the island. There is also a very good book you can buy at the center. The Skellig Story by
I stayed in the hostel in Knightstown on Valentia Island which used to be apartments for the Irish Coast Guard. I went into Portmagee in the morning to take the Pat Joe Murphy boat to the Skelligs. There are several boats and you can take one from Knightstown within walking distance of the hostel. However Pat Joe Murphy gets to the island first.
In the early days of Christianity it was popular for monks or holy men to isolate themselves in some remote location to pray and study. Ordinary people made pilgrimages to the monasteries to insure their entry into heaven. This early form of tourism was very profitable to the monks who charged the pilgrims for room and board and often received gifts. They accumulated wealth and became targets for the Vikings. Skellig Michael is the site of one of these ancient monasteries. The monastery is well preserved and protected by the park service. The island also has a history as a lighthouse .
The seabird colonies are the main attraction for birders. The center has a big display and lists the following numbers for 1991. You cannot go to the island at night and have no chance to see Manx or British Storm-petrel.
| Fulmar | 709 pairs |
| Kittiwake | 1,068 |
| Herring Gull | 313 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 30 |
| Great Black-backed Gull | 6 |
| Guillemot ( Common Murre ) | 1,014 individuals |
| Razorbill | 292 |
| Puffin | 3,055 |
| British Storm-petrel | 10,000 |
| Manx Shearwater | 5,000 |
| Northern Gannet (2002 survey) | 56,000 individuals |
Skellig Michael continued on next page.
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