Connemara II

Back in Ireland for a few days of fieldwork chasing the ever-elusive Merlin and other 'easier' species...
(all nest visits, photographs and ringing carried out under licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service)

Long-eared Owls,

 

 

 

 

(photo by J. Lusby)

Kestrels in quarry and

 tree nests,

(photo by J. Lusby)

 

 

 

 

(photo by J. Lusby)

and Little Egrets.

 

 

And on the quest for Merlin. Carrying the canoe through the bog to the Connemara Lakes is always a tiresome job...

 so we decided to try new - if somewhat unorthodox - methods. What's wrong with a wet suit...

when searching for Merlin?

 It proved to be the fastest way of getting to the islands and got us our first look into a Merlin nest!!

And it was a good laugh.

(photo by J. Lusby)