2 days winter birding in Limerick and Cork.

I was asked by a friend if I wanted to go to Cork with him as he was sorting some business out down there, and thought we could get a bit of birding in as I knew of a couple of spots he might like to hit in Limerick, so I said why not. The first day was spent in Cork so we met up with some friends from there and headed to one or two spots. The bird of the day had to be the Long-tailed Duck which was posing nicely for us. This was the closest I ever got to a Long-tail Duck and we were all very please with it. The second day was spent in Limerick with both Hawfinch and the Lesser Scaup (which was just over the border in Clare) on the list, and both gotten as well. It was a great weekends casual birding for sure. In total we had 84 different birds which given the time of year was pretty respectful. The bird list was as follows, Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, House Sparrow, Green, Chaff, Bull, and Hawfinches, Song and Mistle Thrush's, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Siskin, Goldcrest, Pied and Gery Wagtail, Jackdaw, Rook, Grey Crow, Magpie, Raven and Jay, Starling, Treecreeper, Stonechat, Black Headed, Med, Common, Herring, Lesser Black-backed, and Greater Black-backed Gulls, Kittewake, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Cormorant, Great Northern Diver, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Dunlin, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Curlew, Lapwing, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Coot, Moorhen, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Pochard, Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Tufted Duck ,Long-tailed Duck, Gadwall, Snipe, Collard Dove, Stock Dove, Wood  Pigeon, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Pale Bellied Brent Goose, Pheasant, Kestrel, Peregrine, Buzzard and Sparrow Hawk.

 Hawfinch in Limerick.

Lesser Scaup, on the right hand side of the Greater Scaup in Co Clare. 

 Tufted Duck.

 Siskin

 Stonechat

 Treecreeper

 Long-tailed Duck

Whooper Swans

Shoveler Duck.

Grey Wagtail