Yellow Hammer v`s Dipper v`s Sparrow Hawk.

I had 3 of my top ten most favourite irish birds today. The question is which one would I pick as my outright favourite for today. It isn`t easy I can tell you. I only ever got to see my first Yellowhammer 3 years ago in Co Clare and since then I have only ever seen them in one other county and that was Wiclow. They are no longer in Limerick due to farming changes from crop growing to now mainly dairy. So the lack of them makes them one of the top 10 irish birds. Dippers are another bird I love - the way they can dive under a fast flowing stream or river, to catch Caddis-fly and other larvae,fish,crustaceans and molluscs just blows me away. Plus the fact that it is so quiet while being so busy that you could easliy miss them. Last one of the day is mister Sparrow Hawk. I have to admit to been worried as he went missing a week and a half ago when I had a female Sprock visit the garden. But happily he is back and looking in super shape. He comes to the garden and sits quitely on a branch of the tree and preens away. I can open the patio door and it doesn`t bother him. 3 times today he chased birds in the garden and missed each time. So he`s not causing too much harm. But you can see him weighing up his options whenever a bird comes into the garden. I don`t know this is a toughie alrighty!!! But for today its the Yellowhammer.

Yellowhammer feeding on oats the horses spill out of their container.

A pair of Yellowhammers.

Yellowhammer busy looking for some food.

Dipper with a beak full of yummy larvae.

Getting ready to return to the nest.

What are you looking at!!

Oh I see, I need a preen!

Food!!

A Willow Warbler claiming his territory.