Sceil Lus na Feannaig: Water bird sightings of late

Common teal (Anas crecca)

The speedy common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) adorns the covers of many of the local bird guides probably because of its electric blue rump and back. We see members of this family often, usually darting from the woods to the bank below, then back to the woods. Never lingering. Its numbers are declining.

Greenshank (Tringa nebularia), its slender bill has developed along with its habit of eating buried worms and molluscs, but also fish, crabs and shrimp. They are visiting from Scotland and Scandanavia, where they will return shortly to breed.

The Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata) is the largest (sometimes called a marsh hen) and easiest to identify local shorebird, its bill curved downward. It is noticeably larger than the others. Irish breeders are joined by Scots and Scandinavians in the winter. And it eats mainly ragworms, crabs, and molluscs. They forage individually during the day but roost communally, presumably telling stories like the one about the pesky ragworm that got away, and sorting out other thoughts they had.

Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) flock together in the winter, the Irish breeders joined by continental breeders. They feed at day but also at night. Speculation is that the larger sub-water surface worms that come out at night might be a cause. As might be the need to avoid black-headed gulls and their troublesome kleptoparasitism (food robbing).