Tag Archives: Ireland

Lens-Artists Challenge #181 – Double Dipping

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This week the Lens-Artist challenge suggests that in addition to their challenge, we link to some of the other creative opportunities our fellow bloggers make available. Cee does a wonderful job keeping us all up-to-date with the current challenges. So I have chosen two of her challenges to link to this week. First her CBWC challenge and this week’s topic is “birds”.

Blue tit on branch

While birds can bring lots of colour into our gardens we can also appreciate their beauty in black and white.

Blue tit from beneath

The second of Cee challenges is her flower of the day (FOTD) challenge. In Ireland, it is mid-winter and really we shouldn’t be finding any flowers around. But I photographed this meadow buttercup, the essence of a summer meadow flower, on the 1st January.

meadow buttercup

FOTD

Wild New Year 3rd January

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Every new year we have a sort of family tradition to go to the beach. Ross Beach on the north-west coast of County Mayo is one of our favourites. It was a bit dull and damp. Wind and rain were forecast for later in the day and as you can see from the photograph below, the sea was already displaying some impressive waves.

Waves

I took some photographs of some of the sea birdlife as I continue with my 12 days of Christmas wild things. The oystercatchers seemed undisturbed by the wave crashing behind them.

Oystercatchers

There were also some delicate sanderling. You wonder how such small, beautiful birds can withstand the Atlantic storms, but these are obviously tough little things. They are winter visitors to Ireland and most are of Siberian origin.

Sanderling

And finally some Brent geese (light or pale-bellied). I love seeing these winter visitors from high-Arctic Canada. They were drinking some fresh water that was coming over the sand from a small stream.

Brent geese, Brent geese
Branta bernicla hrota

A lovely, exhilarating day.

Wild Christmas 28th December

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December 28th

So continuing with my 12 days of Christmas wild things, we had a lovely walk at Union Wood in Co Sligo today. Lots of nice things seen but I thought I would just share my favourite shot of the day – taken within Union Wood Nature Reserve, with the lensglobe nestled in a beautiful bed of moss and the majestic oaks reflected in the glass.

Union Wood

Lens-Artists Challenge #175 – Follow Your Bliss

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Over the weekend we got the chance to go for a walk and visit Lough Conn. The winter light, the water, the reflections were just perfect for a blissful couple of hours with the camera.

Lough Conn

Inspired by this week’s Lens Artist Challenge – Follow your bliss

Lens-Artists Challenge #163 – Keep walking

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I love going for a walk, especially if exploring new places. This summer, we had a chance to visit Annagh Head near French Port (Portnafrankagh) on the Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo. There were stunning views of the Atlantic.

And wild rocky coastlines.

The area has many amazing ancient Gneiss metamorphic rock formations.

Out at sea a blue fishing boat.

And then to top it all off – a whole pop of beautiful dolphins.