Donogh Sweeney

Gannets plunge diving into a wild Atlantic ocean off Georges Head in Kilkee today.There were dozens of them around. Ireland is home to a number of Gannet colonies.Little Skellig, about 100km or so down the coast, being of international importance @birdwatchireland.bsky.social #WildAtlanticWay #birds

Still lots of activity in the garden when the sun shines ☀️ #UrbanGarden #Autumn #Limerick

Found this little creature in our kitchen today. Google tells me it's a Black Slip Wasp (Pimpla rufipes) and it parasitises butterfly and moth larvae by laying eggs in them. Lovely!! Managed to get a quick video before I let her loose. Cool!! @irishwildlifetrust.bsky.social #Wasps

One of the White Tailed Sea Eagles spotted on our joint @birdwatchireland.bsky.social Limerick & Clare branch outing yesterday on the Shannon Estuary. Perched in a tree, feeding on some prey. Apologies for the shaky footage, but we were some distance away. Still pretty amazing though 🦅😃 #Birds

A few bird pics from yesterdays joint @birdwatchireland.bsky.social Limerick & Clare outing to sites along the Shannon Estuary. Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwith, Red Knot and my first Curlew Sandpiper. #Limerick #Birds

We had a huge turnout for our joint @birdwatchireland.bsky.social Limerick & Clare Branch outing yesterday to sites on the Shannon Estuary.Over 40 reported at one stage. 3 White Tailed Sea Eagles, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, a Yellow Legged Gull, 2 Med Gulls & Kingfishers were some of the highlights #Birds

🚨Upcoming Outing🚨
Joint Limerick & Clare branch @birdwatchireland.bsky.social outing this Saturday 13th of September. Meeting at Robertstown Church Co Limerick @ 11.30am. Suitable for all ages. We had a fantastic outing here last year when we spotted no less than 5 White Tailed Sea Eagles!!!

Today is the last day for you to send a message to ask the European Commission to keep their #HandsOffNature. Please, don't let them destroy EU nature protection laws👉 birdwatchireland.ie/our-work/adv...

Hands Off Nature - Irish Wildlife Trust Don’t let the EU tear down nature protection. The European Commission wants to roll back vital environmental protections – and they’re asking for your opinion. We only have a few days to speak up befo...

iwt.ie/what-we-do/c...

Some native Irish berries from our back garden today. Elderberry, Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Rowan @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #UrbanGarden #Limerick

From my neighbours garden yesterday. I had to post them because of the colours. None of these are filtered. It's just the way my phone camera captured them in the sun 🧡💛🧡

A first for our back garden. A Migrant Hawker, posing for us this morning 💚 #Dragonfly #UrbanGarden #Limerick

First birds of my day were swallows hunting insects over the green in front of our house. Flying low in wide circles. Such nimble flyers. A joy to watch with their sharp, fast turns. They'll be off to africa soon 💚 #Limerick #FirstBirdOfMyDay #WhatsYours

Hawthorn Sheild Bug sitting happily on my windscreen yesterday evening 💚

Nature providing the fireworks in West Clare tonight⚡️#Kilkee #StormHour

Glorious evening in West Clare. Wishing you all a beautiful weekend 🌅 #Kilkee #ThePhotoHour #StormHour

First visitor to our garden this morning was a Red Admiral, who took over an hour to warm up in the sun before flying off ☀️❤️ #Butterfly #UrbanGarden

A few of the regulars from the garden yesterday #Butterfly

A Garden Bumblebee Queen (Bombus Hortorum) building herself up for winter hibernation on some Purple-loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) in windy West Clare #wildflowerhour #WildAtlanticWay @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Twas a nice evening out there 😍 #Kilkee #WildAtlanticWay #ThePhotoHour #StormHour

Sturgeon Moon rising this evening #Moon #Lunar

Sure is!! It caught my eye in comparison to the others around it. I saw a Garden Bumblebee Queen today in West Clare. I was informed that the new queens emerge in late summer to mate and build themselves up for the winter hibernation. Cool!!

Spotted yesterday in Killarney. Buff-tailed Bumblebee Queen. Bombus terrestris (Bumbóg Earr-Dhonnbhuí) #Bumblebees

Silver-washed Fritillary (Fritileán geal) enjoying the dappled sunlight in Muckross today #Killarney #Butterfly

Beautiful Stonechat
(Caislín cloch) keeping us company on our walk today in West Clare. Sound on 🔊 @birdwatchireland.bsky.social #Kilkee #Birds

Juvenile Pied Wagtail (Glasóg shráide) or "Willy Wagtail" as they are more commonly known as in Ireland #Birds

After a storm comes a calm

Starting to notice Turnstones again in West Clare. Retuning from their arctic and subarctic breeding grounds #Kilkee #BirdMigration #Birds

This view means it must be Friday again. Have a lovely #BankHoliday weekend everyone 💚 #Kilkee #WildAtlanticWay

Goldfinch enjoying the Ragwort seeds out our back garden this afternoon. Brightening up an otherwise dull late July day 😍 #DontMowLetItGrow #UrbanGarden #Birds @birdwatchireland.bsky.social