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February 08
(these reports are displayed as most recent first)
20th - 28th Feb
Spring must be coming here slowly as we have lambs everywhere and the flowers are finally starting to show new growth. In order to avoid the worst of the weather a trip abroad was called for and so Madeira ended up being the spot chosen. Sporting enough photographic equipment for about 7 people we departed.
Madeira is just west of Africa and has lovely heat all the year round, as well as very friendly locals, grand hotels with all you can eat buffet (essential for Chris) and a great selection of trips around the Island. The Bird-watching tour was excellent and was led by a resident expert called Hugo from a company called 'Madeira Wind Birds', we got to see virtually the whole of the island stopping at every known nook and cranny where birds can be seen from. As well as wading birds such as Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, Greenshanks and Snipe we saw a huge selection of birds including Kestrels, Buzzards, Berthelots Pipit, Black Caps, Spanish Sparrows and Firecrests. There are plants are aplenty as well with orchids of various types and the stunning Brid of Paradise Plant.
The Madeira Wind Birds company also run an excellent tour out on a yacht called Gavião, from this you can enjoy all of the whales and dolphins and sea-turtle that frequent Madeira's coast. This was one of the best days out that we have had, as well as seeing good numbers of Pilot whales, we also saw Common and Bottlenose Dolphin, Loggerhead Turtle, Cory's Shearwater and Yellow legged Gulls.
The day was greatly improved by having Catarina as our highly knowledgeable guide and a fantastic crowd of bird and botany enthusiasts from Norfolk in the UK. We spent about 9 hours out on an incredibly calm and sunny sea, with a huge lunch included although a fair bit of the bread, cooked fish and potato did get fed to the large shoals of colourful fish that appeared as soon as the yacht stopped moving. It was a great holiday and we would highly recommend it to anyone who likes peace and quiet combined with warm temperatures and sun shine
1st - 14th of February
January came to an end with the worst weather any angler could do without, Strong winds from the North and heavy rain non-stop, even our first Snow fell for a few days.
Any fishing was left to the brave, ourselves we found more comforts in Bird Watching from the car and from the window at home.
Peter braved the weather down at Malady's on two attempts this month without success although the weather has improved in the last days giving us some great Sunny Days but alas the water tempeture and clarity has a great impact on any fishing for now.
Chris and I dashed off to Clare and Kerry for a few days armed with the cameras making the best of the sunshine.
Plenty was seen in the way of Waders, Gulls, Geese and small birds around the estuaries there were several anglers fishing from the pier in Fenit, with success; catching Whiting and Flat Fish.
On a better note, the evenings are beginning to stretch and the forecast is on the good side with Dry and sunny days , this may be a chance to try the river for the first time this winter.
The bird-list for Kerry was as follows:
Crow, Rook, Hooded Crow, Raven, Chough, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Redwing, FieldFare, Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Wren, Long Tailed Tit, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Grey Wagtail, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveller, Hooded Merganser, Common Shellduck, Brent Geese, Mute Swan, Berwick Swan, Heron, Little Egret, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Sanderling, Knot, Dunlin, OysterCatcher, Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Tailed Godwit, Gery Plover, Greenshank, Ringed Plover, Fulmar, Iceland Gull, Black headed Gull, Common Gull, Black Backed Gull, Little Gull, Cormorant, Shag, Guillimot, Razorbill, Common Scotter, SparrowHawk, Kestrel, Hen Harrier.
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