Lough Sheelin Walk: Review



Birdwatch Ireland Meath Lough Sheelin Walk 17.11.19

A bright November morning and a spooked Kestrel greeted the arrival of our walk on the shores of Lough Sheelin near Mount Nugent, Co Cavan. Graham and Fiona, who own a stretch of land which juts out from the eastern shore of Lough Sheelin allowed us access to this excellent venue for our birdwatching event. Along with a good showing from the Meath Branch of Birdwatch Ireland, Gerry and Sean from the Kildare branch also joined us for this outing.

A passing flock of Fieldfares called above the trees and bushes as we made our way to the lake through this thick cover of native woodland. The trees don’t grow very tall in this saturated ground but do provide a dense cover or ‘home’, for the calling siskins and redpolls, as well as numerous Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Robins and various Tits.

Fieldfare - pic: Dick Coombes

We were struck by more unusual sounds coming from the lake, the whinnying of Little Grebes, and pig-like noises from the, more often heard than seen, elusive Water rail.
There was also a, not so mute, Swan calling to her cygnets who were hiding in the reeds. The cygnets replied with a low trumpeting call and made their way to mother for protection.

Water rail - pic:Gustova Zoladz

At a headland there was a clearing in the trees, and we got a good view of a Lone Great Crested Grebe who dived, caught a small fish, and swallowed it whole (and alive).

Great Crested Grebe - pic: Richard T Mills

A large flock of tufted duck and pochard were much further out and we needed the scopes to see these numerous ducks splashing in the broken water. A lone thick set duck was in closer range and posed an identification challenge. With a clearly visible white band on the wing as it swam and a dark (dome shaped) head we agreed this was a female Goldeneye.

Goldeneye/Female - pic: Clive Timmons



Tufted Duck - pic: Brian Burke



 
Pochard - pic: Richard T Mills


Our walk at Lough Sheelin was a great opportunity to see some of Ireland's winter migrants, especially the great variety of overwintering ducks which arrive in big numbers to our inland waterways. Franck Ar Moenner of Birdwatch Ireland Meath said he had seen a Long-Tailed Duck on these Lakelands during winter time and that a small group of Northern Divers were regular visitors on their way back north, at the beginning of Spring. We started speculating if an Osprey might wander across this lake, or even one of our now resident White-tailed Sea Eagles. This habitat too could provide a good refuge for a Bittern to spend the winter among the dense reedbeds.
Making our way back through the waterlogged fields, a Snipe took off from under our feet and zig-zagged into the winter sky. Graham explained that, other than light grazing, the land had not been touched for over a hundred years and that it was a treasure trove for botanical species. We started thinking about Spring and the arrival of Summer migrants and Birdwatch Ireland's (Meath and Cavan?) branches return visit when the Warblers are back in residence in the reedbeds and Cuckoo is maybe calling.


- Terry Cassidy
Birdwatch Ireland Meath


Common Snipe - pic Richard T Mills

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