Yesterday morning I returned to the Castle and Abbey Ruins which define the two ends of Ballinskelligs Beach (prior post with more about the Castle, Abbey and immediate area). However this time I had researched the tidal schedule (not a concern on Lake Superior when birding) and made certain to arrive about two hours after high tide as the waters were starting to recede off the beach in force, but not yet to close to low tide. I wanted birds to be bunched up in the tidal flats zone before an increasing beach size allowed our feather friends a larger smorgasboard area.

Anyhow, two hours after high tide worked for me, and migrating Arctic Shorebirds were easy to find and photograph. The find of the morning were a couple of Bar-Tailed Godwits which migrate between the high Arctic and waaaay south in both hemispheres.

Bar-Tailed Godwit (and with friends)

Eurasian Oystercatchers (and with friends)

Dunlins

Ruddy Turnstone

Sanderlings

Ringed Plovers

It was a good morning’s birding … even considering the 30 mph winds!