Birds
The Doonbeg River flows through the Village, to a wide bay
and then
joins the sea, providing suitable feeding ground for many
wading birds
and duck species. The surrounding farmlands, boggy fields
and
hedgerows provide shelter for smaller species.
Summer season, you can see Swallows, Linnets, Meadow Pipits,
Skylarks, Starlings, and Wagtails. Sedge and Grasshopper
Warbles can be
heard singing in the reed, drains and rushy fields.
Occasionally, a
Kingfisher can be seen along the river.
Spring time records large numbers of Curlew, Whimbrel, and
Sanderling.
The coast also provides a migration route for Sandwich
Terns. Shoreline
fields hold small flocks of migrating Wheaters, who would be
journeying
to Iceland or Greenland.
Winter is the most active time of year in Doonbeg Bay.
Frequent visitors
are Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Dunlin,
Oystercatchers, Godwits
and Redshank. From time to time you will also see Teal,
Cormorants,
Grebes, Great Northern Divers, Red breasted Mergansers and
Shags.
