The big move

Ihave been very lucky to grow up with family in several great birding locations around Ireland, and holidays were spent between them. With the freedom of my own car, I took full advantage and made as many trips to Donegal as I could, staying with obliging cousins in Killybegs and near Letterkenny. It has always been an ambition of mine to move up here, but there was always a reason to stay one more year in Dublin. I was delighted and fortunate to find a girl who loved the wildness of Donegal as much as I did and with little convincing, we began to plan the move. We could not have been luckier with our location, over-looking Mulroy Bay on the way to Fanad head. On our first evening relaxing by the water we were joined by an otter and this seemed a great omen. Cuckoo, Siskin, Raven, Buzzard are all common around us, Common Sandpiper breeding on the islands infront of the house and we have even enjoyed a full summer Great Northern Diver from the garden for the last few days.

The combination of wild mountains, quiet beaches and a largely un-explored birding potential have always had me chomping at the bit to get up at every opportunity. It is also one of the few remaining locations where it is possible to see Corncrake, Twite, Ring Ouzel and Red-throated Diver in the summer, a small numbers of each still cling on. Golden Eagles were re-introduced in to Glenveagh National Park almost 20 years ago, and though struggling, can still be seen in the general area. The potential for breedinng Red-necked Phalaropes must also be massive.