See this triplist in printable PDF format with media only on page 1.

We saw the charming European Robin every day of the tour. Photo by participant Joe Demko.

Every time we travel to Ireland it is like going into an incredible dream. Yes, it is true the Emerald Isle is noted for its forty shades of green. But Ireland encompasses much more than just color -- it is a land of magic and mystery, of mythology and ancient history, of town and country, of nature and scenic grandeur, of humor and laughter, of music and song.

It is nice to have relatives and close friends in Ireland. For wherever we travel in the Emerald Isle it feels like home, and we like to make people feel at home also. But most importantly, we get to experience interesting people and personalities coupled with Irish hospitality and birds, since everything shines through the Irish mist.

Most participants on this trip had never been to the Emerald Isle before, and even returnees were blown away by this land of enchantment. This particular Field Guides tour wasn’t your ordinary tour of Ireland -- after all it is an insider's tour. Red Kites and a Common Swift turned out to be the best birds seen on the trip. And watching kites soar overhead and traveling to a roost was sensational. The shorebird, gull, alcid, and corvid extravaganza wasn’t bad either. A lot of my relatives and friends turned up along the way, making everyone feel welcome. We had some super, traditional Irish music sessions most nights. Folks heard we (Field Guides) were coming, so they went out of their way for us. Our best nights were at McCagues Pub in Scotstown (County Monaghan); Tossey’s in County Armagh (Northern Ireland); followed by Lyons Bar (County Waterford) in the republic where a slug of musicians showed up to fill the room with their sound. Participants could not believe the number of Irish archeological sites, particularly the classics you find on the fall tour including Newgrange, Emain Macha or Navan Fort, and the Rock of Cashel. A bonus was visiting the Tommy Makem Visitor Center, and one of the traditional Irish music areas known as Keady, Ireland. Then there were the countless forts, castles, and round towers. In reality, the entire Emerald Isle is one large archeological site in some form or fashion.

But the highlight of the trip was a remote country session house called Tossey’s Cottage. I contacted my relatives (the Makems) to let them know we were coming on the first Saturday of November, and they came out in full force. Some arrived from as far away as counties Cork and Tipperary. I counted more than 65 people in attendance. This is probably one of the best TIM (Traditional Irish Music) sessions one can get in all of Ireland. It is like going back in time. It was one of the best sessions I have ever experienced at Tossey’s as well. Tossey’s is reached by driving through several farmyards that lead to a cottage on a drumlin on a high vantage point that happens to have an ancient standing stone as well. What makes Tossey’s unique is that it offers Irish (relatives) hospitality coupled with incredible (TIM) music, singing, poetry, storytelling, and banter. Then the Makems came out with the sandwiches, which is a custom that dates back to the days of the matriarch and famous keeper of Irish songs Sarah Makem (first cousin of my grandmother). The music, poetry, storytelling, banter, and craic that night was one for the ages.

For the most part this was fairly good weather for Ireland in November, since November in Ireland seems to be getting more rain events in recent years rather than the typical Irish mist. The deciduous trees were some of the most brilliant we have ever seen, still holding their leaves, and the colors were similar to those found in New England. This was a very rare Ireland event, and it was Ireland at its best and truly outstanding. The unseasonably sensational weather allowed for the other activities such as visiting ancient archaeological sites, Irish pubs, and listening to traditional Irish music that much more meaningful. We ended up with 97 species of birds (96 seen) and seven species of mammals, which was predicted (90-100 species) for a fall Field Guides tour of Ireland this time of year. Our rarest mammal for the tour was a surfacing and blowing Common Minke Whale. Our rarest bird species for the tour included: Barnacle Goose, Arctic Loon, Carrion Crow, Red Kite, Purple Sandpiper, and a late-migrating Common Swift. The Common Swift was new for this fall tour. And luckily for us, stationary cold fronts positioned further north forced boreal migrants to slowly arrive in Ireland from faraway places like Iceland, Greenland, Russia, and Fennoscandia, particularly the likes Whooper Swan, Bar-tailed Godwit, Barnacle Goose, Greenland White-fronted Goose, and Redwing.

We returned home with many enjoyable memories and stories that incorporated Irish birds, music, landscapes, archaeological sites, pubs, and people into the conversation. But the key to visiting Ireland was to get off the beaten path, get off the tourist trail, watch Irish birds along the Irish Sea or in pastures of forty shades of green, and to meet the real Irish people in real Irish pubs and settings, when they are not busy. Few people will get to experience what we experienced in eastern Ireland (Dublin, Monaghan, Keady, Belfast, Belfast Harbor, Wicklow Coast, Waterford, Wexford, Wexford Slobs, and Cobh and everything in between). We did just that, and that is why Field Guides' Birding Plus Ireland in Fall—Birds, Traditional Music and Pubs will always be referred to as one of the best birds by day /pubs by night experiences one can encounter while visiting Ireland.

Thank you for accompanying us on this magical mystery bird, pub, and music tour, and for allowing us the opportunity to show you Ireland as only the Irish know it.

In the meantime Slan! Stay safe! Fare you well!

Terry and Karen

KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

Here is our group inside Mones Pub, in Keady, County Armagh. We look pretty happy! Photo by guide Karen McEneaney.

Common Buzzard was indeed common, as we saw them nearly every day. Photo by participant Joe Demko.

Eurasian Oystercatchers were seen along the coast. Photo by participant Joe Demko.

Gray Heron was seen on a number of days, including this one posing artfully for participant Joe Demko.

We found Red Kites near Avoca, where participant Joe Demko captured the distinctive silhouette of this lovely raptor.

Here's the group outside The Undertaker pub in Wexford, County Wexford. Photo by participant Christine Boilard.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Totals for the tour: 97 bird taxa and 7 mammal taxa