Welcome to Saturday's Critters!
Hello and happy Saturday!
If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!
May 7th and 8th, these images are from the first two days of our tour. We spent the first night in the town of Westport in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. The evening we arrived in town we were booked on a 90 minute cruise in the Clew Bay, checking out the 365 islands, seal colony, views of the John Lennon's island, the Inishgort Lighthouse and the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick.
1. Scenes from the boat ride, the coast line of Westport, Eurasian Oystercatcher, the seals, a Great Northern Diver, the lighthouse and cattle on the hillside.
2. The Rook was seen on a parking lot on the way to Westport.
3. Our hotel for the night in Westport, had the same name as my grandson Wyatt. It was a nice place, had a pub and restaurant attached.
4. The Pied Wagtail, I ended up seeing this bird every day during our travels. They must be a common bird seen in Ireland.
"Thanks to everyone who commented about this bird and it's id."
5. The Carrowbeg River runs through the town of Westport.
6. Mixed reactions to this bird, at first I thought a Coal Tit and someone else mentioned a Great Tit. Apparently one has two side bars and the other does not two side bars?
Another thank you for all who helped with the id, the Great Tit.
7. I also have had mixed reactions to the bird below a White Wagtail or the subspecies the Pied Wagtail. Does it depend on the the bird having a gray back or this darker black back?
8. The Westport House, a historical house we toured. There was a dungeon in the basement, the grounds were lovely, I like the chandeliers and decorative ceilings. The sheep were grazing on the land and there were swans on the lake.
9. A view of the lake and the Westport House. The Swan paddleboats were sitting there waiting for action. The house built in the 1730's and owned by the Browne Family, the dungeons have ties to the Grace O'Malley the famous pirate queen.
10. A real Mute Swan was on the lake too.
11. A Song Thrush seen on the grounds of the Westport House.
Thank you for sharing your critters and post!
Thanks to all my visitors and for your past and present comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves and respects wildlife. Thank you for linking up a critter post.
Here is my linky:
I am also linking up to Anni's blog party found here I'd Rather B Birding Anni always has some beautiful birds to be seen on her blog, check it out! Also, I am also linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday post.
Lovely critter captures! Happy weekend to you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Good Morning, Eileen! Song Thrush sings really beautifully. Not sure if I have ever seen a rook..probably would take it as a raven.
ReplyDeleteThank you Angie, for the visit and comment!
DeleteThe Rook has a different colored beak than the Raven.
Take care, have a great weekend.
Nice looking hotel there Eileen. Thanks for the link today. Great Tit and Pied Wagtail Males have a black back, females a greyer less black back. White Wagtails have a pale grey back .
ReplyDeleteThank you Phil, I appreciate the id help. Have a happy weekend!
DeleteEileen Most of the Wagtails are Pied. That is the most common one seen, the white one is much rarer. The Coal tit has a white stripe down the top of his head and is a buff colour underneath, not yellow/green. You seem to have had a great time in Ireland. Lovely photographs. Thanks for hosting and I hope you have a grea week ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you Margaret!
DeleteI appreciate the id tips and help with my Ireland birds.
Take care, have a happy weekend.
Looks like you had a great time exploring the area. Curious if the paddleboats elicit any response from the mute swans.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the visit and comment!
DeleteThe Mute Swan did not seem to worry about those paddleboats.
Take care, have a great weekend.
Nice to journey with you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Cloudia, for the link and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Beautiful photos from Ireland, Eileen. I see the White Wagtail in my yard every day, so it's a common bird in Northern Europe.
ReplyDeleteTake care, and have a happy weekend!
Thank you Marit, for the visit and comment!
DeleteI understand now that the White Wagtail is more common in Europe.
Take care, have a great weekend.
hi Eileen. bird on image no 6 Is a Great tit. The most common bird in Sweden. :) I see them every day. And right now they are very "talkative" You here them everyhere.
ReplyDeleteThank you Monica, for the link and comment!
DeleteI appreciate the confirmation on the Great Tit.
Take care, have a great weekend.
Hi Eileen,
ReplyDeleteWhat great photos and collages these are from your trip and the cruise.
Very beautiful is the white wagtail and I think the Rook also.
During the boat trip you had beautiful views, really beautiful.
I wish you a very nice weekend.
Greetings Irma
Thank you Irma, for your link and comment!
DeleteWe did have a great trip!
Take care, have a great weekend.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteYour new header is gorgeous, Eileen! That is definitely a Great Tit (Coal Tits have a white nape stripe), and that is what I know as a Pied Wagtail... White Waggies are more Europe-based. (Though there are 'strays' I believe...) YAM xx
Thank you Yam, for the comment and id help. Have a great weekend!
DeleteI could never imagine you so far from Maryland!
ReplyDeleteThe place must be very interesting, but the temperature still doesn't invite
neither birds, nor humans to pedal boats.
I enjoyed your report, thank you, Eileen.
Bright and special days.
~~~~~~~~
Thank you for the visit and comment!
DeleteNo, the weather was not great for people to be out enjoying the paddleboats.
Take care, have a great weekend.
...what a lovely destination. The swan paddle boats are an interesting find. Thanks Eileen for hosting the party, enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tom, for your link and comment!
DeleteI was surprised to see the Paddleboats, but the grounds are open for various activities.
Take care, have a great weekend.
Ireland is such a beautiful place -- I think I've mostly seen quite different places than you saw, and I love your photos. I enjoyed the pubs, the beautiful old houses, the ocean views, and the parks, as you did. We always stayed with my brother and sister-in-law (who spent several year-long visits in Galway), so we didn't go to the little inns and hotels the way you did.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog often, I'm sorry I don't have any critters to share this week.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Thank you Mae! The little inns were perfect for these cute towns we visited. We did get to walk around Galway for a few hours. Have a great weekend.
DeleteGreat Tit for sure, Eileen. As for the wagtails, the ongoing debate (some might call it confusion) about White/Pied wagtails seems only to add to the confusion for birders visiting from overseas, but the species is White Wagtail and Pied is a subspecies, so for your list it is the same bird.
ReplyDeleteThank you David, for the link and id help.
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Che belle queste fotografie.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the visit and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
What a lovely adventure you had! Thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteThank you jenn, for your link and comment!
DeleteIt was a fun adventure.
Take care, have a great weekend.
Lots of beautiful critters. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bill, for your link and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Love the birds and the background buildings
ReplyDeleteThank you for the visit and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful trip you had!
Have a great weekend!
Thank you Lea, for your link and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
they have birds in IRELAND? ha ha.. they are all good, my favorite is the REAL swan and that river looks like a man made pool with the sides like they are. I like the building behind the swan boats.. if i were there I would be madly snapping parts of that building.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sandra! I enjoyed seeing all the Ireland birds and the scenery was beautiful.
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Maravilhosas tuas criaturinhas aqui compartilhadas! Adorei ver! Lindo fim de semana! beijos, chica
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Chica! Have a great weekend.
DeleteWhat a gorgeous spot! I love all the birds of course but my heart skipped a beat or two at that yellow Wyatt Hotel!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanie! I appreciate your link and the comment. We did see some colorful buildings in Ireland. Take care, have a great weekend.
DeleteI love how your trip included the feathered locals too. Once. Irds are in you head and hard, you notice them everywhere for sure!
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie, for the visit and comment!
DeleteI am easily distracted by the birds everywhere I go.
Take care, have a great weekend.
A lovely collection, Eileen. Looks like a very enjoyable stay!
ReplyDeleteThank you Nick, for your link and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Beautiful old buildings...and new birds. Argh! To the Grace O'Malley connection of course! My link has a few ducklings I think.
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbaram for your link and comment!
DeleteI enjoyed your ducklings.
Take care, have a great weekend.
Swan paddle boats...be still my heart! How neat! Love seeing the different birds that are common there too. Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteThank you Diane, for your link and comment!
DeleteTake care, have a great weekend.
Thank you for the beautiful photos. It's a jump in the past for me but I'll come back to visit Ireland soon (maybe next year).
ReplyDeleteHave a great week end.
Thank you for the visit and comment!
DeleteIreland is a beautiful place to visit.
Take care, have a great weekend.
The Irish birds seem to be a bit of a puzzle - glad you got some help with the ids, Eileen. The shots of your trip are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you RedPat! I always appreciate any help with the bird id's. Take care, have a happy weekend.
Deleteisn't it wonderful to have such knowledgeable people following you and helping to identify birds and such correctly!! you pictures are really special today, the hotel looks and sounds great, i like when they have a restaurant right inside them. the hubs and i really love peddle boats, he does all the peddling and i have all the fun!!
ReplyDeleteand whatever the wagtail, what a pretty bird!! have a great weekend eileen, and many thanks for hosting!!
Thank you Debbie. I am thankful for the nice blogging friends and birding community, they are always helpful.
DeleteI did enjoy seeing all the Ireland birds. Take care, enjoy your weekend!
Wonderful images and nice assortment of bird species I never hope to see in the wild (except for the swans!). That was a great trip, so nicely documented.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ken, for your link and comment!
DeleteIt was a great trip!
Take care, have a great weekend.
Good morning Eileen, what a lovely post your critters and their habitats are stunning and adorable and I am thankful for your lovely trip and sharing some photos with us, so many of them bring back memories to me from our family trip to England. So much to see and appreciate in our journey of life! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen! It is always nice to see a critter post from you. Have a happy weekend.
DeleteYour new header is awesome, Eileen, and you saw so many interesting sights! Yes, John Lennon had an island but sadly never got the chance to retire there.
ReplyDeleteThank you Maria! It is sad that John Lennon's life was cute short. Take care, enjoy your weekend.
DeleteAwesome header and magnificent photos of Ireland ~ It is a beautiful country and great to see a different perspective here with your nature photos ~ Thanks,
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thank you Carol! Ireland is beautiful, we enjoyed seeing all the wildlife and scenery! Have a wonderful weekend.
DeleteGran ayuda te dieron y siempre se agradecen. Estupendas fotos con las que vamos conociendo especies.
ReplyDeleteGracias Eileen por estar 🤗
Buen fin de semana.
Un abrazo.
Thank you Laura! Have a great weekend!
DeleteI am sure you enjoyed your trip also becaue of the many critters you captured.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Most birds are familiar to me in this post.
Happy weekend!
Thank you for the comment Luisella! Have a great weekend.
DeleteI liked the swan paddle boats. Do you go on one!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and comment Karen! No, the swan boats were not operating at the time we were there. Have a great weekend.
DeleteGreat photos from your trip and it was fun to see the birds also. I think I saw a Pied Wagtail in Norway many years ago, though I couldn't be 100 percent sure. It looked almost identical to the one you shared if memory serves me correctly. Very enjoyable! Thank you Eileen and have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThank you Denise! I enjoying looking for the Ireland birds, it was a fun trip. Take care, enjoy your day and have a happy new week ahead.
DeleteBeautiful photos, Eileen!
ReplyDeleteThank you William! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.
DeleteHello Eileen
ReplyDeleteLovely photographs from your recent trip to Ireland.
A very good selection of birds.
I did enjoy seeing the swan paddleboats.
I was going to ask did you have a go on one, but I've just read your reply to Karen (happyone)
Enjoy your weekend.
All the best Jan
PS I am having trouble leaving comments ... so this may appear twice!
Thank you Jan! Sorry you are having trouble commenting. We had a fun trip to Ireland! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.
DeleteLooks like a great tour. I love the birds that Ireland has that we don't have. The grounds of the house with dungeons and beautiful interior. I love the river flowing through the middle of town.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting.
Thank you Alan. The river did look pretty, it was a cute town. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.
DeleteOtro gran reportaje de tu viaje a Irlanda. Las aves también son muy comunes en España ( las que vistes en Irlanda ) Un abrazo.
ReplyDeleteThank you Teresa! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.
DeleteThe names there are amusing. Thanks for sharing your travels.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda, for the link and comment. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.
DeleteBeautiful photos Eileen. This holiday I haven't seen a rook in Denmark. Have a nice sunday.
ReplyDeleteThank you Caroline! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.
DeleteBuen paseo nos has dado por esa bella Naturaleza. Has hecho en ella, preciosas fotografías.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo
Thanks so much for the comment. Have a great new week!
DeleteOh, great, dear Eileen, you were in Ireland! And there were nice bird sightings in your holidays!
ReplyDeleteI 've missed your introduction to your Ireland descriptions because I'm so seldom at the computer these days, but today I caught up a bit :-) By the way, I immediately recognized the Westport House because of the (artificial) swans - that's where we 've been during our stay in Ireland, too:
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2015/12/irland-reisebericht-uber-westport-und.html
At that time, however, no real swan showed up, probably because the weather was too bad for them. (Have you been IN the Westport House too?)
I think Ireland is worth seeing all around, we love this country!
I'm already looking forward to your next adventure!
All the best and a good first week of June 🌼!
Hugs, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2023/06/costa-rica-12-kapitel-nationalpark.html
Thank you Traude! I appreciate the link and comment. Nice to see you back! We did tour the inside of the Westport House, it is a beautiful historical house. Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.
DeleteBeautiful bird images Eileen, lucky Ireland.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bob! Take care, enjoy your day and have a happy week ahead.
DeleteI love the 'giant' swans. Ha! Gorgeous pic. But seals! Don't you get such a kick when you see seals?
ReplyDeleteThank you Lydia! Yes, I do enjoy seeing the seals, they are cute. Have a great week!
DeleteEnjoy all the beautiful shots from your holiday. Beautiful birds, water and landscapes. The swans look so big and yet so graceful and elegant.
ReplyDeleteThank you Nancy! I appreciate your link and comment. Take care, have a great week!
Deleteooo.... my first time entering Saturday's Critters. thanks Eileen. Have a great week, enjoy wpring and thankyou for the linkup!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up Jill! Have a great week!
DeleteHello, Eileen. Your first two days of the trip is full of fun and lots of interesting things to see. The cruise looks relaxing. Glad to know Wyatt hotel met your expectation. I’d also book the hotel with the same name of my grandson.
ReplyDeleteYoko
Thank you Yoko! It was a fun trip, lots to see. Have a great day and happy week ahead.
Deletetown of Westport looks clean and pretty...
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing beautiful photos and details.
Thank you Tanza! The towns we visited were clean, very pretty places. Have a great day and happy week ahead.
DeleteHave a nice week. No critters from me only flowers
ReplyDeleteI am today HERE
much💚love
Thank you Gillena! Have a great week ahead.
DeleteThe photo from the national park post reminds me of Jay Cooke State Park in Minnesota. Beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sharon, for the link and comment. Take care, have a happy week ahead.
DeleteYour photos are an absolute vision, Eileen!
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings
Thank you Veronica, you are so kind. Have a great day and week ahead.
DeleteYes, I agree, Eileen. We should love, respect and protect all God's creatures and plants on earth. Oh, it`s a great challenging target, I believe...
ReplyDeleteTo comment it`s sometimes difficult. Most of the time I write on the I-Pad and the Handy and couldn`t write in serveral blogs. Therefore it`s necessary starting my "great" PC. I enjoyed again each capture here and your descriptions too. It`s wonderful each week.
Thank you being part at
MosaicMonday
Hugs by Heidrun wishing you a good time
Thank you Heidrun, sorry you are having trouble commenting. I only use my old desktop, it is hanging in there.
DeleteTake care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.
wonderful journey with you.. really amazing sharing, like it.
ReplyDeleteonline shopping in Canada women’s jewelry
Thank you for visiting and commenting! Have a happy day!
DeleteDearest Eileen; First of all, so sorry for my late commenting. Had a bit busy week p;-;) I always wish I can enjoy the great nature you have around you and have great time ♬ Lovely seen and from your trip and Great Tit etc. For me; the swan boat reminded me at our city lake; Not so gorgeous or picturesque like yours, haha. Wishing you are doing fine, having healthy days.
ReplyDeleteLots of Love; Miyako
Thank you Miyako! I appreciate your link and comment. Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend to you!
DeleteTe deseo un buen fin de semana Eileen.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo.
Thanks so much Laura, for the visit and comment. Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend.
Deletelol, that was some very large swans :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment, the paddle boat Swans were very big. Have a happy day!
Delete