holiday

maesdavid

i would love to take a break somewhere in ireland

i would love to do some birding and landscape photography maybe a weekend

any advice cheers

folks

Judgement Day

Clare Island, County Mayo - haven't been but is a renowned area for birds and scenery.

http://www.clareisland.info/

Cape Clear, off West Cork - the ultimate birding destination and three pubs too! I can give this one my personal seal of approval. There's a bird observatory which offers accommodation.

http://www.oilean-chleire.ie/english/index.htm

Birdnuts

Erris in North Mayo is great for birding and scenery at any time of the year - in winter you have huge flocks of wildfowl, waders etc. on the extensive mudflats , lakes and other wetlands. Winter storms make for some great photo oppurtunaties around the coast on headlands and cliffs like Erris Head etc.

In summer then you have breeding sea-birds, corncrakes, waders(dunlin, lapwing etc.) in places like Termoncarragh BWI reserve, Inishkea islands, Carrowmore Lake etc.

If your into raptors your pretty much guaranteed the likes of Peregrine, merlin, kestrel etc.. This region is also great for rarties especcially North American Vagrants including various waders, duck and passerines like Lesser Yellowlegs, Green Winged teal, Red-Eyed Vireo etc. Snowy Owls are a regular visitor late in the summer and early Autumn. Boating trips can be arranged from Blacksod on which you are pretty much guaranteed various Marine mammals and spectacular sea-birds like Gannets, Divers etc.

In summer the Mtns just inland offer fantastic hiking oppurtunaties and spectacular views in really wild country and Ballycroy NP just next door offers opputunities to see Red Grouse and a variety of other upland birds. Other wildlife like Deer, Pine Marten, various species of unusual/rare butterflies, Dragonflies, wild flowers etc. can be found in this region too.

Traonach

Good summary by Birdnuts. Around Termoncarragh lake you can see loads of Barnacle geese during the winter. They often feed on the neighbouring farms. Erris head is a stronghold for breeding Twite during the summer, but can be seen easier during the winter, often along the beaches where they form flocks. The area around Belmullet is a Gaeltacht region so if you want to practice your Irish it's a great place to do so.:)