Mountains and Birds

[ridefree]

Something rare.
A lovely day in Ireland.
It was too good to stay at home so I took the new Rebel out for a ride.

Started off in Newcastle, 'The Gateway to the Mournes' and cut across the mountains.









There are so many abandoned houses in this area because many years ago
all a man needed was a couple of acres of 'spuds' and he could rear a family with that
and a few sheep and pigs.
Those days are long gone and so are the families, replaced with city folk
who want a little white house they can come to for the odd weekend.









From the Mournes I headed inland to Lough Neagh to see if I could
spot a few common Irish birds.



Great Crested Grebe.



Great Tit.



The iconic Robin.



Chaffinch.



Pochard.



Tufted duck.



Gadwall.





Magpie.



Goldfinch.



Mute Swan.





Jay.



Mallard.



Hooded Crow.



Little Grebe.

There were a some about so I got a few photos and headed home for dinner,
thinking I would be back when I had more time.

 

[The Bigfella]

Great stuff. Thanks

 

[2wheels]

Love those old stone homes, abandoned or not.
The Jay, Goldfinch and Chaffinch are little beauties.
This is a keen 'birder' we have here Ian.
I've been with him and he has eyes like an eagle; he sees a bird whilst I'm struggling to see the darn tree!

Incidentally, here's the delightful area where 'Ridefree' (Kevin) rode.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Well done Kevin, looks like some lovely weather over there

 

[ridefree]

Thanks for the comments folks.
I have to get out when the weather allows it.
Thanks for putting the maps up' 2wheels'

 

[The Bigfella]

No mountains... but here's a Drongo, seen in Cambodia

 

[2wheels]

It wasn't until I came to live in Thailand that Ally pointed out the existence of
a Drongo bird.
Prior to that all I had ever known was the Aussie slang for 'drongo', which is ....

[h=3]Urban Dictionary: Drongo[/h]https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Drongo


Australian slang: A "no-hoper" or fool. Derives from a racehorse of that name in the 1920's that never one (sic) a race out of 37 starts.
Recruits to the RAAF in WWII earned the nickname "drongos". (Nothing to do with the class of bird -- drongo). "You've really mucked that up, ya drongo!" #aussie ...