Snakes and Adder's Tongues

Next, onto Streedagh Beach, but not for the beach...Streedagh is an important fossil site, with many 
coral species, brachiopods, crinoids and foraminifera. The most spectacular were the long solitary corals, Siphonophyllia samsonensis. Not unsurprisingly, they were likened to snakes - possibly the ones that St Patrick banished.....

Benbulben in the background.

Crossing some nice machair to get to the site.

Solitary corals.....

Colonial coral - probably Siphondendron sp.

An upturned coral head.

More spectacular views.

And on the way back ....Adder's Tongue fern.

Creevykeel Court Cairn,

A quick stop at Creevykeel Court Cairn, in County Sligo: it's a Neolithic burial chamber 55m x 25m and is really quite impressive. This website click here gives lots more information. 

Toberpatrick

A spectacular walk along this part of the coast. Dipping beds of rock, covered in streaks of green Ulva intestinalis (Gut Weed /Entromorpha) make for some dramatic scenery. This is one of Tom's sites where he did his PhD work (click here for the open access paper), on the tufa microbialites.

Tufa barrage pools.

Lunch time.

Sadly the tide was too high to get down to the interesting bits, especially given the swell and waves. Never mind ...next time....

Bundoran, County Donegal

A walk along the coast to an incredible site! 

Parking was at at Tullan Strand.

Bundoran, with the Benbulben plateau behind.

Sea arch.

Looking for fossils.

Slabs of rock that are mainly made up of Chrinoids (Sea Lilies).

White Park Bay

And finally in our day - a walk out along the beach at White Park and then a walk back through the dunes slacks.

'Squeaky Sand'.

Ringed Plover.

Cinnabar Moth caterpillars.

Common Spotted-orchids.

Ladies Bedstraw and Selfheal.

Wild Pansies.

Meadow Crane's-bill - surprisingly uncommon in Northern Ireland. 

Carrick-a-rede

After the Giant's Causeway, and as we get in free with National Trust membership, we went to Carrick-a-rede. We took it in turns to go across the rope bridge as it was clearly not an option for Rocky, who doesn't like bridges of even the most substantial kind! Whilst Steve went across the rope bridge, I painted a field sketch - despite the attempts of an American Lady who wanted to report me for sitting in a dangerous place, where I might fall off the cliff while painting! 

Razorbill.

Fulmar.

Kittiwakes with chicks.

Kittiwakes.

Guillemots.

Well camouflaged Guillemots.

Nice colours. 

Chalk cliffs.