Weather at present is running with frost at night and mainly dry with some sunshine during the day. The river level has dropped back well and two of our local anglers went pike fishing last weekend. They caught four pike all in the 10 lbs range but were hoping to meet some 20 pounders.

The cold weather means the birds are hungry and looking for food and drink. Somebody recently was enquiring what was the Irish for some common bird. Birdwatch Ireland are presently getting people to carry out a bird count and there is lots of information on their website www.birdwatchireland.ie

I found some old stamps and many of them featured a bird identified in Latin English and Irish. The following are some samples.

-Saxicola Torquata or Caislin Cloch or Stonechat

-Erithacus Rubecula or Spideog or Robin

Columba Palumbus or Colm Coillle or Woodpigeon

Motaculla or Glasog Shraide or Pied Wagtail

Panus Caeruleus or Meantan Gorm or Blue Tit

Tuntus Philomelos or Smolach or Song Thrush

Tundus Menula or Con Dubh or Blackbird

Regulus Regulus or Ciorbhui or Goldcrest

Vanelllus Vanellus or Pilibin or Lapwing

Accipter Nisus or Spiorog or Sparrow Hawk

Alcedo Atthis or Cruidin or Kimgfisher

Crex Crex or Traonach or Corncrake

Morus Bassanus or Gainead or Gannet

Charadrius Hiaticula or Feadog Chladaig or Ringed Plover

Anatidea or Biorearrach or Pintail.

Anser iformes or Ge Fhionn na Graonlanne or Greenland White Fronted Goose.

That’s all for now. Remember to feed and water the birds.