Having picked up Fred and later Mark en route we boarded the Stena 2.30am sailing from Holyhead to Dublin. Eurotwitch on as Malc would say. Old school listers one and all we bedded down for the night time voyage in the truckers lounge...hardcore!!
We arrived in Dublin bottom's intact and blitzed across the country on the superb new motorway system paid for by the eurozone (us Brit tax payers) our target the island of Dursey stuck on the end of south west Co.Cork and a mere cable car ride away...cable car!!!
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Arriving with two minutes to spare we luckily managed to jam our way onto the last cable car for the morning (next one four hours later) our luck held as one of the locals gave us a lift to the boy and saved us a four mile hike.
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The garden at the south end of Dursey Island acts as a magnet to migrants and has played host to some of Ireland's most mega rarities like Ovenbird.
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The wait begins in the cloud enshrouded garden. Thirty or so birders including four crews from the UK and the only four British crews to make the morning cable car scan the shrubbery for the latest blocker from the US.
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After what seemed like a life time Wilson decided to perform to its gathered group of admirers. Trying to get a photo though was a serious challenge as Wilson never stayed in one place for long enough for the auto focus to do its business plus the garden was virtually fog bound.
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Wilson's Warbler a first for Ireland and a second for the WesternPal (I think?)
What a great twitch all we need to do now is walk back the four miles to the cable car...
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Bizarre but that's Ireland for you. We grab a quick brew and bag of chips then warp drive it back to Dublin...ferry to Holyhead...drop of Mark then Fred and home all in 27 hours what a mega twitch.
I just love it when a plan comes together... cue the'A'Team music...
TTFN
