Flora & fauna on Achill, Co Mayo, Ireland« Continued from page 1
Birds
Achill, once the home of the mighty Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), which became extinct in the area in 1912, can still boast a wealth of birdlife, from common birds like the meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) and syklark (Alauda arvensis), which are commonly found singing on local boglands, to rare protected species like the chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) found breeding in the Croughan area. Other rare birds sighted locally are the golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), dunlin (Calidris alpina), merlin (Falco columbarius and peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), with other migrants such as the barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) passing through.
Birds such as common snipe (Gallinago gallinago), curlew (Numenius arquata), lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) and resident oystercatcher (Haematopous ostralegus) are often to be found on the local machair. One of the most recognisable local birds is the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) found on the local bogs, rivers and lakes. Achill resident Mark Chaddock has documented no fewer than 83 bird species on Achill, as well as observing other interesting mammals / amphibians. Mark's observations on Achill's wildlife can be found on his web site, AchillWriter.com.
Key to symbols:
(R) = Resident all year round. Breeds on Achill.
(S) = Summer visitor only, arriving late April. Breeds on Achill.
(W) = Winter visitors, non-breeding
- Pied wagtail (R)
- Grey wagtail (S)
- Dipper (W)
- Waxwing (W)
- Cattle Egret (W)
- Meadow pipit (R)
- Skylark (R)
- Snipe (R)
- Woodcock (W)
- Crossbill (W)
- Grasshopper warbler (S)
- Sedge warbler (S)
- Willow warbler (S)
- Chiffchaff (S)
- Blackbird (R)
- Song thrush (R)
- Fieldfare (W)
- Redwing (W)
- Waxwing (W)
- Redpoll (W)
- Siskin (R)
- Nightjar (S)
- Sparrowhawk (R)
- Kestrel (R)
- Peregrine falcon (R)
- Merlin (W)
- Little Grebe (S)
- Mute swan (W)
- Whooper swan (W)
- Bewicks swan (W)
- Gannet (S)
- Starling (R)
- Black-headed-gull (R)
- Collared dove (R)
- Rock-dove (R)
- Common tern (R)
- Wren (R)
- Great tit (R)
- Hooded crow (R)
- Blue tit (R)
- Coal tit (R)
- Greenfinch (R)
- Chaffinch (R)
- Goldfinch (R)
- Goldcrest (R)
- Corncrake (S) (rare!)
- Magpie (R)
- Cuckoo (S)
- Swallow (S)
- Great Northern diver (W)
- Red-breasted merganser (W)
- Raven (R)
- Wheatear (R)
- Stonechat (R)
- Jackdaw (R)
- Curlew (W)
- Black-tailed-godwit (W)
- Common sandpiper (W)
- Golden plover (W)
- Linnet (R)
- Reed bunting (R)
- Robin (R)
- House sparrow (R)
- Red-throated-diver (W)
- Black-throated-diver (W)
- Starling (R)
- Chough (R)
- Marsh harrier (W)
- Dunlin (W)
- Turnstone (W)
- Redshank (W)
- Greenshank (W)
- Oystercatcher (R)
- Tufted duck (W)
- Goldeneye (W)
- Widgeon (W)
- Great-crested-grebe (S)(W)
- Mallard (R)
- Fulmar (R)
- Common gull (R)
- Herring gull (R)
- Lesser-black-backed-gull (R)
- Shag (R)
Geology & GlaciationThe basement rocks of Achill and the Curraun Peninsula are the oldest in Ireland. They date to the Pre-Cambrian period and were formed over 600 million ago. These rocks consist primarily of schist, gneiss and quartzite. In general the rugged mountain peaks consist of quartize, and schist is dominant in the lowland valleys. Layers of peat overlay drift deposits.
The two highest mountain peaks, namely Slievemore (672m) and Croughan (668m) stood out as nunataks during the last glaciation of Ireland, i.e the Midlandian, which came to an end 10,000 years ago. Lough Acorrymore is a fine example of a corrie or cirque with an impressive hanging valley lying directly above it. Lough Nakeeroge East, which lies approximately 16m above sea level, is the lowest corrie lake in Ireland. Another corrie lake, Lough Bunafreeva West, is perched on the edge of a steep cliff on the western side of Croaghaun Mountain, 350m above sea level.
It is thought that submergence or a rise in sea level is responsible for the separation of Inishbiggle from Achill Island and the creation of a narrow channel 300m wide. Cloughmore, Achill Beg and the south-western portion of the Corraun Peninsula were also joined together at one time and were subsequently separted whwn the Atlantic cut its way through the unresisting rock, thus forming The Sound.
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