Half an hour in Dublin city centre

Gave me these sightings.

The Central Bank, can you see the head of a Herring Gull?

There y'are now.

Gogarty's pub, one of the most touristy (and therefore most expensive) pubs in Temple Bar, Dublin. I heard the sound of House Sparrows coming from somewhere around the pub so I stopped and looked until eventually I saw where the sounds were coming from.

Spot the head of a female House Sparrow in the hole. There was a nest inside, you could hear the chicks. Well, the wall does have Accommodation painted all over it - so why not build a nest there.

The visits were frequent and fleeting and it dawned on me where the phrase ' a flying visit' must have originated from.

The male also did his share in the feeding. Here you can just make out his head at the nest hole.

Male House Sparrow flying out of the hole in search of more food for the chicks inside the hole.

Female House Sparrow having just dropped in another feed.

Flying off again in search of more food. I counted about a 2 minute interval between both male and female droppig off food. That's a lot of energy used by the parents.

The Liffey just at O'Connell bridge. Can you spot anything unusual in the water?

A Black Guillemot - on the Liffey, in the water next to one one of the busiest bridges in Dublin city centre.

I walked over O'Connell bridge to the other side of the quays to get a better look. Definitely a Black Guillemot.

You can just make out the red feet under the water.

Black Guillemot going on one of its lengthy dives under the water for food.

I crossed over O'Connell St to check the other side of the bridge and there was another Black Guillemot. This is the view of the river going out to the Sea.

Black Guillemot, next to O'Connell bridge, Dublin city centre.

Down at Trinity College there were some Starlings, Song Thrushes and Mistle Thrushes.

Mistle Thrush, Trinity College, Dublin

Mistle Thrush, stabbing at the ground with its beak for food. It came up with nothing.

The birds were completely oblivious to the continuous stream of people walking around them. The quest for food was way more important.

Angry looking little Song Thrush.

Busy Grafton St. See the white brickwork at the top on the left.

Herring Gull, watching over everything.

Maybe they have their nest up there on the roof.

Herring Gull, Marks and Spencer building, Grafton St.

So within half an hour I had seen a lot I didn’t think I’d see in Dublin city centre. Never expected to see 2 Black Guillemots under O’Connell St Bridge and didn’t expect to see a House Sparrow nest in a hole in one of Dublin’s busiest pubs in Temple Bar.

If you were to spend a whole day walking around the city centre I think you’d be amazed what nature gets up to in the midst of  huge human activity.

Great stuff.

Going to end this post with one of the best pieces of graffiti art I’ve seen around Dublin.

No better word said. Graffiti art on Dame Court (next to rí-rá), Dublin city centre.