River is rich with boats and birds

ONE OF many things that make cruising on the Shannon such a pleasure is the bird life.

Our boat is currently in Carrick on Shannon, and, as it headed north, sightings of great crested grebes became more and more frequent. They’ve always been one of my favourite birds.

It’s not just their spectacular summer plumage, with a chestnut ruff and black ‘horns’, it’s the fact that they have some interesting habits. They are the ultimate Irish water bird because they seldom fly and are unable to walk. In some parts of their range they migrate but I’ve never seen one in flight. I think they probably fly at night.