Ireland Ramsar wetland
Ballyallia Lake
133 bird species recorded; the most from January to March and in May.
Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30
This month here
90 species in January.85 species in February.86 species in March.82 species in April.84 species in May.72 species in June.72 species in July.64 species in August.80 species in September.74 species in October.80 species in November.80 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
NT
NT
NTNTNTNTNTNTNT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
133 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 133Speciesrecorded more than once
- 55Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 2ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 9,239Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 8Raptors
- 2Owls
- 17Waders
- 9Gulls & seabirds
- 21Ducks & geese
- 9Herons, ibises & grebes
- 54Songbirds
- 13Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 133 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors8 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
Owls2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
Waders17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
Gulls & seabirds9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
- Black TernChlidonias niger
Ducks & geese21 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis
- American WigeonMareca americana
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
Herons, ibises & grebes9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
Songbirds54 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Great titParus major
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
- TwiteLinaria flavirostris
Other birds13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- CootFulica atra
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- European SwiftApus apus
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from January to March and in May.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan8°/3°118 mm
- Feb8°/3°92 mm
- Mar9°/3°86 mm
- Apr12°/5°73 mm
- May15°/7°84 mm
- Jun18°/10°90 mm
- Jul19°/11°100 mm
- Aug18°/11°107 mm
- Sep17°/10°91 mm
- Oct13°/8°108 mm
- Nov10°/5°132 mm
- Dec8°/4°124 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Ballyallia Lake.
Lake on the River Fergus, near Ennis in County Clare, Ireland
Ballyallia Lake is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Ireland.
133 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 9,239 open records.
The most recorded are the European Robin, the Eurasian Blackbird and the Rook.
20 species come for the summer, 35 for the winter and 0 only pass through.
2 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard and European Turtle Dove.
The most species are recorded from January to March and in May.
Get there and watch
- Ruan Scout Campcampsite · 4.6 km · 2 within 10 km
- Parnell Houseplace to stay · 1.0 km · 32 within 10 km
- Ennisnearest town · 3.6 km in a straight line
- Shannon Airport (SNN)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 20 km in a straight lineCar hire at SNN airport (Shannon)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1visitor centres within 6 kmEnnis Tourist Office
- 223car parks within 3 km
- 8restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 2campsites within 10 kmRuan Scout Camp, Corofin Camping
- 32places to stay within 10 kmParnell House, Auburn Lodge, Glencor House and 29 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- viewpoints within 5 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Ballyallia Lake.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas22 mountains within 25 kmClifden Hill · 12 kmKnockalunkard143 m · 14 kmMullaghmore, County Clare191 m · 15 kmKnocklawrence88 m · 18 kmSlievebeg · 19 kmSlievecallan391 m · 20 kmMaghera mountain400 m · 20 kmSlieveacurry · 21 km
Lakeyas18 lakes within 15 kmCloonteen Lough0.7 km² · this placeDromore Lough0.6 km² · 4.8 kmInchicronan Lough1.1 km² · 7.1 kmLough Atedaun1.4 km² · 8.6 kmLough Cullaun0.9 km² · 10 kmInchiquin Lough1.1 km² · 11 kmMuckanagh Lough1.1 km² · 12 kmFin Lough0.6 km² · 15 km
Riveryasthe river nearbyRiver Fergus61 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Other places nearby.
Ballyallia Lake
Ireland
- 57Birdyas Score
- 133Species
- 55Migrants
- 2Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q61676998) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 9,239 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Islandyas, Lakeyas, Riveryas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
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