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Overview
The Mullet is a long and irregularly shaped peninsula, almost an island, in the north-west of County Mayo.
The western coast is largely sandy beaches with dunes and "machair". This unusual habitat, rarely found outside parts of Scotland and Ireland, is rich in wild flowers and consists windblown sand overlying peat. Excellent habitat for breeding waders, it also attracts wintering waterfowl.
The peninsula also has rocky cliffs and headlands and much of the area is treeless and windswept. There are several sites of birding interest on the Mullet including Termoncarragh Lake in the north of the peninsula, Annagh Marsh a short distance to the south-west and two lakes further south, Cross Lough and Leam Lough.
Offshore there are islands with important seabird and seal colonies and there are several promontories along the peninsula with great seawatching potential including Annagh Head and Erris Head.
Birds
Notable Species
The Mullet is of particular importance for two breeding species, the globally threatened Corn Crake which breeds around the lake at Termoncarragh, and Red-necked Phalarope, a few pairs of which still nest at Annagh Marsh. In addition to phalaropes Annagh has breeding Common Snipe, Dunlin and Northern Lapwing. Termoncarragh also hosts these species as well being home to a few pairs of Water Rail and Corn Bunting.
In winter the area was once the regular haunt of flocks of Barnacle Goose but these no longer occur. Greater White-fronted Goose do still frequent the area as well as Whooper Swan and various ducks and waders. Wintering gulls at Belmullet often included Ring-billed Gull, Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull.
During passage periods the peninsula can be excellent with a wide range of waterfowl and waders passing through including Red-necked Phalarope. Seawatching off the headlands can produce Great Shearwater and Sooty Shearwater and all four European skuas. The shallow and sheltered Broadhaven Bay to the north and Blacksod Bay to the south attract waders in good numbers.
Rarities
Vagrants are inevitable at such a westerly location and in the past have included American Black Duck and Green-winged Teal, and American Golden Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Wilson's Phalarope have also occurred. Red-eyed Vireo has also been recorded and other North American passerine vagrants undoubtedly go unnoticed at this relatively underwatched site.
In November 2002 a Snowy Owl was present on the peninsula and in October 2003 a Parrot Crossbill was reported.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Northern Fulmar, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, European Storm-petrel, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, European Shag, Whooper Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose, Barnacle Goose, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Water Rail, Corn Crake, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Sanderling, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Phalarope, Great Skua, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Black-headed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Little Tern, Black Guillemot, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting, Corn Bunting
Other Wildlife
To do
Site Information
History and Use
To do
Areas of Interest
Inishglora and Inishkeeragh, the northernmost of the islands off the Mullet, have breeding Fulmar and Storm-petrel, Great Cormorant and Shag, and gulls. Arctic Tern also breeds as well as small numbers of Little Tern and Black Guillemot.
To the south are the Inishkea Islands, uninhabited but used for grazing livestock. Common Tern, Arctic Tern and Little Tern nest, along with Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing and Dunlin and a small number of Black Guillemot. The islands are also important for wintering Barnacle Goose, Purple Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone.
Access and Facilities
Bed and breakfast accommodation can be found at Belmullet and other local towns and villages.
The lakes can be viewed from nearby roads and Annagh Marsh can be reached from the Belmullet to Scotch Port road, turning left about 3km from Belmullet. It may be possible to reach the islands by hiring a fishing boat.
Contact Details
Ballina Tourist Office, Cathedral Road, Ballina, Co Mayo, Republic Of Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)96 70 848
External Links
Content and images originally posted by Steve
