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Myra (Red-bellied Woodpecker), Tilly (Blue Jay), and Leo (Northern Cardinal) at the feeder! 🪶

Good morning! ☀️ This gorgeous Red-bellied Woodpecker and Blue Jay came by for brekky. 🪶

Osprey family at my local Lowe’s. Look at that baby!! 🥹🪶

This.

Barb McQuade@barbmcquade.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Happy Independence Day. Love of country means defending our democracy and working toward a more perfect union.

Anniversary flowers. 🧡💛💖 🥂23 years….here’s to many more!

Remnants of Ross Errilly Friary, a medieval Franciscan friary. Located in County Galway, Ireland. 🇮🇪

Arriving back in the states after 5 weeks of being in Ireland, our daughter met us with this sign! 😂😂😂 ✈️🤗🤗

Saying goodbye to Ireland is always bittersweet for me, especially County Galway and County Mayo. I leave a small piece of my heart here every time I leave. ☘️💚🇮🇪

The modern day inhabitants of the Ross Errilly Friary founded in 1349 in County Galway, Ireland. 🗓️ June 16, 2026 📍 County Galway, Ireland 🪶 Rock Dove/Pigeon

Spilling all the ‘tea’ today. 🗓️ June 18, 2026 📍 Cong, County Mayo, Ireland 🪶 Barn Swallow

Loving this book!! I purchase a bird or plant book where ever I travel and this one has been entertaining while educational…I’m loving it! 🪶

Eurasian Collared Dove building a nest with partner. ♥️ 🗓️ May 25, 2026 📍 Cong-Ashford, County Mayo, Ireland 🪶 Eurasian Collared Dove

She knows how to impress. 🤩 #foxglove #ireland

So many ponies! ♥️ 📍County Mayo, Ireland

A stallion with a purpose. (My pony photo shoot ended up ❌rated! 😂) I have a lot of great shots that I won’t post….but when she had enough of his antics she kicked him in the face. Unfortunately, I missed that shot. 📍County Mayo, Ireland

Saw these beauties today. ♥️ 📍County Mayo, Ireland

The Secret of Roan Inish

The Secret of Roan Inish

I first learned the legend of the selkies after watching The Secret of Roan Inish. It was 1994, long before I had ever set foot in Ireland, yet that film opened a hidden door in me — one that led straight into the misty, windswept world of Irish folklore. I became enchanted with Celtic tales almost immediately: children turned into swans, wise salmon carrying ancient knowledge, and seas filled with magic just beyond the veil of ordinary life.

nestandwanderblog.wordpress.com

Bíonn siúlach scéalach

Bíonn siúlach scéalach

Translation—‘A walk is a story’ (He who travels has tales to tell) I have so many stories. 💚

nestandwanderblog.wordpress.com

So stinking cute! Caught this cutie scampering through the leaves. 🐭

This little guy was quick and it took me an hour to finally photograph him. 🐿️ County Mayo, Ireland

Burb bauble. 🎄🎅 🗓️ June 10, 2026 📍 County Mayo, Ireland 🪶 European Robin

🤩 🗓️ June 10, 2026 📍County Mayo, Ireland 🪶 European Green Finch

Pigeon holed—with caveats

Pigeon holed—with caveats

I love hiking through a dense forest—caveat 1: when there are no bears, large wild cats, or snakes…(critters that aren’t found in Ireland). But finding a cave—caveat 2: as long as I don’t have to belly crawl into it, adds to my giddiness at making an unexpected discovery. There are a couple of caves in this area, so when I realized this one was relatively easy to access, we decided to make the 55 step decent into the huge opening of…

nestandwanderblog.wordpress.com

Victorian folly

Victorian folly

It seems the extremely wealthy have always had a penchant for spending their hoards on the impractical. Today they spend their wealth on million dollar rockets that explode and in the 19th century they built mock ruins and medieval towers. The Guinness family was no exception. Owning 26,000 pristine acres in Counties Mayo and Galway, Ireland, Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, built a medieval tower replica to overlook Lough Mask on his Ashford Castle estate.

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Bee-u-ti-ful 🐝

This young Harris’s Hawk found a pine cone that he was not going to part with. He was the most entertaining Hawk I’ve ever walked with…and just look how gorgeous he is! 😂♥️🪶

My daughter is interning at a falconry this summer and while on a hawk walk with friends of ours, (and I was lucky enough to tag along) this little Harris’s Hawk (10 months old) found a pine that he decided would be his….like a puppy with a stick! 🥰🪶

I found a willing participant for a photo shoot today. Look at this little guy. 🤩 📍Co Mayo, Ireland 🪶European Robin

Tonight. 🌈💚