(3)  Ballyconnell

Where
Ballyconnell lies about 20 Kilometres north west of Sligo town


When
Between October and April


Introduction
In this site description, Ballyconnell refers to the peninsula west of Lissadell house.  Around 11 kilometres long and 6 wide, it features a variety of habitats. The area in the east is dominated by broadleaf and coniferous forest, while the western part of the peninsula consists mainly of open farmland. The whole area is generally low-lying,  while Knocklane Hill at 57 metres is the highest point. The shoreline is mainly rocky, with the exception of Yellow Strand,  north of Raghly.


Birds
Ballyconnell is probably best known for the approximately 1,800  Barnacle Geese, which winter here. Arriving in  late October, they alternate between Ballyconnell and the Lissadell goose field (see the next site). In the south of the area  is the small peninsula of Raghly. In winter, the rocky shore around Raghly holds a few Oystercatchers and Turnstones, while offshore Red-throated  & Great Northern Divers, Shag, Common  Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser and Eider are usually present. The small harbour may attract a few gulls, which should be checked for the occasional  Glaucous or Iceland Gull. In autumn, following westerly storms the few gardens and any other cover should be checked for vagrants. Raghly was also the last breeding site of Tree Sparrow in County Sligo, but this species has not been seen here for several years now. Moving north, Brown’s Bay  can hold up to 250 Eiders in winter and these  may be worth checking on the off-chance that a King Eider may be amongst them. In winter, the promontory west of Knocklane  Hill holds a few Chough, Rock Pipits and the occasional Twite. In the past, seawatching off this promontory has produced a few Long-tailed Skuas, but nobody has watched from this site recently. The bay north  of Knocklane Hill holds one or two divers, Shag  and the occasional Eider in winter. In spring, Whimbrel and Wheatears can be seen resting on the beach. A flock of White Wagtails was seen here in May 2004, the first confirmed records for County Sligo in almost 100 years. This sub-species is most likely overlooked and  probably occurs regularly on passage. In summer, the boggy area inland of the bay holds a few pairs of Snipe, Wheatear,  Stonechat and Sedge Warbler. During westerly storms in autumn, Leach’s Storm Petrels have been seen in the bay. In winter, the marshy  areas are quartered by the occasional Merlin  and Hen Harrier. The Barnacle Geese can occur on any of the fields between this bay and the village of Cloghboley. The huge flocks of Geese are worth checking for the occasional Pink-footed, Greenland White-fronted or a wild Canada Goose. The only rarities  to have been recorded in this area are a Gyrfalcon and a possible American Robin.

Access by Car
From Sligo town, take the N15 north to the village of Drumcliff. In the village, take the signposted (left) turn for Carney. In this village, take the left turn  for Lissadell and continue on this road to Cloghboley. From the village of Cloghboley, the area is best explored using the Ordnance Survey Ireland, Discovery Series Map 16 as it is  very easy to get lost in the network of roads in Ballyconnell.


Access by Public Transport
The only Public Transport available to get to Ballyconnell are the two bus services to Maugherow on schooldays and Saturdays. See Bus Eireann's website for departure times.


Viewpoints
Most of the sites mentioned can be easily viewed from the roads in the area.


Maps and Photos
Ballyconnell is covered in detail by the Ordnance Survey Ireland, Discovery Series Map 16.