BirdWatch Ireland
West Cork Branch
Protecting birds and biodiversity in West Cork
Crewe/Croagh Bay
Overview and habitat
Crewe bay is a tidal inlet with two arms snuggling in behind Long Island, which attracts fly overs from both Mizen and Cape Clear. Freshwater stream and some saltmarsh.
Target species
A wide selection of waders including Greenshank and vagrants, ducks, herons and gulls.
Best time of year
Autumn and Spring for migrants.
Getting there
From Schull take the main road west, R592 signposted Goleen. After .4 km take left turn signposted, Coast Road . After 2.6 kms. You are at Crewe Bay. Take the road down the right hand side of the estuary for a short distance where you can pull the car off the road on a rise and view most of the estuary. A road goes down both sides if you need to get nearer to birds seen from the viewpoint. This is a rarely visited place and birds can be flighty and staying in the car is the best option. This estuary is the first stop with mud for birds coming in from either Cape Clear or Mizen. To view the western arm return to the top of the estuary by the little bridge and turn left along the coast road for 1.5 kms and take the first proper road left which will bring you around to the western channel where the road runs along the southern shore; check the fields around here for geese and herons.
Species
This is a pioneering site for those interested in finding rarities. Water birds which have over-flown Cape Clear and Mizen are likely to put down here. Great White Egret and Common Crane have been recent rarities.