There are lots of confused looking little birds hopping about the place right now. Leaving the nest is a big (and dangerous) step as birds fledge or leave the nest. For many of them, they’ll follow their parent for a while before striking out on their own (assuming they survive that long). This morning, a young linnet chirped and chased after his parent near the head of Nimmo’s Pier in Galway. The adult male was showing it’s red ‘courting’ plumage which will fade for winter.