The greylag goose Anser anser is not a common sight in Ireland yet in some of the wetlands around the country it is possible to see these majestic birds like here with several young enjoying a dinner of grass.

No journey through the west of Ireland can be complete without seeing one of the most characterful sights of the Irish countryside, the Irish Donkey.

Here on a recent photo tour by Panoramic Ireland, we sought out horses and donkeys.

It was a hot day and in a field of energetic donkeys this one stood, resting momentarily with sunshine and shadow.

During the 19th century and for much of the last century donkeys played a vital role in rural life, doing most of the heavy work on farms before mechanisation particularly on those farms where horses were too large for the small fields or expensive to keep.

Now there are few working donkeys in Ireland but there are many neglected Irish donkeys, as a result the Irish Donkey Sanctuary looks for suitable places all over Ireland to rehouse these long-eared friendly creatures.

And thankfully so, the Irish donkey is an essential component of rural life.

So keep an eye out for the long ears sticking up over a stone wall or the loud braying sounding throughout the countryside.

Why not join me on a photography tour in the west of Ireland?

Seen throughout the year, the Irish hare is most visible in the spring months when it leaps and bounds, twists and turns, flashing across the green fields of the Irish countryside as seen in this image.

The Irish hare Lepus timidus hibernicus is a distinct subspecies of the mountain hares found all over the top of the northern hemisphere. All Lepus timidus bar hibernicus change their coats of fur to white in winter to match with typical winter conditions of snow at such northern latitudes. But due to Ireland's mild climate and lack of white covering the landscape, the local hares keep a brown coat all winter long - an evolutionary change.

The elusive pine marten (martes martes) is the rarest of Ireland's mammals and along with our smallest, the pygmy shrew, is the one that most people are least likely to have encountered in Ireland.

Shy creatures, the pine marten is usually active at night, however I have observed them mostly during bright daylight.