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Avian Influenza hits Irish seabird colonies
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1) has hit Irish seabird colonies this breeding season after running rampant through similar colonies in the UK earlier this year. The disease, which can infect a wide range of bird species, appears to have hit breeding Gannet colonies particularly hard.Gannets, our larges seabird, nest in dense colonies on uninhabited offshore islands numbering tens of thousands of birds. Unfortunately these mass gatherings, with birds crammed in close … [Read more...]
Wildlife News & Events
Avian Influenza hits Irish seabird colonies
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1) has hit Irish seabird colonies this breeding season after running rampant through similar colonies … [Read more...]
Wally the Walrus stops off in West Cork
On the most recent leg of his remarkable journey, Wally the wandering walrus who was first spotted off Valentia Island in Co. Kerry back in March … [Read more...]
Wildlife features
9 top tips for feeding your garden birds
During the winter short days and long nights limit the time birds have to forage, while at the same time natural food becomes more scarce. Our garden birds have increasingly come … [Read more...]
12 Expert tips on choosing binoculars for birding and wildlife observation
Binoculars are perhaps your most indispensable piece of wildlife watching equipment. The right pair of binoculars can enhance your enjoyment of and engagement with the natural world exponentially. But choosing … [Read more...]
Making the most of Spring Migration
Spring migration is an exciting time of year for birding in Ireland.During this relatively brief window from early April until the end of May birds are on the move. There's a changing of the guard as our winter … [Read more...]
Wildlife Blog
Beneficial Garden Insects and How to Attract Them to Your Garden
Beneficial insects are essential in keeping our gardens and farms healthy. Some pollinate plants that produce our food. Others eat pests that would otherwise destroy our food crops. They also help break down dead … [Read more...]
Cuckoo spit/spittlebug foam on plants is harmless. Please leave it alone.
I'm usually delighted to see Ireland's Wildlife featured in the media — but a recent article published in the Gardening section of the RSVP Magazine website has me less than thrilled.The article in question … [Read more...]
Purple Heron: an epic end to our spring Discover Wildlife Weekend
Wildlife always has the capacity to surprise and delight us. No matter how long you've been watching and studying wildlife, how familiar you are with your local patch, you never can tell what you might encounter on … [Read more...]
Species Profiles
Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia)
The adult emperor moth is a truly spectacular insect. On the wing in April and May, the male of this large, day-flying moth species is a particularly striking sight, and can easily be mistaken for a butterfly due to … [Read more...]
Raven (Corvus corax)
Seen close up the raven is a truly magnificent bird. The largest member of the crow family, it is the biggest passerine (perching) bird in Europe, and occurs all over Ireland.Size is the raven's most … [Read more...]
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
The hooded crow, grey crow or “hoodie” as it's sometimes called, is almost identical to the closely related carrion crow (Corvus corone) except for its distinctive grey and black plumage. The two birds are so … [Read more...]
Wildlife Gear Reviews
German Precision Optics (GPO) Passion HD 10×42 Binocular Review
Pros: Premium quality build and high-end features combined with outstanding optics at a lower price point than most top binocular brands. Image is pin sharp and contrasty across the wide field of view, and colours … [Read more...]
Woodstone® Seville 28mm Nest box Review
Pros: Innovative design using robust high-insulating material. Easy access for cleaning. Available in a wide range of styles, colours and designs. 10 year guarantee.Cons: A little on the heavy side... although … [Read more...]
Sofirn SC31 Pro LED Torch Review
Pros: High-performance compact rechargeable LED torch. Variable light output and versatile functions. Convenient integrated USB C charging of 18650 Lithium Ion battery (included).Cons: Can get hot in Turbo mode. … [Read more...]
Wildlife Book Reviews
Book Review: Crossbill Guides, Ireland
For a small island perched on the edge of the north Atlantic, right on the periphery of Europe, Ireland is home to a wonderful array of flora and fauna, and the diverse mosaic of habitats that they call home. As a … [Read more...]
Europe’s Birds, An Identification Guide (Book Review)
I've never really been a fan of photo field guides. In the past, I've always gravitated towards the more nuanced interpretation of a skilled illustrator to highlight key features, to help me identify … [Read more...]
Book Review: Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe
The Odonata, dragonflies and damselflies, is one of our most fascinating groups of insects. As adults, they're comparatively large and highly active, which makes them one of the most noticeable and easiest insect … [Read more...]
Featured Wildlife Websites
The World Land Trust
World Land Trust (WLT) is an international conservation charity, which protects the world’s most biologically important and threatened habitats acre by acre. Since its foundation in 1989, WLT has funded partner … [Read more...]
Wildside.ie — exploring the nature and wildlife of Wexford
Wildlide.ie is a site dedicated to the wildlife and natural history of County Wexford. It's run by a trio of contributors: wildlife artist Don Conroy, Environmentalist and Broadcaster Chris Wilson and radio … [Read more...]
Spring Alive: help track spring’s progress through Europe
With the early arrival of spring making headlines it looks like the Spring Alive website is back in action again.Every year Spring Alive tracks the progress of spring across Europe by asking people from across … [Read more...]
