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Panasonic Lumix G9 for Wildlife Photography

Lumix G9 + Leica DG 50-200mm

Pros: Incredibly fast burst shooting and blistering autofocus performance improves your chances of catching elusive wildlife moments. Superb build quality. Brilliant handling and ergonomics. Much smaller and lighter than equivalent DSLR system. Dual IS combines exceptional in-body sensor-shift stabilisation with excellent lens-based stabilisation (for compatible lenses) to make handholding at much slower shutter speeds viable. Outstanding….

Rose coloured starling on holiday in West Cork

Rose-coloured starling

If you see a strange looking starling amidst your local flock, look again… you could be watching a rare eastern visitor. Rose-coloured starlings are on the move… and some of them are turning up in Ireland, with recent records from Cork, Kerry, Wexford and Donegal!

Birding for Beginners: The Next Steps

A razorbill coming back to its nest on an Irish cliff

In this, the final feature in our four-part series on beginning birdwatching, we take a look at some ways you can take your budding birding hobby to the next level. Birding is an exciting and diverse hobby that has something for everybody. One of the real beauties of catching the bird watching….

Update: Ireland’s Wild South Coast offer extended

Humpback Whale, West Cork, Ireland

Doing some admin on the Ireland’s Wildlife Tours website today I noticed an issue with the SSL certificate renewal. That means that some of you may have seen a security warning when trying to access the site. The issue has been resolved so if you visit the site now you should….

Hawke Sapphire ED 8×42 Binocular Review

Hawke Saphire ED Binocular in action

Pros: Excellent image quality rivalling many much more expensive options. Superb wide field of view. Ergonomic, well-balanced magnesium alloy body gives a quality feel while remaining light. Great all-around performer offering superb value. Cons: Biggest gripe is the rain guard… which has no bearing on the quality of the binocular, but….

Incredible wildlife, incredible offer: Ireland’s Wild South Coast

Fin whales: regulars off Ireland's wild south coast!

The south coast of Ireland is a magical place for wildlife enthusiasts. Breathtaking locations, some of the best marine and coastal wildlife Europe has to offer and that legendary hospitality for which the Irish are world-renowned. Put it all together and you have the perfect destination for a wildlife holiday to….

Birding for Beginners: bird watching equipment

Little Egret

In this feature, the third in our four-part series on beginning birdwatching, we take a look at some of the equipment owned by birders, and how choosing the right equipment will help you to develop your bird watching skills. While it’s true that all you need to start your bird watching….

Birding for Beginners: getting to know your local birds

Wren

In this feature, the second in our four-part series on beginning birdwatching, we take a look at your garden birds, your local patch, and how getting to know them better can help you improve as a birder. It’s tempting when you’re just getting started with bird watching to head immediately….

Birding for Beginners: why watch birds?

The blue tit -- one of the most striking of our common garden birds

Bird watching or birding is a fascinating pastime enjoyed by vast numbers of people around the world. It’s a hobby that’s growing in popularity here in Ireland as more people discover the joy that watching birds can bring. From following the antics of common birds at our garden feeders, to….

Panasonic Lumix G9 Photowalk

Panasonic Lumix G9 and Lumix GH5S in Ireland

Ever the innovators, Panasonic has just introduced two new cameras to its flagship Lumix G line of mirrorless compact system cameras (CSC). You may recall I tested the top-end Lumix GH5 in the third quarter of 2017, and was very impressed with the camera… so when I received an invitation….

Ireland: Europe’s undiscovered wildlife frontier

Humpback whale off Ireland's Wild South Coast

Perched on the northwestern edge of Europe, Ireland is world renowned for its stunning vistas, dramatic Atlantic headlands and breathtaking coastal scenery. But when it comes to wildlife tourism, Ireland simply isn’t on most people’s radar.

Panasonic Lumix GH5 & Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm

Panasonic Lumix GH5 for Wildlife Photography

Pros: Professional build quality and comprehensive feature set, incredibly compact and light for an 800mm 35mm equivalent focal length setup, fast accurate autofocus, superb image stabilisation in the body and the lens made hand-holding at long focal lengths possible. Did I mention it was compact and light. Cons: Autofocus sometimes….