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Irish white-tailed eagles hatch chicks in four counties

White tailed eagle chick mountshannon

The Irish white-tailed eagle reintroduction project has received a much-needed boost with news that five pairs, spanning four Irish counties, now have chicks in the nest. According to a press release issued by the Golden Eagle Trust, of the eight pairs that attempted to breed this year, eagle chicks have now….

Why you should visit a dead whale

Stranded Sperm Whale Carcass, Fermoyle

In this guest post marine biology student Sean O’Callaghan, a keen cetacean enthusiast and admin of the popular Kerry’s Wild Side page on Facebook, explores some of the benefits of visiting a dead whale. Visiting a dead whale may appear on the surface to be a morbid proposition, but there are many….

Whales and eagles star on wild West Cork weekend

White-tailed eagle, West Cork, Ireland

I’d been afraid to look at the forecast all week. The weather is the bane of anyone organising an outdoor-based activity in Ireland, and the last few weeks had been dreadful. There was no real sense things were going to improve either… but with a Discover Wildlife Weekend planned I simply had to bite….

Olivon T650 Spotting Scope Review

Olivon T650 spotting scope review

Pros: Crisp, high resolution views with good colour and contrast throughout most of the 16-48x zoom range. Excellent wide angle eyepiece delivers expansive viewing experience without “tunnel vision” common with budget scopes. Standard 1.25″ astronomy eyepiece mount means compatible with a vast range of third party eyepieces. Cons: Non-ED version reviewed does suffers slightly from some colour….

Wildlife Projects for Tidy Towns

Early flowers provide vital food for pollinators

Ireland’s Wildlife contributor Albert Nolan urges communities to champion wildlife as part of the nationwide Tidy Towns initiative.   Spring had forgotten about our part of the world as a chilling wind greeted us in the morning. Bags and pickers were quickly shared out and everyone was glad to start walking and get the….

Wildlife Portfolio: Sarah Corner

Male Merling Sarah Corner

In this instalment of our Wildlife Portfolio series we introduce the work of wildlife artist Sarah Corner. To view larger images in slideshow format click on one of the thumbnails in the portfolio below. If you’re a wildlife photographer or wildlife artist and would like us to consider your work for….

Hoopoe invasion of Ireland’s south coast

Hoopoe invasion of Ireland -- photo by Andrew Malcolm

Headlands and coastlines in Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Wexford have been invaded by a rather colourful continental interloper this spring. The striking hoopoe (Upupa epops) is a rare visitor to these shores, with very small numbers (less than 10 birds in total most years) reported in Ireland during spring and autumn as migrating birds stray….

Wild Ireland: new ITV series highlights Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

Presenter Christine Bleakly hilighting Wild Ireland

Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way is the star of a brand new 6-part television series on ITV showcasing the wonders of Ireland’s Atlantic seaboard — and with a name like “Wild Ireland” you’d have to hope that Ireland’s wildlife will feature in the production. Over 6 weeks the series will chart the progress of former The….

Time to get wild about Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

Humpback whale off The Stags in West Cork on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way

At more than 2,500 km Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way is the longest defined touring route in the world. But the west coast is about more than spectacular scenery and uniquely Irish culture. The Wild Atlantic Way has a wild side that deserves more attention.

WOW: RSPB Northern Ireland’s new and improved Belfast Lough reserve

Lapwings at Belfast Lough Reserve

RSPB Northern Ireland’s Belfast Lough nature reserve at Belfast Harbour Estate has undergone extensive refurbishment to give it a renewed WOW factor.  Media and Events Officer Amy Colvin explains what all the fuss is about. Belfast’s Harbour Estate isn’t the sort of place you’d expect nature to flourish – but prepare to….

Hen Harrier blog-star “Heather” shot dead in Co. Kerry

Hen harrier shot in Co. Kerry Ireland

A young hen harrier has been found shot dead near Waterville in Co. Kerry. The satellite tagged bird-of-prey, a young female dubbed “Heather” by local schoolchildren, was part of a joint project by regional development organisation IRD Duhallow and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Heather became an online star via the….

Re-introducing wolves to Ireland: could we? Should we?

European grey wolf

Centuries ago wolves roamed the wilds of Ireland. In this full-length feature Ireland’s Wildlife contributor Dan Lettice, explores whether or not, one day, they could do so again….   Wolves in Ireland: the background The grey wolf, Canis lupis, was once reasonably common in Ireland and existed on all parts of the Island. The….