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Ireland's Wildlife

Irish wildlife, nature and biodiversity

You are here: Home / Archives for Features / Feature Articles

Feature Articles

12 Expert tips on choosing binoculars for birding and wildlife observation

October 28, 2018 by Calvin Jones 11 Comments

Choosing the right binocular

Binoculars are perhaps your most indispensable piece of wildlife watching equipment (with the possible exception, here in Ireland at least, of good waterproof gear).The right pair of binoculars can enhance your enjoyment of and engagement with the natural world exponentially. But choosing binoculars for birding and wildlife watching can be a tricky proposition.At … [Read more...] about 12 Expert tips on choosing binoculars for birding and wildlife observation

Birding for Beginners: The Next Steps

June 10, 2018 by Calvin Jones 1 Comment

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. The Birding for Beginners series is brought to you in association with Hawke OpticsBirding is an exciting and diverse hobby that has something for everybody. One of the real beauties of catching the bird … [Read more...] about Birding for Beginners: The Next Steps

Birding for Beginners: bird watching equipment

May 17, 2018 by Calvin Jones 2 Comments

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. The Birding for Beginners series is brought to you in association with Hawke OpticsWhile it's true that all you need to start your bird watching … [Read more...] about Birding for Beginners: bird watching equipment

Birding for Beginners: getting to know your local birds

April 4, 2018 by Calvin Jones 1 Comment

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.The Birding for Beginners series is brought to you in association with Hawke OpticsIt's tempting when you're just getting started with bird watching to head … [Read more...] about Birding for Beginners: getting to know your local birds

Birding for Beginners: why watch birds?

March 28, 2018 by Calvin Jones 5 Comments

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 appreciating the birds of the various habitats that criss-cross this island, to … [Read more...] about Birding for Beginners: why watch birds?

How to see more wildlife

August 3, 2017 by Calvin Jones Leave a Comment

Guided wildlife watching

There's something a little bit special about a wildlife encounter. It taps into a childlike sense of wonder that all too often remains hidden beneath our sensible adult facade. For a brief moment we're transported to a simpler, more natural world, and reminded of how we fit into it.It's a thrilling experience, and a feeling that endures long after the moment itself has … [Read more...] about How to see more wildlife

Wildlife highlights of a memorable year

February 2, 2017 by Calvin Jones Leave a Comment

Breaching Humpback

Life is punctuated by years that are particularly memorable for wildlife. Calvin Jones looks back at some of the highlights of the 2016 wildlife year on the West Cork stretch of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.With 2017 well underway I'm looking forward to the wonderful wildlife encounters the year undoubtedly has in store, but I also can't help looking back at the year … [Read more...] about Wildlife highlights of a memorable year

Christmas gifts with a wildlife twist

November 30, 2016 by Calvin Jones 1 Comment

wildlife-gift-voucher Christmas

You know it’s coming. Big commercial brands have been pushing it since October, and yet somehow this most surreptitious of holidays still creeps under your radar.One day you glance at the calendar… and PANIC!Yes, Christmas is just around the corner, and with it the challenge of choosing something different, unusual and thoughtful for your nearest and dearest. Christmas … [Read more...] about Christmas gifts with a wildlife twist

9 top tips for feeding your garden birds

November 23, 2016 by Calvin Jones 15 Comments

Robin -- feeding 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 to depend on the food we provide as an essential supplement to what they can find for themselves at this challenging time of year.According to bird conservation organisations like Birdwatch Ireland … [Read more...] about 9 top tips for feeding your garden birds

Antlers at dawn: Killarney’s red deer rut

September 26, 2016 by Sean O'Callaghan 2 Comments

Bellowing red deer stag Killarney

Sean O'Callaghan of Kerry's Wild Side gives us the low-down on one of the most testosterone-charged events in the Irish wildlife calendar: the annual red deer rut at Killarney National Park in County Kerry.Each autumn as the first of the winter chills set in and the summer’s dying leaves stubbornly depart their branches, the Killarney valley and surrounding … [Read more...] about Antlers at dawn: Killarney’s red deer rut

How to watch whales and dolphins

August 23, 2016 by Calvin Jones 4 Comments

Whales and dolphins are an exciting part of Ireland's wildlife. As an island nation perched on the edge of the north east Atlantic we have some of the best whalewatching in Europe right on our doorstep. We teamed up with UK optics company Hawke to bring you this in depth feature on how to spot whales and dolphins around the Irish coast, from shore and when you're out on the … [Read more...] about How to watch whales and dolphins

Kinabatangan — an incredible Borneo wildlife experience

February 20, 2016 by Calvin Jones Leave a Comment

Borneo gibbon, Kinabatangan Jungle Camp

The gibbon sat in a tree, gazing out across the turbid waters, its long, sinuous limbs somehow more graceful than gangly. It was the black variant of the endemic Bornean gibbon, and a magnificent specimen. As our guide manoeuvred the small boat to give us better views of one of Borneo's most iconic primates, I took a second to look around at my three teenage … [Read more...] about Kinabatangan — an incredible Borneo wildlife experience

Birdwatching for Beginners Revisited

February 12, 2016 by Calvin Jones Leave a Comment

Birding, any time, any place, anywhere

With spring on its way, our resident birds getting ready for nesting season, and the prospect of  spring migrants just around the corner, this is the perfect time to revisit our popular series of articles on birdwatching for beginners.This series of four articles is a great introduction to birding, spanning everything from getting started, to bird watching equipment, to … [Read more...] about Birdwatching for Beginners Revisited

Christmas gift ideas for wildlife and nature enthusiasts

December 10, 2015 by Calvin Jones 1 Comment

Quercus Oak Bird Feeders

What do you buy the wildlife enthusiast or nature lover for Christmas? It's a conundrum faced by partners, families and friends every year.You'd think it would be easy... anything to do with wildlife would be perfect, right? But from long years of experience I know that we wildlife enthusiasts can be notoriously difficult to buy for.So here's a little post to help out … [Read more...] about Christmas gift ideas for wildlife and nature enthusiasts

Garden wildlife: it’s a jungle out there!

November 24, 2015 by Calvin Jones 3 Comments

Ladybird

As another wildlife documentary draws to a close, I can't help looking out of the window at our back garden: the patio, the lawn, the garden wall strewn with ivy, the flowers nodding their heads gently in the evening breeze.It all seems so quiet and mundane compared to the wondrous tropical ecosystem I've just witnessed on the screen. But first impressions can be … [Read more...] about Garden wildlife: it’s a jungle out there!

All abuzz in Limerick City!

August 16, 2015 by Albert Nolan Leave a Comment

Buff-tailed_bumblebee,_Bombus_terrestris

 Ireland's Wildlife Contributor Albert Nolan gets up close and personal with the bees of Limerick and discovers that the City really is buzzing!  I pass quietly through the city streets pausing at every corner to scan the buildings for birds, or peeking into an overgrown garden in the hope of finding a few insects. I adjust my bumblebee net to a … [Read more...] about All abuzz in Limerick City!

Why you should visit a dead whale

May 28, 2015 by Sean O'Callaghan 6 Comments

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 positives that outweigh the obvious concern; that being a large … [Read more...] about Why you should visit a dead whale

Wildlife Projects for Tidy Towns

April 27, 2015 by Albert Nolan Leave a Comment

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 circulation going again. Our first … [Read more...] about Wildlife Projects for Tidy Towns

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