Under the banner of Operation Godwit an international team of scientists has been studying the Icelandic black-tailed godwit since the 1990s. Unique combinations of colour rings placed on the birds' legs on their breeding grounds in Iceland and on their wintering grounds in Western Europe allow individual birds to be identified, and mean that when birdwatchers around Europe … [Read more...] about Cork school children contribute to international godwit study
birds
Christmas Competition: bird food, feeder and a festive treat
Thanks to our friends over at CJ Wildlife (Ireland's Wildlife's Official Bird Food Partner) we have a fabulous prize to give away to one lucky winner at the end of the week. Up for grabs are: A 10kg bag of CJ Wildlife's fabulous "Hi Energy No Mess" seed mix A Medium Defender Metal Seed Feeder A Festive Suet Snowman To enter all you have to do is fill in your … [Read more...] about Christmas Competition: bird food, feeder and a festive treat
The Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey: how you can help monitor Ireland’s garden birds
This post is part of the Crossley ID Guide Britain & Ireland Blog Tour -- yesterday the tour was over at Mark Avery's blog here -- tomorrow it moves on to BirdWords... the official site of Dominic Couzens... who's one of the book's authors. You'll find the full tour schedule here. NB. I'll be posting a full review of the guide to the book review section of the site in … [Read more...] about The Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey: how you can help monitor Ireland’s garden birds
All aboard for the Crossley ID Guide Britain and Ireland Blog Tour
I'm delighted to be taking part in the upcoming "Blog Tour" to celebrate the launch of the brand new bird field guide the Crossley ID Guide Britain & Ireland. I'll be reviewing a copy of the guide in the Book Review section of the site in due course... but the blog tour is something a bit different. Basically the publisher, Princeton University Press, has teamed up with … [Read more...] about All aboard for the Crossley ID Guide Britain and Ireland Blog Tour
Book Review: The Birds of Ireland, A Field Guide
For many people a desire to identify the birds they see visiting their garden, or when they're out and about, is the first step to an enduring fascination with nature and wildlife. It was birds that infected me with the nature bug way back when, and I still remember my first bird field guide... a small hardback copy of "The Observer's Book of Birds" that I got as a birthday … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Birds of Ireland, A Field Guide
Bird watching in Ireland
Bird watching, or “birding” as many people who watch birds have come to call it these days, is perhaps the most popular form of wildlife observation in the world. Birds, by their very nature, tend to be more visible, noticeable and accessible than most other forms of wildlife. It’s birds, more often than not, that first attract the attention of budding wildlife enthusiasts … [Read more...] about Bird watching in Ireland
Captive bred corncrakes could boost wild population
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Irish Grey Partridge Trust are working together on an innovative trial to breed the endangered corncrake in captivity for the first time in Ireland. Fota Wildlife Park in Co. Cork is assisting in the experimental captive breeding programme. A pair of corncrake eggs supplied by Fota Wildlife Park were successfully … [Read more...] about Captive bred corncrakes could boost wild population
Early start for Ireland’s first Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)
Sunday was an exciting day. A late-night exchange on Viber as Saturday drew to a close had me scrambling to get organised for a very early start the next morning. It was half-past midnight by the time I was ready. I set the alarm for half-past-four, and proceeded to not get any sleep for four hours. Yikes! What on earth had possessed me? One of these... that's … [Read more...] about Early start for Ireland’s first Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)
Bird Atlas 2007-2011 — save 33% before 31 July
If you're a birder in Britain or Ireland then chances are you already know about the upcoming publication of "Bird Atlas 2007-2011". The culmination of one of the most ambitious citizen science projects ever undertaken, Bird Atlas brings together data on bird populations collected by tens of thousands of dedicated volunteers across the British Isles. It has been described … [Read more...] about Bird Atlas 2007-2011 — save 33% before 31 July
Book Review: Birds Through Irish Eyes
When "Birds Through Irish Eyes" by Anthony McGeehan with Julian Wyllie arrived at IWHQ the first thing that struck me was its size. It is a monster of a tome. The next thing I noticed was it's shape... an unusual, almost square aspect ratio makes for a very attractive layout of text and images on the inside, but is perhaps a tad unwieldy for extended reading. And this is a … [Read more...] about Book Review: Birds Through Irish Eyes
Bird Identification Expert speaking in Cork
The Art of Identification A forty-year perspective on birding and Field Guides With Killian Mullarney Friday 01 February 2013, Cork International Airport Hotel Doors open 7pm, talk commences at 8pm Join Killian Mullarney, renowned bird artist and and international authority on bird identification in Cork on 01 February for this not-to-be-missed talk on a fascinating … [Read more...] about Bird Identification Expert speaking in Cork
Book Review: Fighting for Birds
Mark Avery has been fighting for birds for most of his adult life. As Conservation Director with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Europe’s largest conservation NGO, Mark has been at the forefront of some of the most iconic conservation issues to emerge over recent decades. Naturally the book has a UK focus, but the issues Mark tackles – things like … [Read more...] about Book Review: Fighting for Birds
A stroll along the strand
An evening walk on the beach is one of the real high points of Autumn. In this part of West Cork we're spoilt for choice with some stunning beaches within striking distance of the house... but more often than not we pick Long Strand at Castlefreke near Clonakilty for an evening stroll along the strand. You never know what you might see: birds, seals, dolphins, porpoises... … [Read more...] about A stroll along the strand
Book Review: Bird Habitats in Ireland
Birds are perhaps the most accessible and obvious of all our Irish wildlife. They're relatively large, active, sometimes brightly coloured and, because they can fly to escape danger, they tend to be less elusive than many other wild creatures. Once you're tuned in to bird activity seeing birds in your garden or the local park is relatively easy. But if you want to really get … [Read more...] about Book Review: Bird Habitats in Ireland
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
The wren is a small bird with a big personality. Considering its small size it has an incredibly loud voice; the familiar song, prolonged and full of complex chirrs, rattles, trills and whistles, is delivered with a gusto that belies the bird’s diminutive stature. Ongoing national surveys conducted by Birdwatch Ireland show that the wren is one of our most abundant and … [Read more...] about Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Giving birds a leg up on the property ladder
Round ones, square ones, big ones, small ones, wooden ones... even ones made from recycled election posters: nest boxes, just like the birds that use them, come in all shapes and sizes. They’re a great wildlife win-win -- giving birds a safe, secure place to raise their young, and giving us the opportunity to watch all the drama unfold without disturbing them. At this time of … [Read more...] about Giving birds a leg up on the property ladder
Book Review: Freshwater Birds of Ireland
I’m the first to admit that I’m very keen on birds… and that perhaps my bias is reflected at times, both here and on the Ireland’s Wildlife page on Facebook. I’ve been a birder since I first picked up a pair of binoculars more than 30 years ago, and while I have a profound fascination for all things wild, birds will always have a special place in my ever evolving relationship … [Read more...] about Book Review: Freshwater Birds of Ireland
Farmland bird populations at lowest ever level
Figures released by the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme reveal that Europe’s farmland birds are in dire straits. Researchers compiled population figures for 145 common and widespread bird species spanning 25 European countries between 1980 and 2009. Of the 36 species of common farmland birds included in the study, 20 were considered to be in decline, and overall … [Read more...] about Farmland bird populations at lowest ever level
