August 26th - rockpooling in Portmarnock

On Saturday August 26th Dublin Branch member Kevin Delahunty led a rockpooling expedition along the coast at Portmarnock, north Co. Dublin to see what kind of creatures could be found. Lots of starfish, shellfish and 'pinkeens' were discovered, and another generation of kids got hooked on the wonders of nature!

Photos courtesy of Brendan

15th July - Bull Island Wildflower Walk

On Saturday 15th July Dublin Branch member Niall Mac Coitir led a walk to see the amazing wildflowers on the Bull Island. There was a good turnout and the weather was perfect for a walk - nice and warm, but not too sunny. As usual lots of flowers were seen, including four kinds of orchid - common spotted orchid, pyramidal orchid, marsh helleborine ,and twayblade. Among the other flowers spotted were restharrow, ladies bedstraw, tufted vetch, bird's foot trefoil, hare's foot trefoil, yellow rattle and eyebright. So all and all a good day!

Photos courtesy of Brendan

Ladies Bedstraw

Common Spotted Orchid

Marsh Helleborine

Twayblade has an unusual green coloured flower

Restharrow

10th and 18th June Ireland's Eye trips

Dublin Branch went on its annual trips to Ireland's Eye this month on the 10 and 18th June. As usual there was great interest in the trips and a good turnout. The weather was good for us and a lot of wild birds were seen including guillemots, cormorants, gannets and great black backed gulls. The views of Howth and the island were also amazing! Thanks to Brendan for the photos.

At Ireland's Eye's Martello Tower

Gannets

Great Black Backed Gulls - adults and chicks 

Guillemots

Cormorants

26th March - Birdwatching at Irishtown Nature Reserve and Poolbeg lighthouse

On Sunday 26th March the Dublin Branch went birdwatching in Irishtown Nature Reserve and walked out to Poolbeg lighthouse. John Fox was our guide, and with his sharp eyes we identified many birds including brent geese, cormorants, turnstones, herring gulls and various waders such as redshanks. Most of the waders had gone at this time of year, but we were compensated by the glorious weather which made it such a pleasant day out. Highlight of the day for some of us was seeing the peregrines nesting on the Poolbeg towers!

26th February - Visit to The Murrough, Co. Wicklow

On Sunday the 26th of February a group of some 40 people went for a walk just outside Wicklow town. Even though the weather was challenging, we made our way up the coastal walk. The erosion was striking, with nearly a football pitch washed away in the last 20 years. After a bit of a walk we crossed the Dublin rail line and went into the Murrough. Unfortunately, between the wind and the high tide, all the pathways were under water. The area is unusual for its flora, with a mixture of seawater and fresh water plants. The area is also rich in wild fowl and is really worth a visit.  There is also a cliff walk going south from the black castle to the lighthouse. Anyone who is interested to know more can look up the Friends of the Murrough face book page.

February 7th Green Drinks - Common Sense and the Common Fisheries Policy

In February Green Drinks Dublin heard Edward Fahy of www.eatenfishsoonforgotten.com talk about the EU's Common Fisheries Policy and the effect it is having on our Fish Stocks. Edward explained to us how fish quotas are regularly being assigned at higher than sustainable levels for political reasons. This is to suit the big fishing interests who dominate the fishing industry, and squeezes out smaller fishermen. As a result fish stocks are falling all across Europe.

However, creating sustainable fishing is complicated and not an easy matter to achieve. For instance, the well meaning policy of banning fishing discards now means that there is a market for non quota fish, and is actually encouraging the production of more 'discards' than previously existed. The current model of fisheries in Europe cannot continue, and will result in collapse in fish stocks, like cod in Newfoundland, if change does not occur. Ed was pessimistic that change will happen in time to prevent this, as progress is too slow. Altogether a sobering talk that brought home how short sighted our society is when it comes to managing nature.

    

January 15th Bull Island Bird Watching

On Sunday January 15th last, Dublin Branch went bird watching on Bull Island, led by the ever knowledgeable John Fox. There was a good turnout, and the weather was reasonable for January. As always on the Bull, a great variety of birds were seen. Some of them as per John were; black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, shoveler, lapwing, shelduck, oyster catcher, little egret, grey heron, wigeon, teal, great black backed gull, mute swan, brent geese, grey plover and golden plover. An informative and enjoyable morning was had by all! Photos courtesy of Ciarán.

July 9th - Bull Island Wildflower walk

On Saturday 9th July, the Dublin Branch went on its by now annual walk to Bull Island to see the amazing variety of wildflowers that can be seen there at this time of year. The day was lovely and warm, and led by Niall Mac Coitir, those attending saw at least twenty different kinds of wildflowers . As well as many members of the pea family, such as restharrow, bird's foot trefoil, kidney vetch, and common vetch (which can thrive in the poor, sandy soil), and the sweet smelling ladies bedstraw, the group saw no less than five different species of orchid.

The orchids encountered were pyramidal orchid, common spotted orchid, some last surviving early purple orchid, marsh helleborine, and in a first for the Bull Island walks, - the beautiful and elusive bee orchid!

Truly a day to remember.

pyramidal orchid

Marsh helleborine

bee orchid

Yellow rattle

5th & 19th June - Trips to Ireland's Eye

This year the Dublin Branch of IWT arranged two trips to Ireland’e Eye – on 5th and 19th June.
We had a tremendous response – both outings were fully booked up and not everybody could be accommodated. Ireland’s Eye: two glorious contrasts. Day One bathed in sunshine, birds hatching their eggs, some chicks roaming around, their parents screeching and warning us to stay away from their offspring. Day Two bathed, literally, in rain, chicks grown, their parents less agitated, hovering anxiously and keeping a watchful eye on our group. Everybody obviously enjoyed the first tour, but despite the weather the good-humoured group on the second trip also appeared to have a good time, appreciating the unique charm of this little gem of an island.


We saw the usual suspects; guillemots, gannets, terns, all the different gulls, of course, cormorants and shags, oystercatchers and ringed plovers, rock pipits, a few puffins and two peregrine falcons. Our thanks to John Fox (Birdwatch Ireland) who provided us with details of their nesting, feeding, migration, habitat, behaviour and lifespan.  

Barbara

5th & 19th June - Trips to Ireland's Eye

This year the Dublin Branch of IWT arranged two trips to Ireland’e Eye – on 5th and 19th June.
We had a tremendous response – both outings were fully booked up and not everybody could be accommodated. Ireland’s Eye: two glorious contrasts. Day One bathed in sunshine, birds hatching their eggs, some chicks roaming around, their parents screeching and warning us to stay away from their offspring. Day Two bathed, literally, in rain, chicks grown, their parents less agitated, hovering anxiously and keeping a watchful eye on our group. Everybody obviously enjoyed the first tour, but despite the weather the good-humoured group on the second trip also appeared to have a good time, appreciating the unique charm of this little gem of an island.


We saw the usual suspects; guillemots, gannets, terns, all the different gulls, of course, cormorants and shags, oystercatchers and ringed plovers, rock pipits, a few puffins and two peregrine falcons. Our thanks to John Fox (Birdwatch Ireland) who provided us with details of their nesting, feeding, migration, habitat, behaviour and lifespan.  

Barbara

21st February Birdwatching Broadmeadow Estuary

On Sunday 21st February the Dublin Branch went birdwatching in Broadmeadow Estuary. Despite terrible weather, our guide Sean Fox showed us quite a few species of birds, including brent geese, teal, black-tailed godwit, stonechats, little egrets, cormorants, and of course the mute swans for which the estuary is famous. Highlight of the trip however, was the sight of a sparrowhawk hovering over the motorway in search of prey. Alas the weather was too wet for the kingfisher which Sean assured us was a regular visitor.

As the morning wore on the wind and rain eased off, and we were able to look through our binoculars and telescopes without getting fogged up. The sun fitfully came out and we had time to look at the swans at close quarters as they gathered around us looking for some bread to eat. There was no need to panic, however, as Sean informed us that the old story about swans being strong enough to break a  man's leg was nothing but a myth!

Photos courtesy of Brendan

November 15th - Birdwatching Bull Island

On Sunday November 15th IWT Dublin Branch went birdwatching on Bull Island, led by Sean our ever knowledgable guide. Despite the blustery weather and works to the sea wall at the causeway (don't mention the war!), the branch got to see quite a few birds. There were the pale bellied Brent geese, mallard, shelducks, shovellers, teal and wigeon, along with little egrets, curlews, herons and of course some hooded crows. An interesting fact that Sean shared is that there will always be lots of birds where streams come out into the sea, because believe it or not, the birds like to wash the salt off their feathers. So, at the point where the Naniken river comes out into the lagoon, there were indeed lots of birds gathered. Altogether an enlightening afternoon.  Photos courtesy of Brendan and Stephen.

Brent Geese

Curlew

5th September - Rockpooling in Portmarnock

On Saturday 5th September 2015 IWT's Dublin Branch went on a rock pooling session in Portmarnock, to find out more about the marine ecosystem along our coasts and the animals that live in them. There was a good turnout, and glorious weather. Lots of seashore creatures were seen, such as anemones, sea snails and shellfish like mussels, and a great morning for all the family was had.