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

15 May 2016 - Ballyboughal Hedgerow Walk

Ballyboughall Hedgerow Walk (Slí na Sceacha’) 15 May 2016

Nature smiled on us in every way on our second visit to Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin.
With blue skies and beautiful sunshine our marvellous guide Ann Lynch of the local Hedgerow Society took a group of over 30 adults and children on a wonderful walk through the hedges of Ballyboughal providing us with plenty of information on what was all around us as we went along.

In true Irish fashion the walk ended at a pub, O’Connor’s (we stayed outside), where we were joined by the Mayor of Fingal David O’Connor who expressed delight at the large group and thanked Ann for hosting us.

Barbara

Ann showing us one of the many wildflowers to be seen

3rd May - Green Drinks - Hedgehog Rescue

The Dublin Branch of IWT this month heard from Yvonne McCann from Hedgehog Rescue Dublin talk about the how the organisation got started, the threats facing wildlife (both natural and human caused) and the trials faced by wildlife rehabbers in Ireland. Practical advice was given on the night about what to do if you come across a hedgehog casualty with added insights into the rehab process.

Hedgehogs face a variety of threats, from strimmers, to traffic, to disturbance during hibernation and need all the help they can get. Yvonne and her friends in Hedgehog Rescue work entirely voluntarily and rely on donations and the help of friendly vets for support. You can find Hedgehog Rescue Dublin on Facebook.

12th March - Trip to St. Enda's

On Saturday 12th March, the Dublin Branch went to visit St Enda's: Carmel, our guide, was excellent. She took us through all the important rooms in the Pearse Museum, engaging with everybody and keeping information at just the right level. After a brief visit to the so-called Nature Room we went round St Enda's Park where Carmel showed us the various follies. Certainly the most interesting of these were the 'Summerhouse', the 'Hermit's Cave' and 'Emmet's Fort', which she unlocked for us so that we could have a good look around this astonishing little building. A very interesting day out.

St. Enda's Museum

Carmel in front of the hermit's cave

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

2nd February - Green Drinks The Pine Marten

This month the IWT Dublin Branch heard Ruth Hanniffy, Ireland Projects Support Officer in the Vincent Trust give a talk on these fascinating and little known animals, that are making a bit of a comeback in Ireland, and may just be helping to control the grey squirrel!

Once common throughout the country, by the 20th century the pine marten had become extinct from the majority of Ireland, surviving only in a few isolated and fragmented populations mainly in the west. The main reasons for the species’ decline were related to hunting for its fur; loss of habitat through the destruction of forests; direct and indirect poisoning and persecution as a potential predator of livestock/game populations. As all of these factors declined, so has the pine marten recovered so that it has extended its range across most of Ireland. However, the most recent estimate is that there are only about 2,700 individuals on the island, so it is still Ireland's rarest mammal and will remain vulnerable for the foreseeable future.

The spread of the pine marten has coincided with the decline of the grey squirrel, which is now missing from large parts of its former range in the midlands, roughly the same areas where the pine marten is now expanding. It is thought that the pine marten may have a hand in this, by predating on the greys more than the reds, as the greys are heavier, and live more on the ground, making it harder for them to escape. At the moment however, this is only speculation, and further investigation is needed. Ruth will shortly be beginning studies on behalf of The Vincent Trust trying to get further evidence of what exactly is going on, by studying the interaction of both red and grey squirrels with this elusive creature. You can learn more about the pine marten at : http://www.mammals-in-ireland.ie/species/pine-marten