National Dawn chorus day is next Sunday. We will be meeting at 5am in the carpark of the Ballymascanlon Hotel just north of Dundalk and taking a walk around the grounds followed by coffee. We would expect to finish at around 6:30am.
All are welcome
Breffni
0879145363
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Moths and Butterflies
Louth entomologist Don Hodgers will give an illustrated talk on monday 1st April 2013 on the subject of butterflies and moths. The talk will take place at the Spirit Store (upstairs) and will start at 8pm.
Entry is free and all area welcome.
Breffni
Entry is free and all area welcome.
Breffni
Monday, March 4, 2013
Woodpeckers in Ireland - Dick Coomes
Mon 4th March 2013 Spirit Store Upstairs
Doors 8pm - FREE
Dick Coombes from Birdwatch Ireland will give an illustrated talk on the recent colonisation of Ireland by Great Spotted Woodpeckers. This extraordinary natural phenomenon was first detected a few years ago in Wicklow and Down, when Great Spotted Woodpeckers started appearing at garden bird feeders. Dick spent hundreds of hours tracking down the woodpeckers in Wicklow and will tell the story of how they invaded, where they came from and how they are likely to progress in Ireland.
Breffni
Doors 8pm - FREE
Dick Coombes from Birdwatch Ireland will give an illustrated talk on the recent colonisation of Ireland by Great Spotted Woodpeckers. This extraordinary natural phenomenon was first detected a few years ago in Wicklow and Down, when Great Spotted Woodpeckers started appearing at garden bird feeders. Dick spent hundreds of hours tracking down the woodpeckers in Wicklow and will tell the story of how they invaded, where they came from and how they are likely to progress in Ireland.
Breffni
Friday, January 18, 2013
Birds Through Irish Eyes
Legendary Irish birder, Anthony McGeehan, will give a talk entitled "Birds Through Irish Eyes" at 8pm on Monday 4th February 2013 upstairs at the Spirit Store.
Nobody has to travel far to see birds. The back garden will do. And there, not far from the kitchen window, are several species that conceal mysteries. Why do Coal Tits drop most of the seeds that they extract from feeders? A strange thing to do when the species probably possesses the largest brain of any Irish bird! As human birdwatchers, we seldom listen to what birds tell us. In the case of the ubiquitous Woodpigeon, no Field Guide interpretation has ever unraveled the key to its voice. So, from Coal IQ to cracking Woodpigeon's coded messages, the Feb 4th talk will concentrate on 'the birds under our noses'. There should be no shortage of inspiration as well as an incentive to try out tips for yourself. Anthony's talk carries on from the information in BIRDS THROUGH IRISH EYES, signed copies of which will also be available. Anthony will also touch on his famous "Magic Pelagic" talk at the end, possibly after a short break.....
Anthony has been interested in birds since childhood and, to paraphrase Groucho Marks, has gone from opera glasses to Swarovskis and extreme poverty.
As usual entry is free and all are welcome!
Breffni
www.flickr.com/photos/breffni
Nobody has to travel far to see birds. The back garden will do. And there, not far from the kitchen window, are several species that conceal mysteries. Why do Coal Tits drop most of the seeds that they extract from feeders? A strange thing to do when the species probably possesses the largest brain of any Irish bird! As human birdwatchers, we seldom listen to what birds tell us. In the case of the ubiquitous Woodpigeon, no Field Guide interpretation has ever unraveled the key to its voice. So, from Coal IQ to cracking Woodpigeon's coded messages, the Feb 4th talk will concentrate on 'the birds under our noses'. There should be no shortage of inspiration as well as an incentive to try out tips for yourself. Anthony's talk carries on from the information in BIRDS THROUGH IRISH EYES, signed copies of which will also be available. Anthony will also touch on his famous "Magic Pelagic" talk at the end, possibly after a short break.....
Anthony has been interested in birds since childhood and, to paraphrase Groucho Marks, has gone from opera glasses to Swarovskis and extreme poverty.
As usual entry is free and all are welcome!
Breffni
www.flickr.com/photos/breffni
Anthony McGeehan
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Wetlands of Louth.
Our first talk of the New Year will be on the 7th of January 2013 at 8pm and will be entitled Wetlands of Louth.
The talk will be given by Faith Wilson, an ecologist who has recently completed a survey of the wetlands of County Louth along with Peter Foss, Patrick Crushell, and Barry O’Loughlin of Wetland Surveys Ireland.
Wetlands are arguably Irelands most important ecological resourse, providing not only a refuge for wildlife, but also providing criticas services such as clean drinking water and flood attenuation.
The talk will be given in the newly refurbished Spirit Store on Dundalk Docks, Dundalk, County Louth.
As usual entry is free and all are welcome!
Breffni.
The talk will be given by Faith Wilson, an ecologist who has recently completed a survey of the wetlands of County Louth along with Peter Foss, Patrick Crushell, and Barry O’Loughlin of Wetland Surveys Ireland.
Wetlands are arguably Irelands most important ecological resourse, providing not only a refuge for wildlife, but also providing criticas services such as clean drinking water and flood attenuation.
The talk will be given in the newly refurbished Spirit Store on Dundalk Docks, Dundalk, County Louth.
As usual entry is free and all are welcome!
Breffni.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Irish Wetland Birds Training December 2012
On Sunday 2nd December, Birdwatch Ireland are holding an I-WeBS workshop at the lovely Ballybay Wetlands Centre, Derryvalley Farm, Ballybay, Co. Monaghan (www.ballybaywetlands.ie)
It will run from 10am - 1pm after which there will be a field visit to look at some of the wintering waterbirds on the wetlands near the centre.
This is a completely free event and we will provide tea and coffee and some light lunch.
The workshop is aimed at anyone who either already takes part or who is interested in participating in the survey. Everybody is welcome. We will provide information about wintering waterbirds, and about the survey itself, how to count, and a bit of waterbird ID, and hopefully we will be able to sign up a few new recruits. No wetland is too small! And there is bound to be one in your area.
We will be holding at least one other workshop this season which we will forward details of as soon as possible.
In the meantime let me know if you would like to come along to this one In Ballybay, Monaghan, so I can gather some idea about numbers and how much refreshments to provide. And do please pass this information on to anyone you think may be interested in taking part in I-WeBS.
It will run from 10am - 1pm after which there will be a field visit to look at some of the wintering waterbirds on the wetlands near the centre.
This is a completely free event and we will provide tea and coffee and some light lunch.
The workshop is aimed at anyone who either already takes part or who is interested in participating in the survey. Everybody is welcome. We will provide information about wintering waterbirds, and about the survey itself, how to count, and a bit of waterbird ID, and hopefully we will be able to sign up a few new recruits. No wetland is too small! And there is bound to be one in your area.
We will be holding at least one other workshop this season which we will forward details of as soon as possible.
In the meantime let me know if you would like to come along to this one In Ballybay, Monaghan, so I can gather some idea about numbers and how much refreshments to provide. And do please pass this information on to anyone you think may be interested in taking part in I-WeBS.
Louth Biodiversity - An Occasional Newsletter August 2012
Wetlands
In Ireland, wetlands such as bogs, fens and the like, were traditionally seen as wasteful, and many were cut or drained. The last of the raised bogs (98% have been destroyed) are now belatedly well protected. In relation to other wetlands, the 2011 Planning and Development de-exempted drainage of an area of land greater than 0.1 ha, meaning that these now require planning permission. Concerns about drainage should be addressed to the council: environment@louthcoco.ie.
Hedgerows
The closed season for the cutting of hedgerows, grassy verges and other vegetation ends on the 1st September. It is important to cut back hedgerows in winter to prevent them "legging up" which reduces their biodiversity value.
Pelagic
I am hoping to organise a pelagic from Greenore/Carlingford next week. The boat will go out from the mouth of Carlingford Lough for about 3 hours. The boat can take 10 people; assuming 8 sign up, the fee will be 50 euros per person. Date/time will depend on weather and tides. Please contact me if interested.
Hide/Bird Observatory
Thanks to Dundalk Town Council for ongoing development of the Soldiers Point area as a bird reserve. Please feel free to drop into the bird observatory there and sign the visitors book. We have high hopes of getting a hide in place at Lurgangreen near the mouth of the Fane in time for the winter birding season.
Talks
Our first talk of the year this year will be delivered by myself at the Spirit Store on Monday 3rd September at 8pm on the subject of Irish Waders. We will organise an outing along the Navvy Bank for the following Sunday.
Terns
It was a bad year for breeding terns in County Louth with relatively few fledglings at Baltray and none at Green Island. Generally the heavy rain during the nesting season made it a poor year. Similarly the black guillemot colony was hit by high tides, with only a single juvenile getting away. The Greenore and Clogherhead black guillemot sites did well.
Woodpecker
A juvenile great spotted woodpecker was found in Ravensdale Forest Park strongly suggesting that they are breeding at that location - any further news on this very welcome!
Red Squirrels
Red squirrels ae present in the Cooley mountains, notably at Revensdale. But grey squirrels are expanding all the time. Those interested in red squirrel conservation shoudl contact the Gullion Red Squirrel Group:
www.ringofgullion.org/Red-Squirrel-Group.aspx
Workshops/Exhibitions
An exhibition of local wildlife photographer Enda Flynn (Cooley Wildlife Photos) will hold an exhibition on 8th-25th August in the Watch-house which is opposite the Harbour in Carlingford. Further away, Eric Dempsey is also running an autumn series of workshops. See www.birdsireland.com for details.
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