WINGS SPRING 2016 1

also ...Curlew: breeders facing extinctionCape Clear Observatory re-opensRichard Mills: photos from the edge

Species FocusWillow Warbler:

increasingly abundantsummer migrant

Number 82 Autumn 2016 • ISSN 1393-3434

National Parks and Wildlife Service

Roseate Tern (Photo: Ita Martin)

7 Ely Place, Dublin 2Tel: +353-1-888 3242LoCall: 1890 383 000Fax: +353-1-888 3272Website: www.npws.ieE-mail: natureconservation@environ.ie

NPWS provides BirdWatch Ireland with financial support to undertake:

The mission of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is:

n To secure the conservation of a representative range of ecosystems and maintain and enhancepopulations of flora and fauna in Ireland

n To implement the EU Birds and Habitats Directives and the Wildlife Actsn To designate and ensure the protection of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs),

Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs), having regard to the need toconsult with interested parties

n To manage and develop the State’s six National Parks and 78 Nature Reservesn To implement international Conventions and Agreements to which Ireland is party,

relating to the natural heritage

n The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS)

n The Countryside Bird Survey (CBS)

n Seabird monitoring and wardening at Kilcooleand other important seabird colonies

NPWS also contracts specific work packages toBirdWatch Ireland, including the development of agri-environment schemes for breeding waderson the Shannon Callows.

The NPWS is also funder and partner in theprogrammes to restore the Grey Partridgeand reintroduce the Golden Eagle,White-tailed Sea Eagle and Red Kite.

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 3

From the Interim CEO

Any item or product advertised in Wings is notnecessarily approved or recommended byBirdWatch Ireland unless specifically stated. For anyadvertising enquiries and best rates, please contactoosullivan@birdwatchireland.ie.

Copy deadline for the Winter 2016 issueof Wings is Monday, 26th September 2016

BirdWatch Ireland Board Members:Gerry Lyons (Chair) John LynchBrian Lavery Tony CulleyDavid Fay Stephen WilsonJim Dowdall

Editorial Team:Cóilín MacLochlainn, Oran O’Sullivan, Niall HatchPublished by: BirdWatch Ireland, Unit 20, Block D,Bullford Business Campus, Kilcoole, Greystones, Co Wicklow, A63 RW83Telephone: (01) 281 9878Email: info@birdwatchireland.ieWeb: http://www.birdwatchireland.ieCharity number: Registered Charity No CHY5703

COVER PHOTOGRAPH:Curlew in wet heathby Richard T Mills(see Special Report, page 24)Inset: Willow Warblerby John N Murphy(see Species Focus, page 14)

Wings is the quarterly membership magazineof BirdWatch Ireland (Cairde Éanlaith Éireann).Contributions of photographs, drawings, letters,news items and articles are welcomed and shouldbe addressed to the Editor. The opinionsexpressed by contributors are not necessarilythose of the Editor or of BirdWatch Ireland.

Why not visit Cape Clear Island this autumn?

affecting funding opportunities, conservation collaboration andpolicy implementation. We will be working closely in thesepartnerships and with the Brussels office of BirdLife Internationalto address any anticipated challenges.

Thank you for your support, whether you are new to us or along-standing member. We would welcome your feedback on anypart of our work and in particular on this magazine, Wings.

We hope you will get a chance to go out and about to enjoythe birds and other wildlife of the autumn months.

Declan O’Sullivan,Interim CEO, BirdWatch Ireland

BirdWatch Ireland is the BirdLife Internationalpartner in the Republic of Ireland

DIC

K COOMBE

S

Aan especially big welcome to new members across thecountry who joined us at the many events this summerhosted by our local branches and staff. Every issue of thisquarterly magazine includes plenty of events run by our

branches (see the What’s On Guide, pages 32-34 for more details), soplease do use these as opportunities to get to know birds, biodiversityand people in your area.

Highlights of this issue include a focus on our Cape Clear BirdObservatory, which is now back up and running with visitors makingthe most of ‘the Obs’ and the range of activities the island has to offerto birders and non-birders alike. Why not take the trip to beautifulWest Cork and visit it for yourself? The island reaches out into theAtlantic at the southernmost tip of Ireland.

You will see in these pages that we are continuing our vital work forthe Curlew, a bird that is facing extinction here in Ireland as a breedingspecies, with fewer than 150 pairs remaining. Without immediatefocused efforts and proper commitment from the Government we arealmost certain to lose this as an Irish breeding species. We also reportabout the plight of breeding waders more generally, putting an evengreater emphasis on the need for action both on the ground and inhow we implement agricultural policy in Ireland.

Our seabirds seem to have taken a hit this year – it’s been a toughseason at most of the east coast colonies monitored by BirdWatchIreland. While the nesting totals were broadly on a par with previousyears, the proportions of chicks surviving has been incredibly low; itseems that poor food supply may have been the main reason.

Our work on keeping up to date with the governance needs ofcharities is ongoing, and you’ll see in this issue that we will have anEGM in September to formally update our Memorandum and Articlesof Association to bring them into line with the Charities Act and bestpractice in this area. Details of these proposed changes werepresented at our recent AGM and are provided on page 35.

Finally, on ‘Brexit,’ the UK referendum on membership of the EU, we have formed strong collaborations over many years and workextremely closely with our partners in the UK, and in Northern Irelandin particular, on many levels. While this should not change, we expectthere may be an impact on the environment across these islands,

Birdwatchers approaching Lough Errul on Cape Clear Island, Co Cork.Cape is a great place for short breaks, particularly for walking, wildlifewatching and outdoor pursuits. Visitors can stay at our Cape Clear BirdObservatory, which is open for business again (see pages 20-21).

4 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

I am deeply honoured to be taking on the four-year term asChairperson of BirdWatch Ireland. My earliest introduction to theorganisation was when I became interested in birds in primary school,and I clearly remember the infectious enthusiasm of great characterssuch as Major Robin Ruttledge on my first branch outings.

I would like to thank those who supported my nomination, and Iwould also like to express sincere thanks to outgoing Chairperson,Kieran O’Byrne, who led the organisation through what wasundoubtedly the most difficult and challenging period in its history.Thanks are due also to outgoing Board member Seamus Bridgeman,who I am sure will continue his work as a dedicated volunteer.

At our recent AGM we welcomed Tony Culley, John Lynch andStephen Wilson to the Board; together they bring a strong mix ofmanagement, insurance, accounting and environmental skills. They joinexisting Board members Jim Dowdall, David Fay and Brian Lavery,whose environmental, auditing and technology expertise has proveninvaluable. Together, we have an excellent mix of skills to oversee therunning of the organisation. The 2015 Annual Accounts, together witha full detailed breakdown of Governance Costs, are now available onour website.

Our priority as a Board is to work with our Interim CEO, DeclanO’Sullivan, to continue to build and maintain solid foundations for the

future growth and development of the organisation. In addition, toensure that we continue to maintain the highest standards, the Boardwill work towards fully implementing the Governance Code: a Code ofPractice for Good Governance of Community, Voluntary andCharitable Organisations in Ireland. I was delighted that membersvoted unanimously at our recent AGM to take the first steps towardsthis goal by proceeding with the update of our Memorandum andArticles of Association in line with current best practice, and I lookforward to members adopting the revised document at the upcomingEGM at BirdWatch Ireland headquarters in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, onWednesday, September 20th.

Over the years, I have seen that our greatest asset is our members:you bring such enthusiasm and vitality to our many local branchesaround the country. Your ongoing support as volunteers and throughyour membership is vital in helping BirdWatch Ireland to support ahuge range of terrific projects.

I very much look forward to meeting you and to visiting as manybranches as possible over the course of my tenure.

Good birding!

Gerry LyonsChairperson, BirdWatch Ireland

Our greatest asset is our members

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5

Letters

My photo isn’t the clearest (phones aren’tgreat for long-distance shots), but is it possiblethat they are Little Egrets?

GAVIN CULLEN(via Facebook)

Dear Gavin, –You are correct: those are indeedLittle Egrets. In Dublin, Booterstown Marsh hasbecome quite a reliable spot for them in recentyears, as has Bull Island, and the species nowbreeds in the city, in St Anne’s Park betweenClontarf and Raheny. They have also become anincreasingly common sight at many otherwetland locations around the country, especiallyalong the south coast. – Niall Hatch

About ‘Rare Bird News’Sir, – I would like to congratulate BirdWatchIreland on Wings, which always has manyinteresting articles, but there is one aspectwhich I think could be improved: the Rare BirdNews section. The most recent issue [No 81,Spring 2016] left out some rarities seen in County Waterford, where I do most of mybirdwatching. For example, there was nomention of a flock of five Spoonbills present inDungarvan last winter, or of two Water Pipitsseen in the county, including one long-stayingbird which was coming into breeding plumage.

The report also stated that “up to 20Glossy Ibises were noted visiting several sitesin Co Cork. Smaller numbers were recordedin Co Waterford.” In fact, 14 was the biggestflock seen in Cork and that was probably partof the flock of 19-20 previously seen inTramore, Co Waterford.

I hope this interesting column can be moreaccurate in future.

ÉAMONN MacLOCHLAINNCarrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford

Dear Éamonn, – Many thanks for your kindwords and your feedback regarding Rare BirdNews. We regret the omissions. An official (andmore comprehensive) list of rare bird sightings ispublished annually in the Irish Bird Report. –Niall Hatch

Email: nhatch@birdwatchireland.iePost: BirdWatch Ireland, Unit 20, Block D, Bullford Business Campus, Kilcoole, Co WicklowNote: Please provide your name and postal address at end of letter. Letters may be edited or cut.Publication does not imply endorsement; the views expressed in any letters published on this pageare not necessarily those of BirdWatch Ireland.

Meadow PipitSir, – Can you identify this bird for me [seephoto, above]?

SUZANNE BEHAN(via Facebook)

Dear Suzanne, – Great photo! The bird is aMeadow Pipit, a close relative of the wagtails. It’sone of Ireland’s most common bird species and isfound throughout the country; it favours bogs andunimproved grasslands. – Niall Hatch

Leucistic RobinSir, – I’m sending you photos of a bird that hasbeen visiting my garden [see photos, above]. To us he seems like a partial albino Robin. He appeared last summer and then was goneuntil recently. We had hoped he wasn’t killedby a cat. When he disappeared the usualgarden Robins came around, but they havefinished nesting and moved off and this littleguy is back. He seems a loner or may have amate hidden.

JOAN MOOREGrange, Co. Cork

Dear Joan, – It’s a Robin alright, and there isindeed something unusual about its plumage. Itcannot be a partial albino: a creature is eitheralbino (lacking all pigment) or it’s not. It is,however, what is referred to as a leucisticindividual, which means that it is missing some,but not all, pigment.

WINGS AUTUMN 2016

Little Egrets on Booterstown Marsh

GAVIN

CULL

ENIn this particular case, the brown plumage onthe upperparts and wings appears “diluted,”which suggests that this Robin’s body is creatingan abnormally low level of melanin pigments. Thered colouration on the breast appears normal,however, which is what one would expect: whilebirds’ bodies create brown and black pigments,they can’t create red pigments, which insteadcome directly from their diets. – Niall Hatch

We’ve been sent another photo of a leucisticbird, this time by Tom Donoghue in Ferbane, Co Offaly. It’s of a female Blackbird [see photo,above] which this year successfully reared abrood of chicks in Tom’s garden, having pairedwith a normally-coloured male. – Niall Hatch

Troublesome squirrelsSir, – I’ve been having trouble with squirrels atmy bird-feeding station. Any suggestions?

ROBERT MAUKSandymount, Dublin 4

Dear Bob, – I have a very handy suggestion whenit comes to deterring squirrels. If you get hold ofsome hot chilli powder (make sure it is just purechilli powder, with no salt or other ingredientsadded) and dust peanuts, seed, etc, with it beforeputting them in the feeders, it can be veryeffective. The chemical in chilli which causes theburning sensation in the mouth only works onmammals, including squirrels, rats and mice (and,of course, humans). Birds are unable to taste it,and it has no effect on them whatsoever.If a squirrel tries to eat the food, it gets a veryunpleasant surprise, though no harm is caused toit – the pain caused by chilli is due to painreceptors being tricked, not actual physicaldamage. They pretty quickly learn to avoid theoffending feeders, while the birds are none thewiser. – Niall Hatch

Egrets in urban areaSir, – I was on my way to work in Dublin onthe DART recently and photographed threeblindingly white birds at the water’s edge,standing on one of the small islands inBooterstown Marsh [see photo, top right].

Meadow Pipit

SUZANNE BE

HAN

Two views of the leucistic Robin

JOAN M

OORE

A leucistic Blackbird

TOM D

ONOGHUE

By Dick Coombes

Modern-day intensive farminghas not benefited manyspecies, but one exception isthe Woodpigeon. Photo: Dick Coombes

But much of that menu is very seasonal and mortality can be highwhen food is scarce. The bountiful supply of extra food thatmodern arable farmland presents for Woodpigeons – particularlycereals, oilseed rape and winter crops – substantially improvessurvival rates…and so the increase in numbers. Unfortunately,while such intensive monoculture farming does benefit a fewspecies such as Woodpigeon, it is not at all good for many othersor overall biodiversity…but that’s a whole other story!

The Woodpigeon’s lifestyle is a sedentary one, at least in theseislands. Ringed birds in Britain have rarely been recovered morethan five kilometres from the ringing location.

In Europe, too, west of a line from Denmark to Italy, it is alsoresident, but it has an additional massive summer range twice thatsize, stretching to the north and east into Scandinavia and Russia.These birds have to go somewhere in winter and vast numbers doso, to the cork oak woods of the Iberian peninsula. Crossing thePyrenees to get there in the autumn has its hazards, though, aswaiting shooters take a heavy toll on their numbers.

Its taste for cereal grains and cabbage leaves makes theWoodpigeon unpopular with farmers and gardeners and it remainson the quarry list for hunters in Ireland.

However, for many of us, there is something endearing about thisportly, clumsy (have you ever heard one exit an ivy-covered treequietly?) bird with soft pink and blue-grey plumage.

The song, if a little melancholy, is soothing and can be heard latein the season (they can still be on eggs as late as August) and, alongwith the Yellowhammer’s “little bit of bread and no cheese” song, itis one of the iconic late-summer farmland sounds.

An old local name, Wood Quest, still used in parts of Irelandtoday, is thought to derive from the Latin questus, meaning “tolament.”

It is hard to believe that, up to two centuries ago, the Woodpigeonwas a relatively scarce bird in Ireland and almost entirely confined tobroadleaved woodlands. Today, we know it as a common andwidespread inhabitant of parks, gardens, woods and especiallyfarmland.

The Countryside Bird Survey, carried out annually by BirdWatchIreland with around 200 essential volunteers, has foundWoodpigeons present in almost 90% of sample sites surveyed,making it the fifth most widespread breeding birdin the country. Such a dramaticchange in its status is clearly

In August, look for...

WoodpigeonEndearing bird with soothing song

Woodpigeon: portly,clumsy and familiar.Photo: Darragh Owens

Woodpigeons survive ona rich and varied diet ofnaturally occurringvegetable matter – clover,seeds, buds, beech mast,haw and ivy berries – andto a lesser extent invert-ebrates such as ants, insectlarvae, small snails andworms.

linked to the increasedavailability of foodthat decades of ever-improving farmingpractices has provided.

Woodpigeon. Notethe curious shape ofits eye pupil – morekeyhole than circular.Photo: Michael Finn

6 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

September is a time of huge change in this part of the world. Themass southward exodus of migrant birds is at its peak and, whilemost of them keep on course and hit their targets, a few, especiallyfirst-timer juveniles, end up in places they don’t mean to be. Inmany cases, those are the ones of particular interest to birders. So,at this time of year, the sight of a lone tern zigzagging lazily across alake or coastal lagoon, dipping to the water surface everynow and then (but not diving into it), shouldimmediately start alarm bells ringing. There is everylikelihood it is a marsh tern.

There are three species of marsh tern –Whiskered, Black and White-winged Black.They differ from the more familiar sea ternsin being more compact, shorter-tailed andbroader-winged. And because they feedlargely on insects, both in the air and offthe water, their swooping, leisurely feedingaction makes them quite distinctive.

All three can turn up in autumn, BlackTern being the most regularly occurring, andWhiskered the rarest. White-winged BlackTern is rare, but in some years two or threegrace our shores, well off-track from theirbreeding grounds in Hungary, Bulgaria andbeyond.

In autumn, most will be juveniles, and Black andWhite-winged Black Terns look pretty similar, both showingdusky grey upperparts and a neat black skullcap. But White-wingedhas a darker saddle (back), white rump, a whiter forehead and lacksa dark patch on the neck side.

There have been some ninety Irish records to date, more thanhalf of them in the last thirty years, so sightings are increasing. Somehave been long-stayers, so when news is out, a journey to see thisdainty little gem will be well rewarded.

In September, look for...

White-winged Black Tern

Once upon a time, Red Kites were widespread and quite commonthroughout Britain and perhaps similarly so in Ireland too. Sixteenth-centuryaccounts note large flocks scavenging offal in the streets of London (andother cities), where they were protected by royal statute because of theirvalue as refuse collectors. This benign relationship with humans was not tolast, however. Improved sanitation meant less food and the last pair bred in

the capital city in 1777. Gamekeepers across these islands regardedthe Red Kite as vermin, and brutal persecution in the 1800s led

to its extinction in Ireland and most of Britain too.By 1903, with just five pairs clinging on in Wales, theBritish Red Kite was all but extinct. But rescue camejust in time and stringent protection slowly broughtthe Welsh population back from the brink. Irish bird-watchers will recall that if you wanted to see RedKites in the 1970s and ‘80s, a trip to the scenicvalleys of central Wales was your best bet. Howtimes have changed!

Protection was working, but recovery was slow. So to help the process, re-introductionprogrammes commenced in England and Scotlandusing young birds from Spain and Sweden.

Meanwhile, in Ireland, the Red Kite had long been justa rare, occasional visitor. Until, that is, the Golden Eagle

Trust and National Parks and Wildlife Service brought in160 chicks from Welsh nests and released them in Co

Wicklow and Co Dublin between 2007 and 2011.It was a success story, though not without setbacks – many were

shot and poisoned. But the Red Kite is now firmly established as part of ourbreeding avifauna. Purists may have difficulty accepting them as “wild,” buttime will no doubt mellow this view. Driving through Wicklow today,enjoying the sight of these elegant raptors soaring on the skyline, you wouldbe forgiven for thinking they had never left us. One excellent spot isWoodenbridge, in the Vale of Avoca, where pre-roost gatherings can reachdouble figures from mid-afternoon.

Zigzagging across lake or lagoon

In October, look for...

Red KiteSoaring on the Wicklow skyline

Red Kite: Officially ‘Blue White A7,’ itwas released in north Co Dublin but isnow breeding in Co Wicklow. Photo:Marc Ruddock (Golden Eagle Trust)

White-winged BlackTern (juvenile). Photo: Dick Coombes

White-winged Black TernPhoto:

Dick Coombes

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 7

BirdWatch Ireland recently hosted a trainingsession for Irish conservation charities on theimplementation of Article 6(4) of the HabitatsDirective. This section of the law allows forthe possibility for project developers todestroy internationally important and EUprotected habitats if they fall under ImperativeReasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI).Developers must, under the same article,compensate for this habitat loss and ensurecoherence of the Natura 2000 network.

The training was commissioned by TheEnvironmental Pillar’s Environmental Law

NGOs updated on key planning matterImplementation Group (ELIG) and wasdelivered by Andrew Dodd, Head ofCasework at the RSPB.

The training was well attended and wellreceived and comes at an important time asArticle 6(4) may be implemented for thefirst time in Ireland this year. Ireland has nothad a development proposal whichwarranted this type of compensation before.

An important consideration in Article6(4) is what is considered in the publicinterest and can it override the destructionof habitat which could be lost forever.

CÓILÍN

MacLO

CHLA

INN

Can “Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest” (IROPI) be used to damage protected areas?

Broad support for EU laws protecting birds and habitats

8 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

The Birds and Habitats Directives have been subjectedto a Fitness Check evaluation by the EuropeanCommission. On July 5th 2016 the EuropeanCommission finally released the consultants’ reportafter the World Wildlife Fund for Nature filed an ‘officialaccess to document request.’ The consultants havefound the Directives to be fit for purpose and state that‘the balance of evidence suggests that updates at thisstage would generate uncertainty and be counter-productive in both nature conservation and economicterms.’

They also state that better implementation is neededand measures should mirror the numerous examples ofcost-effective implementation, developed over manyyears of experience, which demonstrate that, whenimplemented well, the Directives provide an efficientframework.

However, despite this news, rumours abound thatthere is high-level lobbying going on to weaken theDirectives even at this stage. BirdWatch Ireland calls onthe Commission to finalise the Fitness Check, to listento the support it has received for the Directives andfocus on better implementation as soon as possible.

Broad support for better implementation of theBirds and Habitats Directives includes:

• 520,235 people (including 8,000 Irish people) have said in thepublic consultation – ‘Save our Nature Laws (And Make Sure TheyWork Properly’ (2015)

• 11,700 people sent a message to the EU decision makers thatThe Nature Laws are Fit for Purpose (2016)

• 592, an overwhelming majority of all 751 MEPs, voted for betterimplementation of these laws under the EU Biodiversity Strategy(2016)

• 312 European SMEs sign the Declaration of Support for theselaws (2016)

• 9 Environment Ministers who wrote to Vice-PresidentTimmermans and Commissioner Vella calling for the Birds andHabitats Directives to be protected (2015)

• The Environment Committee in the European Parliament(December 2015) when it voted against changes to the EU NatureDirectives and for better implementation

• The European Council (December 2015) when it agreed on theneed to implement nature laws instead of revising them.

The Birds and Habitats Directives are fit for purpose…but better implementation is critical

Newsnatio

nal

A group of hikers about to undertake mountain skills training in the Wicklow MountainsSPA and SAC and calling for better implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives.

Oak woodland, Co Wexford

Irish business shows support for EU nature laws

its longest yet with 37 species of regularly occurring birds listed andanother 91 on the Amber list. Ireland’s wild bee are especiallythreatened.

In order to protect the habitats, species, livelihoods and jobs whichdepend on them, we must get serious about the framework fornature protection which includes enforcement and betterimplementation of our EU and national nature laws.

PLEASE JOIN THE LIST If your business would like to jointhe list of supporters of the EU nature laws, please contact OonaghDuggan, Policy Officer: oduggan@birdwatchireland.ie. (The full listof businesses is on our website.)

Twenty-five Irish small and medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs) were among 312European SMEs that recently signed up to aDeclaration of Support for the Birds andHabitats Directives. The SMEs want betterinvestment in nature conservation in orderto maintain their natural capital. They call onthe Commission to protect their livelihoodsby implementing better our nature laws andnot undermining them. In order to ensurecertainty for business including Irish SMEs,the move to better implementation of theDirectives could not come quickly enough.

The Directives are the cornerstone ofEuropean nature protection laws and arecritically important to these businesses whodepend on a thriving environment for theirlivelihoods.

The Irish businesses which declared theirsupport for the Directives include serviceproviders in the areas of tourism, health and wellbeing, agriculture,ecological consultancy and education. These businesses are mainlylocated in rural areas from the different corners of Ireland and rely ona thriving, attractive environment with abundant nature for theirbusinesses. They state in the Declaration that, “Our good businessrelies on good nature protection, including nature protected by EUlaw. Stable, effective and predictable legislation is important for us.”

The Irish countryside is marketed through various governmentprogrammes as ‘green’, ‘untouched’ and ‘sustainable.’ However, theindicators of a healthy environment do not match this rhetoric. Over90% of our internationally important habitats have ‘bad’ or ‘inadequate’status. The Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland is at

Jim Kennedy (on left), of Atlantic Sea Kayaking, supports EU nature laws because, he says, “healthyecosystems and abundant nature help our business.”

Newsnatio

nal

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 9

We are also delighted to report that furthersurveys at a selection of heritage sites arebeing undertaken this year on behalf of theOffice of Public Works.

Ricky Whelan, who is part of the Swiftproject team, said, “We are assessing four newsites for Swift nesting activity, namely AthenryCastle in Co Galway; Emo Court in Co Laois;Ennis Friary in Co Clare; and Trim Castle inCo Meath.”

Last year, surveys were carried out at fivesites, namely: Kilmainham Jail in Dublin;Kilkenny Castle in Kilkenny; Portumna Castleand Gardens, Co Galway; Clonmacnoise, CoOffaly; and Roscrea Castle, Co Tipperary.

With the new mapping tool all Swift recordsfrom observers nationwide will appear on asingle map, including those records gatheredsince 2013 by the Dublin City Urban BirdsProject, supported by Dublin City Council.

Please take a look at the mapping tooland please continue to send us your Swiftsightings at http://arcg.is/29uOeJC.

With the help of funding from the HeritageCouncil, BirdWatch Ireland has launched an online mapping tool to record Swift nest-site locations and sightings around thecountry.

The mapping tool allows users to log theirSwift nest locations and sightings directly ontoan interactive map and to view other mappedrecords. Your records will allow BirdWatchIreland to make more informed decisions onSwift management planning and policynationally.

“Only by knowing where Swifts are nestingcan we play a role in protecting their nestingsites,” said BirdWatch Ireland Project OfficerBrian Caffrey. “Better integration of thisinformation in national heritage and planningdatabases, for example, will inform relevantplanning authorities and will help the long-term survival of the species in Ireland.”

Online map will show all Swift sightingsHelp Ireland’s Swifts by mapping your summer sightings on our new online mapping tool

Swift. Photograph: Stefan Berndtsson

10 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

natio

nal

News

Blacksod Bay, at the south end of the Mullet peninsula in Co Mayo, isa very important wintering area for divers, scoters and grebes. Thiswas revealed by a detailed study commissioned by the National Parksand Wildlife Service (NPWS) last winter.

A large and sheltered bay, Blacksod was already recognised asinternationally important based on the waterbirds it supports,particularly in winter. But counts of birds occurring in the deeperareas furthest from the land-based vantage points had been verylimited as they relied on calm seas.

The NPWS achieved reliable counts of these open-water areas bysurveying on days when sea conditions were especially calm. Thecounts were organised by BirdWatch Ireland’s Reserves Manager,Dave Suddaby, who censuses this bay regularly for I-WeBS, our annualwinter wetlands bird survey.

“Selecting calm days at an exposed west-coast site like this ischallenging given the prevailing weather conditions,” said Dave. “Butwe managed to find some calm days and to complete the counts.”

The exceptional string of storms that hit the west coast last wintermade coordination of the survey difficult, but it may have increasedthe number of birds seeking shelter in the bay. Some key species andtheir estimated populations were: Great Northern Diver (230),Slavonian Grebe (32) and Common Scoter (3,500).

“I was pleasantly surprised to find the bay supporting such largenumbers, all significant in a national context. Thirty-two SlavonianGrebes? A local record,” said Dave.

The counts also indicated that the bay was an important stagingarea, particularly for northward-bound divers in spring.

Important seabird numbers found in Mayo bayCounts record exceptionally high numbers of Common Scoters, Great Northern Divers and Slavonian Grebes

Great Northern Divers fishing in the surf. Photo: Richard T Mills

Greenshanks coming in to land. Photo: Richard T Mills

The recommended dates for the 2016/17 I-WeBS count season are presented belowand were chosen based on tidal conditions. If the suggested weekend is not workable,please select the next most appropriate dateand try to coordinate with any nearby sites,where relevant. If you have any queries,

please contact us at iwebs@birdwatchireland.ie.I-WeBS counters will soon receive their newsletter and any

additional information about the season ahead.

I-WeBS count dates

East Coast & South & West Inland Counties Coast Counties

Weekend High Weekend HighTide Tide

(Sunday) (Sunday) Dublin* Cork**

Sep 17th-18th 13:23 24th-25th 13:29 Oct 15th-16th 12:15 22nd-23rd 11:48 Nov 5th-6th 15:35 12th-13th 16:10 Dec 3rd-4th 14:23 10th-11th 14:55 Jan 14th-15th 13:32 21st-22nd 13:10 Feb 11th-12th 12:31 18th-19th 11:02 Mar 11th-12th 11:32 18th-19th 09:27

*Based on the high-tide time predicted for the North Wall, Dublin.**Based on the high-tide time predicted for Cobh, Cork Harbour.

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 11

The annual International Wader Study Group Conferencecomes to Ireland this year. It will be held at Trabolgan HolidayVillage on the edge of Cork Harbour between the 9th and 12th

of September 2016.This international conference brings together wader

scientists, policy-makers and anyone interested in waders andtheir conservation, to discuss and disseminate information andideas. The conference is being organised by BirdWatch Irelandand is kindly sponsored by the EPA, with support from FáilteIreland.

The weekend programme promises a suite of interestingtalks, poster sessions and an afternoon excursion. Twoexcursions are being organised with support from our localbranches in Cork. One will be led by Cork Branch membersand will visit areas around Cork Harbour, while the West CorkBranch will lead an excursion to Courtmacsherry Bay.

A workshop on Monday morning will focus on identifyingpotential impacts of rising sea levels on wader populations andtheir habitats, and on finding some solutions.

The confernce is open to all. Further details can be foundat www.waderstudygroup.org/conferences.

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Ireland to host international bird conferenceBirdWatch Ireland is organising the International Wader Study Group Conference in Cork this September

Bar-tailed Godwit(amongst Black-tailedGodwits). Photo:Richard T Mills

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12 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

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News

The 2016 breeding season saw BirdWatchIreland conduct its most extensive ternsurvey, tern wardening and tern colonymanagement efforts to date.

The programme of work by BirdWatchIreland at Ireland’s east coast tern coloniesreceived help and support from the LouthNature Trust and the National Parks andWildlife Service. Efforts at Dalkey andRockabill were increased thanks to additionalsupport from the Roseate Tern LIFE Project.

In addition, BirdWatch Ireland is leading onan NPWS-funded census of marine islands,which will help us to update our tern totalsnationwide – the last full census took place in1995.

* * * * * * *

Rockabill (Co Dublin) Record-breakingnumbers of terns nested here once again,with an incredible 1,556 pairs of RoseateTerns, 2,029 pairs of Common Terns andabout 60 pairs of Arctic Terns. Thechangeable wet weather in the last twoweeks of June took its toll, and

many downy young died over a short periodof time. For updates from this colony see theRockabill terns project blog atrockabillterns.blogspot.ie.

Kilcoole (Co Wicklow)110 Little Tern nests were

located this year. Foxes werepresent and unfortunately

they took many terneggs and chicksoutside the electric-

fenced area. However, as of July 4th, wealready had 25-30 fledglings. Further details atlittleternconservation.blogspot.ie.

Baltray (Co Louth) In most years this is athriving Little Tern colony situated on thenorth side of the Boyne estuary. This year, thepeak count of adult Little Terns was only 19individuals, and despite having two largefenced areas on the beach prepared forthem, none chose to nest.

Dublin Port As of July 4th, at least 526pairs of mainly Common Terns (with 5-10pairs of Arctic Terns) had laid eggs.Traditionally, the Dublin Port terns havenested on two ship-mooring structures on the southside of the River Liffey. The conditionof the principal structure haddeteriorated dramatically in the lastcouple of winters and new floating

pontoons were deployed nearby and in theTolka estuary to provide alternative nestinghabitat.

Unfortunately, nests laid on the Tolkapontoon were heavily preyed upon by largegulls. But many chicks hatched safely on theLiffey pontoon and, as of July 4th, weredeveloping well. Further details atdublinbaybirds.blogspot.ie.

Dalkey Island (Co Dublin) By themiddle of June, 105 nests (of mostly ArcticTerns) had been located, the majority ofthem on Lamb Island, adjoining the mainisland. In mid-July a pair of Roseate Ternslaid an egg in one of the boxes on MaidenRock. This is still being incubated at time ofgoing to press.

* * * * * * *

“It’s been a mixed season for our terns thisyear,” said Stephen Newton, who leads onBirdWatch Ireland’s seabird work. “We areconcerned that despite the record nestingattempts at many of the colonies, theoverall breeding success will be poor.”

He is particularly concerned about theeast coast Little Terns. “We cannot tell forcertain, but with none nesting at Baltraythis year, and apparently low numbers –around 50 pairs – in Wexford Harbour, theeast coast population looks as though it hasredistributed or that many pairs have takena ‘year out.’ Perhaps this indicates a scarcityof food.”

Some of the Roseate Terns and Common Terns on Rockabill earlier this year. Photo: Brian Burke

Roseate Terns at Rockabill have another good yearAnother record year for the Roseate Tern colony at Rockabill but Little Terns fare poorly along the east coast

Common Ternon Rockabillthis year.Photo:Brian Burke

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BirdWatch Ireland continues to work againstproposed changes to laws governinghedgecutting, scrub removal and uplandburning.

The Minister with responsibility for natureprotection, Heather Humphreys TD, intendsto progress the Heritage Bill 2016 whichincludes regressive changes to the dates forhedgecutting and burning in the uplands byproviding an additional month for burningactivities in March and hedgecutting in

August.The current open season for cutting and

burning provides six months of the year forthese activities. The proposed changes willnegatively impact on wildlife includingbreeding birds, pollinators, butterflies andmammals which use hedgerows for feedingand shelter.

This Bill was initiated in the Seanad earlyin 2016 but did not make it through theOireachtas as the Dáil was dissolved in

advance of the General Election.To date, no scientific rationale has been

presented as the basis for the changes.BirdWatch Ireland has urged the Minister tocommission research on Irish egg layingdates before any changes are made but theMinister has decided to make the changesfirst on a pilot basis, no details of which havebeen made public. We will keep youinformed of the status of this Bill over thecoming months.

• Please sign the online petitionlaunched in January 2016 which hasreceived over 18,400 signatures andgrowing. The link can be found on ourwebsite or at http://bit.ly/1PsLNYQ.

•Please write to Minister HumphreysAND to your local TDs using some of thekey points opposite and your own feelingson this subject.

Contact details for MinisterHumphreys:Minister Heather Humphreys, T.D.,Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs,23 Kildare StreetDublin 2D02 TD30Email Addresses:ministers.office@ahg.gov.ieand heather.humphreys@oir.ie

Key points to mention

•We do not want to see anyextension to the dates for hedgecuttingand burning. In fact, the closed seasonfor hedgecutting should be extended toSeptember 15th in key areas to protectnesting Yellowhammers.

• Derogations to allow forhedgecutting by County Councils forroad safety are already provided forwithin the Wildlife Act – no additionalmeasures are necessary.

•The voices of many rural dwellerswho care about nature are not beingheard. As the Minister charged with theprotection of nature, please ensure thatbirds and other wildlife and theirhabitats are protected.

Our hedgerow and upland birds need your helpProposed changes to Section 40 of the Wildlife Act pose serious threat to birds in the countryside

You can help

Cleared scrub vegetationat field edge.

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Red Grouse. Photograph: John Fox

14 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

SPECIES FOCUSSPECIES FOCUS

Dick Coombes and Olivia Crowe report on a westward shift in Willow Warbler abundance.

Willow WarblerPhoto: Michael FinnWillow Warbler

Cetti’s Warbler, Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Serin, ZittingCisticola…these are just some ofthe species that the pioneeringClimatic Atlas of European Breeding

Birds, published in 2007, predicted will havebecome regular breeding species in Irelandby the end of the 21st century, if not sooner.Indeed, Cetti’s Warbler is already turning upin suitable habitat, e.g. in our East CoastNature Reserve in Newcastle, Co Wicklow,where we hope it will eventually breed.

But we do not have to wait for thesespecies to colonise to see changes here.Already, apparently climate change-drivenshifts in range are being exhibited by severalof our most common and regularlyoccurring summer migrants. One speciesdemonstrating these shifts well is WillowWarbler.

The Willow Warbler is arguably as good asymbol of summer as the Swallow. WillowWarblers winter throughout Africa south ofthe Sahara. Spring migration takes themnorth to fill a vast summer range stretchingacross the northern regions of Europe andAsia – from the Aran Islands to easternSiberia.

They begin arriving in Ireland at the startof April and, within days of the firststragglers being seen, Willow Warblers pourinto the country in a massive surge, manymaking first landfall along the south and eastcoasts.

At migration hotspots such as GreatSaltee Island in Co Wexford, as many as 200typically make a temporary stopover for justone day before pushing on northwards. On

one spring day, a staggering 2,000 wererecorded on this small island.

This little olive-green bird with its plainplumage and unobtrusive habits would beoverlooked easily but for its charismaticsong. Few countryside sounds evoke a senseof summer more eloquently than the songof the Willow Warbler – a whispered seriesof notes tumbling down the scale, describedonce as a “silvery cadence,” eventuallypetering out as if out of breath. The perfectwarbler!

The colloquial Irish name, Sally Picker,nicely depicts the bird’s dainty feeding actionas it plucks insects from the underside ofleaves; it also makes the association betweenthe bird and willow trees, sally being acommon name for willow in Ireland.

Of course, Willow Warblers are not justfound in their namesake tree species – theyare at home wherever pioneer-growth treesand bushes flourish. Birch and alder grovesare much favoured, especially whenassociated with water or with damp andheavily vegetated ground. Even youngconifer plantations provide suitable nestinghabitat for about fifteen years, until theygrow too tall and dense.

Our second-most widespread andnumerous summer migrant (after Swallow),this small warbler is even more commonand widely distributed than Great Tit: itoccurs in almost every 10-km square of thenational grids across Britain and Ireland.

The Irish population has around 1.7million territories – that is the estimatednumber of singing males. They are literallyeverywhere during the summer months.

FactfileNamesCommon name:Willow WarblerScientific name: Phylloscopus trochilusIrish name: Ceolaire SailíLocal name: Sally Picker

OccurrenceSummer migrant wintering in Africasouth of the Sahara. It breeds widelyacross Europe, Russia and Siberia.

Confusion speciesVery similar-looking to, and a closerelative of, the Chiffchaff. Chiffchaffs donot winter as far south and thus have ashorter distance to migrate, typicallyarriving two weeks earlier in spring.

Separating the two can be tricky. TheWillow’s paler legs and longer wings area help, but singing males present noproblem as their songs are completelydifferent, the Chiffchaff ’s being instantlyrecognisable: “chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff.”

Population size and statusEvery summer, an estimated 1.7 millionterritories are established by singingmale Willow Warblers in Ireland, andthe population is increasing. AcrossEurope, there are 56-100 millionterritories, but the overall population isdeclining.

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 15

The maps from Bird Atlas 2007-2011show that the Willow Warbler’s distributionat 10-km level has changed very little inIreland since the previous two Atlases, 20and 40 years ago respectively, but theirnumbers have increased.

Our annual Countryside Bird Survey hasshown they are doing very well and therehas been a significant increase since 2003.

A very different picture is beginning toemerge in England, especially in the southand east, where a serious decline is apparentfrom both the UK’s annual Breeding BirdSurvey results (from select sites) and the all-encompassing 2007-2011 Bird Atlas.

That the patterns of change in WillowWarbler distribution are not consistentacross Britain and Ireland first came to lightback in 2010, when a study by CaitrionaMorrison from the University of East Angliademonstrated that the population trends

were following a gradient from sharpdeclines in the south and east of England toshallow declines or slight increases in partsof the north and west of England, Scotlandand Ireland.

Marked shift in abundanceLater on, the 2007-2011 Bird Atlas mapswould illustrate these findings quite well,showing the declines in relative abundancein the southeast (England) contrasting withincreases in the northwest (Ireland andScotland) – in other words, a shift inabundance from the southeast to thenorthwest.

This pattern of change, which is alsoevident for many other sub-Saharanmigrants, has us all a little perplexed.Morrison and her colleagues have suggestedthat changing climatic conditions and habitat

change are responsible.The global populations of most of our

sub-Saharan migrants, including WillowWarbler, are declining. It is probable thatunfavourable conditions on the winteringgrounds are driving this overall downwardtrend.

The research on Willow Warbler suggeststhat the breeding conditions in Scotland(and perhaps also Ireland) are now perhapsbetter than in England, and are masking theimpacts of the overall population declineacross Europe.

The picture is further complicated byevidence that Willow Warblers breeding innorthern Britain come from different non-breeding or wintering locations tothose breeding in southeastern Britain. There may well be some variation in theresource availability in their wintering areaswhich is causing the differences in trends.

1998

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Willow Warbler. Photo: Carl Morrow

Willow Warbler has shown a significant increase in abundance over the course of ourCountryside Bird Survey (years 1998 to 2014 shown here).

Willow Warbler relative breeding abundance, 2008-11. Note thehigher densities in Ireland and north-west Britain relative to thesouth-east. Source: Bird Atlas 2007-11, courtesy of BTO.

High

Low

Willow WarblerPhoto: PJ Wall

16 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

Good news for endangeredMaltese seabirds! The nationalgovernment of Malta has given theMediterranean island state its firsteight marine Special ProtectionAreas (SPAs) specifically for birds.Now that these sites have beendesignated, Malta will also befulfilling its obligation ofimplementing the EU BirdsDirective.

The eight SPAs now form part ofthe EU-wide Natura 2000network, which is essential for theprotection and long-term survivalof Europe’s natural heritage on landand at sea. They will improve theconservation of all three protectedand declining seabird species inMalta: the Yelkouan Shearwater,Scopoli’s Shearwater andEuropean Storm-petrel. This is of

global importance as Malta is hometo 10% of the world’s YelkouanShearwaters, 3% of Scopoli’sShearwaters and 50% of EuropeanStorm-petrels of the Mediterraneansubspecies.

The inventory of these sites wascreated by BirdLife Malta incollaboration with the RSPB, thePortuguese Society for the Study ofBirds (SPEA, BirdLife in Portugal)

and Malta’s Ministry for SustainableDevelopment, Environment andClimate Change through the LIFE+Malta Seabird Project, which cameto a successful end in June. Overthe project’s lifespan (2011-2016)BirdLife Malta identified the mostimportant sites for seabirds at seaand proposed that they be legallyprotected and managed as SPAs. –Sanya Khetani-Shah

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Cull threat to Norway’s Golden Eagles

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Golden Eagle

Malta’s first marine Special Protection Areas announced

collected by volunteers andcitizen scientists across thecontinent. Despite its alarmingfindings, the report demonstrateshow the power of many can helpus understand conservationneeds and drive positive change.

Three BirdLife Partners, BirdStudies Canada, Nature Canadaand the Audubon Society, wereamong the North American BirdConservation Initiative partnerswho collaborated on the newreport. – Irene Lorenzo

Report shows alarming state of North American bird populationsSince the 1970s, millions of NorthAmerican birds have disappearedand a third of bird species are nowof high regional conservationconcern, a new report hasrevealed.

Until now, the vulnerability scoreof over a thousand native NorthAmerican bird species wasincomplete. The new report, TheState of North America’s Birds, is thefirst assessment of its kind. Itreveals that of the 1,154 nativebird species that occur in NorthAmerica, one-third require urgentconservation action. The species inneed of most urgent action arethose that depend on oceans andtropical forests.

The most regionally endangeredgroup are seabirds – more thanhalf of them are of highconservation concern and affectedby a mix of pollution, overfishing,

impacts from energy extraction,predation by invasive species onislands and climate change.

The situation is not much betterfor tropical birds. Many of Canada’smigratory songbirds winter inMexico’s tropical forests and makea stopover in the US, which is whythe impact of deforestation inMexico has such a huge impactthroughout the continent.

Grassland birds such as LesserPrairie-Chicken are facing some ofthe steepest regional declines ofany group. In recent years, the vastprairies of North America havemostly been turned intoagricultural land or developed.Only a few islands of original landremain, making it very difficult forwildlife to survive.

The report was put together bythe North American ConservationInitiative and was built using data

Greater Sage Grouse: a species of high conservation concern in the US

The Norwegian Parliament has approved apilot project and requested a change inlegislation that will make it easier to cullGolden Eagles in two separate areas inNorway. This could result in more than 200Golden Eagles being killed.

BirdLife Norway says this is a result ofpressure from sheep and reindeer farmers,who believe a reduction in the number ofeagles will lead to a drop in the birds killingtheir livestock. Norwegian law has protectedthe eagles and other birds of prey since 1968.Norsk Ornitologisk Forening (NOF,

BirdLife in Norway) considers the idea thatreindeer are killed by Golden Eagles to beunfounded and it risks setting a precedent thatother Nordic and European countries might

follow. NOF believes the proposal is unlikelyto result in a reduction in livestock losses.

“Shooting Golden Eagles is unheard of inEurope,” said Kjetil Solbakken, CEO of NOF.“The removal of Golden Eagles that haven’tcaused any damage will almost certainly placeNorway in the international Hall of Shame.”

Norway’s own Environment Agency doesnot support the weakening of the protectionsfor Golden Eagles.

NOF believes that the move to loosen thelaw protecting Golden Eagles is based onflawed and misinterpreted science and will beseen as a dangerous wedge in speciesprotection, and a door to an open season on aprotected species that sets a terribleprecedent. – Christopher Sands

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 17

Caatinga and riparian forests.Spix’s Macaw is being bred in

captivity for future reintroductionto the wild; this year there were19 chicks hatched by this project.

The people of Curaçá areextremely proud of the Spix’sMacaw. It is a symbol of their

town, and they are aware of itsimportance, thanks in part totwo years of community workfrom SAVE Brasil. “There’s hopeagain,” said SAVE Brasil CEO,Pedro Develey. “The people hereare really committed to thereintroduction.” – Shaun Hurrell

A Spix’s Macaw has been seen inCuraçá, a small town in theCaatinga area of Bahia, Brazil. TheSpix’s Macaw is criticallyendangered, primarily as a result oftrapping for trade combined withhabitat loss, and it had not beenseen in the wild since 2000.However, 130 Spix’s Macawssurvive as part of a captivebreeding programme.

The bird was first sighted onJune 18th by local farmer NautoSergio de Oliveira. The next day, hisneighbour Lourdes Oliveira andher 16-year-old daughter Damilysgot up before dawn to look for themacaw in Barra Grande creek’sriparian forest. They found it andDamilys managed to film it with hermobile phone.

Lourdes contacted the Societyfor the Conservation of Birds inBrazil (SAVE Brasil, BirdLifePartner), one of the organisationsthat make up Projeto Ararinha na

Natureza (Spix’s Macaw in theWild Project), which aims to bringthe bird back from extinction. Theyconfirmed it was indeed a Spix’sMacaw and Pedro Develey, CEO ofSAVE Brasil, organised anemergency trip to Curaçá to try tolocate the bird. This individual’sorigin is uncertain, however, as itmay have been released fromcaptivity. That said, Spix’s Macawscan live for 20-30 years in the wildand the area is very large, withsome parts difficult to access.

There is no more news of it asyet, but the project’s biologists andlocal residents of Curaçá are nowmobilised and an official projectexpedition is commencing. The factthat a Spix’s Macaw appeared inthe Curaçá area reinforces thenecessity of protecting this site.Since 2014, the Ararinha naNatureza project has been workingto create a 44,000 hectaresprotected area to protect the

Spix’s Macaw reappears in Brazil

Rat boom expected in New ZealandThe Department of Conservationin New Zealand has been allocatedan extra $21 million to help fight anexpected pest population boomcaused by a heavy forest seeding, ormast.

Every autumn, around a milliontonnes of beech seed drops to theforest floor, providing a bonanza fornon-native rats. As rats increase, sodo the number of stoats, anotherinvasive alien species, which feed onrats. Once the seeds germinate, therats and stoats turn on nativewildlife, bringing disaster if nothing isdone. This is the second mast yearin a row and it places whole

populations of endangered speciesat risk from the invasive predators.Previous mast years have led tomassive decreases in populations ofpreviously widespread bird species.

This year, the Department willramp up pest control to covermore than 800,000 hectares ofland. Research from theDepartment’s previous pestcontrol work in 2014-2015showed that breeding successrates in controlled areas were fargreater than in areas with nocontrols. For example, in the firstyear, Rock Wrens raised threetimes more chicks than they did in

untreated areas, and when thebirds bred again a year later theyraised five times more chicks.

Unfortunately, in the budgetannounced recently, the allocation

to the Department ofConservation, which looks afteralmost a third of the land area ofNew Zealand, was cut by around9%. – Mike Britton

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Moved by the plight of their continent’sendangered vultures and what this could meanfor people, African governments gave theirsupport to BirdLife’s vulture campaign at theUnited Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)in Nairobi, Kenya, in May.

This was further cemented by the approval ofa new resolution on wildlife crime and tradethat means African governments can now take

action to prevent the poisoning of vultures.Africa has also raised the stakes in dealing

with wildlife crime and illegal wildlife trade. Ahugely symbolic ivory burning took place inKenya earlier this year, and mounting pressurehas led to a recent commitment by Africangovernments to step up the fight againstelephant and rhinoceros poaching in Africa andillegal wildlife trade internationally.

BirdLife has been working hard to highlightthe plight of vultures and what this could meanfor Africa – but international policy has yet tofully recognise that one poisoned elephantcarcass can kill hundreds of critically endangeredvultures too. In one incident in Namibia in 2013,five hundred vultures were found dead afterfeeding on the poisoned carcass of a poachedelephant. – Shaun Hurrell

African governments commit to preventing poisoning of wildlife

Spix’s Macaw. Photo:Wabra Wildlife Preservation

Rock Wren (female). Photo: Department of Conservation, New Zealand

18

RICHARD T MILLS – “After 45 years as a pressphotographer in Cork, though combining business andpleasure, I am now thoroughly enjoying retirement anddevoting more time to travel and nature photographyexclusively.“The estuary at Timoleague and Courtmacsherry is

one of my favourite places for photographing waders andvarious wildfowl, especially Teal, Wigeon and Shelduck, atclose quarters. When the weather and tides are right itcan be magical, and you don’t even have to get out ofyour car, which makes a great hide, in any case. Sittingclose to a mixed flock of maybe half a dozen or moredifferent species of wader and several ducks is a wonderful experience. For the more energetic, there is anexcellent footpath right on the edge, so you can also walk the entire length of the estuary, from the picturesquevillage of Timoleague with its ancient abbey (see main picture) to the delightful village of ‘Courtmac.’“I would normally use a 500mm lens, sometimes with a tele-converter, for close-ups, but on occasions a much

shorter lens is needed in order to get either a general view of a wader roost, for example, or a flock of godwitscoming in to land. Of course, there is always the possibility of a rarity turning up, such as Spotted Redshank orSpoonbill or, as happened on one occasion, a Long-tailed Duck in the company of a Surf Scoter (see above)!”

A flight of Teal

WINGS AUTUMN 2016

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Surf Scoter (left) and Long-tailed Duck

Greenshank

A Black-tailed Godwit bathing

WINGS AUTUMN 2016

Some Knot coming in to land

Two Snipe, one perfectly reflected in the water

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Shelduck

Teal and some DunlinOystercatcher

20 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

The ferry from Baltimore sailed throughrocky bays and islets as it made its way pastSherkin Island towards Cape Clear. As weapproached the island I watched divingGannets, Grey Seals, Cormorants, Fulmars andBlack Guillemots and heard the chuckling songof Oystercatchers. I was blown away by thequaint port of North Harbour, nestledbetween two great folds of hillside.

The islanders gave me a great welcome andhelped me to settle in and find my wayaround. The island may be only three mileslong and one and a half miles wide, but it takesa lot of discovering.

I’ve been studying wildlife for most of my life.I started with moths and butterflies and thenfound birds and bird ringing. Since then I havebeen involved in bird ringing projects in manyplaces, including Spain, Gambia, South Africaand Singapore, and I’m already ringing on Cape.

I knew that the island was an exciting placefor birds – I had heard of many exotic raritiesincluding a Blue-winged Warbler from NorthAmerica, a major draw for birdwatchers duringits brief stay in 2000 – but Cape Clear has somuch more to offer.

The island has a real magic to it, withbeautiful coastal landscapes, a turquoise sea

It has been pretty much wall-to-wall sunshinehere on the beautiful island of Cape Clear,situated off the Cork coast, since I arrivedhere in May…an amazing start to a wonderfulnew experience, working as Wildlife Officerfor BirdWatch Ireland at the Observatory.

When I arrived on Cape Clear I wascoming from the hustle and bustle ofsoutheast England where I had been headranger at two National Trust estates for sixyears, managing 1,500 acres of habitat forconservation, a hostel and as many as amillion visitors a year. I couldn’t wait to start anew project at a different pace.

Cape Clear Bird Observatory, owned and managed by BirdWatch Ireland, is open for businessagain following major works to upgrade the quays beside it. Our newly appointed Wildlife Officerat the Observatory, Sam Bayley, describes what this very special hostel has to offer visitors.

North end of Cape Clear, viewed from the island ferry. Photograph: Dick Coombes. Inset:Wildlife Officer Sam Bayley at the Observatory door.

Visitors relaxing at the Observatory hostel. Photo: Dick CoombesSome birdwatchers seawatching from Bullig Point during a birdwatching courseat Cape Clear Bird Observatory.

CAPE CLEAR BIRD OBSERVATORYCAPE CLEAR BIRD OBSERVATORY

Over the sea to CapeThe Observatory is open for business again!

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Learn to birdwatch with Dick CoombesBook your place on our September birdwatching course on Cape ClearSpaces are still available on BirdWatch Ireland’s popular “From Seabirds to Songbirds”birdwatching course at Cape Clear Bird Observatory, on Cape Clear Island, Co Cork. Thecourse offers an insight into the world of migrating birds and the joys of sea-watching, deliveredwith enthusiastic good humour by BirdWatch Ireland’s well-known Cape expert, DickCoombes. This year’s course runs from September 5th to 9th and is suitable for birdwatchers ofall levels, including absolute beginners. The price is €195. A place on the course also makes anexcellent gift for any nature enthusiast in your life.

➤ For more information about our September course or about accommodation in CapeClear Bird Observatory, please call BirdWatch Ireland on +353 1 2819 878.

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 21

and narrow, sunken lanes with dry-stone walls,their verges spilling with wild flowers.

My first few weeks were dominated by sealife, especially whales, dolphins and sharks.Whales included breaching Humpbacks andmany Minkes, and I saw up to nine BaskingSharks feeding together in South Harbour.Visitors get some of the best sea-life views onthe ferry crossing.

Short holidaysCape Clear is an ideal destination for aweekend getaway, for peace and quiet in atranquil setting, maybe taking in a few walksor relaxing in the sun with a good book,watching the world go by.

Activities you can enjoy while you are onthe island include kayaking, sea fishing, visitinga goat farm or the heritage centre or, for themore adventurous, boat trips to look forwhales, dolphins and seabirds offshore.

The Observatory, known to many as the‘Obs,’ is located in a quiet spot beside NorthHarbour, within walking distance of the ferry,shop, restaurant and pub.

The accommodation is spacious with alarge shared kitchen and dining area. The CliveHutchinson Library is well stocked withbooks on wildlife and the history of the island.

The Observatory was established in 1959by leading birdwatchers of the day, includingthe late Clive Hutchinson from Cork, whenthey rented a small cottage further up theisland in Lissamona. They moved the Obs toits present, better located home in 1963,purchasing the Harbour House (as it wascalled) outright. Their amazing finds quicklyput Cape Clear on the birdwatching map anddrew legions of visitors.

The role of the observatoryCape Clear Bird Observatory welcomes birdand nature lovers of all kinds, from absolutebeginners to the most advanced. It provideshostel-type accommodation in a housesteeped in birdwatching history. Bill Oddiestayed here and loved it. Bird artist RobertGillmor gifted the Obs a drawing of a GoldenOriole he enjoyed watching here.

The Observatory has been accredited as abird-ringing station by the British Trust for

Ornithology; this confers certain advantagesand partly funds our bird-ringing programme. I will be running bird-ringing demonstrationshere every week, through summer andautumn, for visitors to observe this work inpractice. I will also run a moth trap at the Obs,giving visitors a peek into the nocturnal insectlife of the island.

Of course, our annual five-day birdwatchingcourse, led with great enthusiasm and goodhumour by the wonderful Dick Coombes, willcontinue every September (see details below).And wouldn’t you know it, Dick Coombesstayed here regularly when he was a lad!

➤To follow what is happening onCape Clear, check out Cape ClearBird Obs @CCBOIE on Twitter orsee our regular updates on theBirdWatch Ireland Facebook page.

➤ ACCOMMODATIONAccommodation in the Observatorycosts €22 per person per night. TheObservatory is open for paying guestsfrom March to November. To bookyour stay please call BirdWatchIreland on +353 1 2819 878.

A bird-ringing demonstration during a course at Cape Clear. Photo: Dick Coombes

A calm, sunny day on Bullig, overlookingSouth Harbour, Ballyieragh and the Waiston Cape Clear Island. Photo: Sam Bayley

22 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

Mark Wilson-Pierce at his home in Kilrush, Co Clare

A series exploring opportunities to balance farming and the environment in Ireland

This series started out looking at what farmers aredoing for nature through the habitats they havecreated and the sensitive ways they have managedtheir land to support rich and varied ecosystems.However, it has also been interesting to look at

what the farm is actually producing – typically food andoccasionally fibre (such as wool or wood) – and the balancebetween this productive side and nature conservation.

The balancing point can be in different places. Some of thefarms visited favoured wildlife over food production: they arecreating wonderful habitats that are essential if we are toconserve many of our threatened species and habitats.

Elsewhere, food production is more to the fore, with thecreation or management of “non-crop” habitats, such ashedgerows, ponds and woodlands, contributing to biodiversityin a wider mosaic of habitats in intensively farmed landscapes.Mark Wilson-Pierce on Rathlir Farm is no different, although

the balance between food production and wildlife here isdifficult to see, as both seem to blend seamlessly into eachother!

To set the scene, Rathlir Farm runs to just 33 acres, or justover 13 hectares – not the largest landholding we’ve visited –nestled in west Clare somewhere between Ennis, Kilrush andDoonbeg.

About one-third of the farm is under grass, another third hastrees, with the final third comprising cutover bog and gardens,with a couple of polytunnels and a shiny new, freshly-recycledgreenhouse.

In terms of livestock, a small herd of around ten cattle graze the pasturesand parts of the bog, and there are currently around 200 hens and somebees – technically still livestock! Towards the end of the summer, this will bebolstered by some geese and turkeys.

The farm also has some trees – Mark has harvested some of his conifersfor Christmas trees – and gardens that produce soft fruit and vegetables. Andthere is an extensive (as opposed to intensive) apple orchard of forty trees.

At this stage, it is probably also important to point out that all this isproduced organically – Rathlir Farm is certified as an organic farm.

The area of bog, which was formerly cut-over, is particularly interesting.Mark is planning to place sluices on the drains so he can increase the area ofthe (already quite extensive) ponds and wetlands. These already supportGolden Plover, Snipe and Teal visiting in winter, with Cuckoo calling from thescrub in summer.

While we are there, we have to step carefully to avoid all the frogs, and aMoorland Hawker Aeshna juncea dragonfly buzzes past.

The grassland fields are unimproved and contain a plethora of wildflowers – Meadowsweet, Purple Loosestrife, Meadow Vetchling, etc – andthey are alive with grasshoppers.

As we walk over the farm, we hear a Sedge Warbler singing from one ofthe hedgerows, where reeds have been allowed to grow along the drain.

Nestboxes, including a Barn Owl box, are placed here and there, as wellas some bee boxes – all as part of Mark’s participation in GLAS (Green,Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme).

Rathlir Farm, Kilrush, Co Clare

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In this series Alex Copland explores farms where agricultural activities are undertaken in balance with natureconservation. From visiting intensive dairy farms in Co Cork to extensive organic beef in Co Leitrim; sheep and tillage inDonegal; Connemara hill lamb (and Red Grouse) in Connemara (where else!); award-winning woodlands in Offaly andaward-winning farmland nature reserves in Roscommon and Wexford – we’ve seen that the varied nature of Ireland’sfarming and the opportunities it provides for wildlife are almost endless. In this article, we investigate a few of the farmproducts we’ve missed: eggs, poultry, vegetables, fruit and honey. Luckily, we can do this on one surprisingly compact farm.

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Part of the organic free-range hen-run at Rathlir Farm.

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through his apple orchards. Whilst these may not seem particularlyinteresting in their own right, the fact that Mark has identified theseopportunities for niche products he can sell at a premium is anindication of his careful consideration of the produce, the farm and its

management.As a final point, it is worth noting that, on Rathlir’s thirty-three acres, Mark can not only support himself and twodaughters but is also planning to employ someone tohelp manage some of the egg, fruit and vegetable sales.

He also plans to expand many of the diversebusiness elements – 1,200 hens, 200 apple trees, etc,etc – on the farm. This contrasts sharply with farlarger, more intensive farming systems in Irelandwhich are struggling to be profitable at all.Profitability, job creation and nature conservation

at Rathlir Farm – which you can find on Facebook – isa wonderful example of bringing together economic,

social and environmental sustainability.Despite claims, such real sustainability is rarely seen on

any farm in Ireland, and Mark’s work at Rathlir Farm provides atruly inspiring example.

➤ If you are farming with an eye for wildlife and would like to shareyour experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact AlexCopland at acopland@birdwatchireland.ie.

However, the main interest at Rathlirextends beyond the wildlife – it includesMark’s vision for his farm and its produce.

Take the apples, for instance. Ratherthan sell the fruit, or even squeeze it andsell the juice, Mark is taking theprocessing a stage further and marketingit as Organic Cider Vinegar.

He’s also planted lots of Elder hedges.Elder, I have to confess, is one of myfavourite native trees, as the flowers are greatfor pollinating insects and for making elderflowerchampagne; and the berries are great food for birds inthe autumn, and for making elderberry wine.

Mark is planting all the Elder not only because it is native andsupports lots of wildlife, but also to use the berries to make a tonic.

I could go on about the otherwise unproductive space he has madeuseful for turkeys, or the poultry-and-fruit combination of hens roaming

Mark is returning his cutover bog to nature, aiding the process by blocking drains and installing sluices. Photograph:Alex Copland

Mark has identified opportunities formany niche products – geese, apples,honey, elderberry tonic…thelist goes on and on

A bee box beside a reed-filled hedgerow ditch. Photo:Alex Copland This wet meadow is full of wild flowers and wildlife. Photo:Alex Copland

Sedge WarblerPhoto:

Shay Connolly

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farmland and bog.BirdWatch Ireland and the NPWS have

been in discussions with the Department ofAgriculture, Food and the Marine for severalyears now about the Curlew’s continuingdecline. The Department consequentlyintroduced a specific Curlew conservationoption in the agri-environment schemeGLAS in 2015, and so far 169 farmers haveentered just over 2,300 hectares into this

This year, the National Parks and WildlifeService (NPWS) contracted BirdWatchIreland to carry out the second phase of anational Curlew survey (the first was carriedout in 2015). Preliminary results show thatwe know of less than 150 breeding pairs inthe country. This represents a staggering loss,bringing the population close to extinctionin Ireland. The remaining breeding pairs arelocated in a number of habitats, mostly on

measure.This is a significant step forward, but we

have urged the Government to provideadditional supports to these farmers,including advisory services and capital workspayments, to create optimum breedinghabitat for Curlew.

For Curlews nesting on bogs, there arefew, if any, measures currently available toprotect them, especially given that they areoutside designated conservation areas. Thethreat, particularly from commercial peatextraction, is ongoing.

Bord na Móna continues to work withBirdWatch Ireland on this and has again thisyear funded surveys of their landholdings tolocate breeding Curlews, with the aim ofprotecting them, and we welcome thisaction.

These developments will contribute tothe massive effort now needed byGovernment, local government, semi-Statebodies and environmental NGOs to protectour remaining Curlews from continuedpressures such as agricultural intensification,afforestation, peat extraction, upland burningand wind farm developments.

We are calling on the Government toprepare a Threat Response Plan forCurlew. This is the formal framework for

Evidence is mounting that Ireland’s breeding Curlew population is edging ever closer to extinctionand that drastic measures are needed to save it. BirdWatch Ireland is urgently calling on theGovernment to prepare a Threat Response Plan for the species. Anita Donaghy reports

Curlews roosting in damp meadow in summer. Photo: Richard Mills

WINGS AUTUMN 201624

Curlew chick in moorland. Photo: Richard Mills

SPECIAL REPORTSPECIAL REPORT

breeding success. Numbers dropped sharplyuntil, towards the end of the century, just ahandful of birds clung on, migrating faithfully toa traditional wintering site in Morocco and alsooccasionally stopping off in Italy. By the mid-1990s these few individuals were gone; theymay very well have been the last of their kind.

Our own Eurasian Curlew may now bestarting down the same path, with significantdeclines noted not just in Ireland but acrossEurope and Asia. The Climatic Atlas of EuropeanBreeding Birds (2007) predicts that climatechange will reduce Ireland’s suitability forEurasian Curlew, and perhaps we are seeingthe effects of this already.

Recent history has shown that curlewspecies cope very poorly with change anddisturbance and that they have a tendency togo from abundance to extinction over thespace of just a few decades. It’s time to heedthe warnings and to demand action while there

is still time to make adifference.

The species of curlew which breeds in Ireland,the Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, is oneof eight closely-related curlew species knownfrom around the world. Many were once highlyabundant, but sadly most are now showingserious population declines or have vanishedforever.

The Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis is acase in point. Until the middle of the 19th

century it was perhaps the most abundantwader in the Americas, breeding in the Arctictundra of Canada and Alaska and wintering inhuge flocks in South America. Then suddenly,vast swathes, both of the prairies where theystaged on migration and of the pampasgrasslands where they wintered, wereconverted to agriculture and changed forever.

At the same time, hunting of the migratoryflocks of Eskimo Curlews increased rapidlyacross the US, with approximately two millionbeing shot each year. Unable to copewith such pressures, populationsplummeted and the last confirmed recordsof the species were in the early 1960s.Probable sightings continued until the 1980s,but the Eskimo Curlew is now most likelyextinct.

Closer to home, we have the tragic exampleof the Slender-billed Curlew N tenuirostris. Thisspecies is believed to have bred across largeareas of Siberia and Central Asia, though veryfew nests were ever actually discovered. We doknow, however, that for much of human historyit was one of the commonest migratorywaders in the Mediterranean region. Itremained abundant until the start of the 20th

century, but a heavy toll was taken by hunters;at the same time unknown factors seemdramatically to have reduced the birds’

Mary Colwell’scross-country walkto save Curlew

identifying the measures required toaddress the threats to species, in thiscase Curlew. It will identify who isresponsible for implementing themeasures and will provide a time-framefor delivery.

Only the Government has the powerto bring all the stakeholders to the tableto produce such a plan. We urge themto do this without delay. The plan can notbe produced quickly enough for Ireland’sfew remaining pairs of breeding Curlews.

➤We thank very much the manyBirdWatch Ireland members who havebeen diligently submitting breedingCurlew records to us; do please keep itup. Over 150 sightings have beensubmitted via the BirdWatch Irelandwebpage – for more details please visithttp://bit.ly/29m1Ari.

➤ Readers can also help breedingCurlew by signing the petition againstthe proposed changes to the WildlifeAct, extending the period for hedge-cutting and burning (see also page 13).

➤ Finally, TDs need to hear support forbirds and biodiversity on the doorstepso that they know people care aboutthese issues. Don’t forget to give ourbirds and nature a mention.

Slender-billed Curlew: last seen during the 1990s.Photo: Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

Eskimo Curlew specimen in Laval University Library,Québec.Photo: Cephas(Creativecommons.org)

WINGS AUTUMN 2016

A wonderful, positive initiative wasundertaken by Mary Colwell of BBCRadio 4 this year when she walkedfrom the west coast of Ireland to theeast coast of England to raiseawareness of the plight of the Curlew,here and in the UK, and to raise fundsfor its conservation. She met manypeople along the way who werepassionately committed to the cause ofthe Curlew. This November, along withBirdWatch Ireland, NPWS and UCD,Mary Colwell is organising a Curlewconference to bring togetherstakeholders and practitioners inCurlew conservation, to share theirinformation and experiences. She is onFacebook at http://bit.ly/29HxznJ.

Curlews in trouble around the worldNiall Hatch reports on how other curlew species are experiencingdeclines or have become extinct in other parts of the world

In this andsubsequent issuesI’m going to giveyou advice to helpyou create abeautifulornamentalgarden that willprovide food andshelter for birdsand other wildcreatures, withonly some nettlesand brambles! Bymaking somesimple changes or

plant choices you can easily, and in anyspace, grow food and habitat for wildlife.

No-dig gardeningHave you heard of no-dig gardening? Well, itsounds great. Digging surely is the one bitof gardening that most people hate, leavingthe back and shoulders aching, and it putsmany people off even starting a garden orgrowing a few vegetables. So, what if youdidn’t have to dig at all?

Some benefits of no-dig gardening areobvious – a lot less hard work for starters– but others are more subtle. A healthy soilhas structure: organic matter is foundclosest to the surface and many soilorganisms such as worms eat and digestthe dead plant material they find there andpull it down into the soil, converting it tofood for plants and leaving behind tunnelsthat are good for drainage and aeration.

Lynn O’Keeffe-Lascar continues her series on gardening for wildlife. In this instalment she introducesthe concept of “no-dig” gardening, which is especially popular with environmentally-friendly gardeners.

To dig or not to dig

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Planting in sheet mulch. Photograph: Keith Rowley

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For many years, the received wisdom wasthat it was best to dig soil – even double-dig it –mixing up the soil, adding in manure andbreaking it up. Now we understand that soil hasbeneficial mycorrhizal fungi that help plants togrow, and that repeated rotavating and diggingkills off fungi, earthworms and other useful soilcreatures. So, not digging is healthier for the soil,soil flora and fauna, and for the plants that growin the soil.

Create your no-dig gardenSo, how do you create a no-dig garden of yourown? Well, there are lots of ideas in books andon the web, and I’ve tried a few of these withvarying degrees of success. Mostly, no-diggardening involves lots of mulching of soil,rather than hoeing and weeding.

Some concepts involve no-soil gardening,with nothing to dig: for example, straw-balegardens. I live on the edge of the Burren, so Ihave very little soil to begin with, and anysystem that builds up soil rather than wears itout sounds good to me.

The first thing to bear in mind is that mostno-dig gardens begin with a really thoroughdigging. No amount of mulching is going toprevent perennial weeds like docks and thistlesfrom growing, so you have to dig out all theseweeds and solve any drainage or compactionissues first.

After that, whether you use raised beds ornot, do not stand on the soil and only everwork the top of the soil lightly with a fork orhand trowel, without turning the sod over.

MulchingApply regular mulches of organic material –such as well-rotted manure, kitchen compost,worm compost, grass clippings, straw andspent mushroom compost – to the surfaceand plant through this. You can cover the soilwith the mulch to prevent weeds fromgrowing and allow the worms to work thematerial down into the soil.

The main drawback to this method is thatslugs and snails just love hiding in mulch in ourdamp climate. Even in a polytunnel it can beproblematic. I tried a straw mulch for the pathin a tunnel, and the slug populationmushroomed. So, mulch should not be

Robins love mulch! All thosecreepy-crawlies to feed on.Photo: Michael Finn

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you can grow crops in a straw bale as itrots down. You tie as many straw bales asyou have on their edge, side by side, scoopout an indentation along the top, a coupleof inches deep (a lot harder to do than itsounds), soak the bales thoroughly and fillthe indentation with topsoil or pottingcompost and sow a pea crop first.

Peas can fix their own nitrogen and cangrow in conditions of low fertility. These canbe followed by salads or, as the bale beginsto warm up as it rots, courgettes or squash.

I have found, however, that slugs eat thepeas and salads. Also, the bale just getswetter and never warms up, so the squashare miserable.

I did manage to grow some potatoes init in the second year as it fell apart, and thearea it was on became a new vegetablebed the year after, but overall I think ourclimate is too cold and damp for this one.

Trial and errorEach garden soil and situation is different,so what didn’t work for me may well work

for you, and vice versa. One of the moresatisfying things about gardening is trying outnew methods and plants and combinations.

Further information● Follow Oisin K on Twitter (@BiaOisin) or onFacebook (Bia Oisin). Oisin is a commercial no-dig vegetable grower in Claregalway, Co Galway.

● Charles Dowding has a website(www.charlesdowding.co.uk) and an excellentbook with lots of information on organic no-digmethods.

● Lynn O’Keeffe-Lascar is an outreachhorticulturist based in Co Galway and an OPWgardener at Portumna Castle Gardens. She isinvolved in school and community gardening,teaching adults and transition-year students andhelping Tidy Towns groups. She can becontacted at lynnsirishgardens@gmail.com oryou can send her a tweet at @OkeeffeLynn.

● See the Garden Bird Year blog by BirdWatchIreland’s Oran O’Sullivan athttp://gardenbirdyear.blogspot.ie.

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Beds of onions and potatoes raised into mounds to maximise irrigation and exposure to sunlight.

Inside my no-dig tunnel today. Last year, this was just lawn, which I covered withnewspaper, kitchen compost and some topsoil.

Red currants grown through thick mulch – not exactly weed-free! I’ve nettedthe bushes with crop cover, much safer for birds than green fruit netting.

WINGS AUTUMN 2016

applied when growing salads or cabbages,which slugs love.

It does work really well, however, with fruitbushes, raspberries, fruit trees and ornamentalshrubs –better than a black plastic groundcover.

This way, you can feed and improve the soilover the years, yielding better crops andflowers, unlike when you grow through plasticand lose contact with the soil.

Don’t expect your mulch to look neat andtidy, though; various birds love throwing themulch over their shoulder when hunting forbugs and worms.

Also, Creeping Buttercup has a knack forspreading over the top of any mulch within aweek, so if you have that cheerful little weed inyour garden, you’ll see plenty of it.

No-soil gardeningSome of the methods for no-soil gardeningthat I’ve tried have included straw-balegardening and building raised beds on mylawn.

Raised bedsIf your lawn is good quality grass you cancreate a raised bed on it by simply coveringthe grass with newspaper or cardboard andthen putting topsoil and composts directly ontop of it.

Over the first season the newspaper andgrass will rot down and the worms will workthe rest out for you. I have done this forraised beds and even in my tunnel, and it hasworked really well, with very few weedsmaking it up through the layer of newspaperand topsoil.

Straw-bale gardeningThe idea behind straw-bale gardening is that

28 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

not finding mates wherever they ended up – inthe far north of Scandinavia or Siberia?

Tacumshin is a fantastic site to visit at anytime of year, none more so than during springand autumn migration when spectacularnumbers of birds can be seen and there isalways a chance of finding something unusual.Further highlights from there included a Gull-billed Tern from June 10th to15th, the long-staying

APRIL • MAY • JUNE 2016

Record your sightings on BirdTrackat www.birdtrack.net

Semipalmated Plover (in first-summer plumage),Tacumshin Lake, Co Wexford, on June 6th 2016 – the third Irish record. Photograph:Victor Caschera

By Stephen McAvoy

Highlights• Third Irish record of Semipalmated Plover

• Savi’s Warbler in County Wicklow

• Pallid Harrier in County Kerry

• Honey Buzzard in County Wexford

• Subalpine Warbler in County Wexford

The undoubted highlight of the spring wasIreland’s third Semipalmated Plover, found atTacumshin, Co Wexford, on the 11th of May. Awidespread species in North America, it hasbeen found only a handful of times in Europeowing to its similarity in appearance to RingedPlover. It was not refound the next day despiteextensive searching, but surprisingly, it wasfound again just over three weeks later. Wherehad it gone in the meantime? It remained on

site from the 3rd to the 9th of June, giving goodviews at times.

Following a very similar pattern, anAmerican Golden Plover was present atTacumshin on May 14th and it, or another, re-appeared on June 6th. It is plausible that bothbirds arrived in Europe last autumn, perhapswintering further south and stopping off brieflyin Ireland on their instinctive journey north.Perhaps both birds headed back south after

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American Golden Plover at Tacumshin Lake, Co Wexford, on May 14th 2016. Inset: Most likelythe same bird, showing dusky underwing, but now in summer plumage, on June 6th 2016.

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Cattle Egret throughout, as well as GreatWhite Egret and two Spoonbills in April. TwoBlue-headed Wagtails were a good find inmid-May, while an adult summer-plumagedBonaparte’s Gull graced the site from April23rd to 30th. A Lesser Yellowlegs first found atnearby Lady’s Island Lake on May 5th was alsoseen briefly at Tacumshin the next day.

Lady’s Island Lake further hosted a showyAvocet from late May to mid-June, and twoGreat White Egrets dropped in on May 14th

May. The latter two toured various wetlandsites in Wexford, visiting the Cull, Ring Marshand Cahore. At the latter site they joinedseveral Glossy Ibises, whose numbers peakedat five birds on May 22nd.

Still in the same county, the female KingEider (‘Queen’ Eider) was last reported fromRosslare Strand on April 5th, while an Ospreytook up residence at the South Slob in mid-May, one of about ten reported this spring.

Moving further west, Great Saltee as usualhosted some scarcer migrants, includingHoopoe, Tree Pipit and Ring Ouzel, but thepick of the rarities were a stunning maleSubalpine Warbler on May 8th, followed by aHoney Buzzard eight days later.

The highlight from County Waterford was aWoodchat Shrike found at Rathmotlan nearBrownstown Head on May 8th. On the sameday, a Hawfinch was reported from a privategarden in Waterford city.

In Cork, the only Short-toed Lark of thespring was found at Knockadoon Head on May9th, while a Temmick’s Stint was seen briefly atthe Gearagh on May 25th. Further good finds inthe county included a Purple Heron atClonakilty in late April, and single Red-backedand Woodchat Shrikes on the Mizen peninsulain May.

Found in early January, the Glaucous-wingedGull remained around Castletownbereharbour throughout April and into early May. Itwill be interesting to see if it returns nextautumn.

At least one, and possibly two, AmericanHerring Gulls were noted at Black Ballharbour further west on the Beara peninsula. A single Great White Egret toured the county,

western Scotland in April and May but theprecise wintering grounds of these passagebirds remain a mystery. With up to threeWhite-billed Divers being seen off Torybetween May 9th and 13th, could these besomewhere off the west coast of Ireland?

In County Down, a Night Heron was notedat Dromantine on June 18th, while Salterstownin County Louth hosted no less than five SurfScoters on April 9th.

In Dublin, the long-staying Green-winged Tealwas noted until late April, while a Glossy Ibistoured various sites in the north of the countyin May and June.

Moving away from the coastal counties,Ospreys were observed in Offaly andWestmeath, and two Glossy Ibises made a visitto Galmoy, Co Kilkenny, on May 25th. Kildare isone of the best counties for Quail in Ireland,though there were no reports of this speciesfrom here or elsewhere in the country thisspring.

A singing Savi’s Warbler at Five Mile Pointfrom May 19th to 27th was the first record forCounty Wicklow, as well as just the seventhIrish record. Typically for this species, it remainedout of sight. The same site held two GlossyIbises and up to four Hobbies huntingdragonflies and hirundines. Finally, twoDotterels were noted on Sorrell Hill in earlyMay and a Great White Egret at Broadlough inJune. A first-year male Common Rosefinch wasa good find in a private garden in Bray on June17th.

Returning to County Wexford, the NorthSlob held an Egyptian Goose from June 16th tothe 25th. This southern African species has beenwidely kept as an ornamental bird since at leastthe 17th century in Britain and elsewhere inEurope. The most recent Birds Atlas foundEgyptian Goose rapidly colonising new areas inBritain away from its traditional strongholds inEast Anglia, and it seems likely to coloniseIreland in the not too distant future. Loggingsightings of this and other birds throughBirdTrack helps BirdWatch Ireland keep trackof the distribution of exotics such as EgyptianGoose, as well as our native species, and canaid in their conservation.

being reported from the Lee reservoirs,Lissagriffin and Clonakilty.

A male Pallid Harrier seen at Kerry Airporton May 9th was the rarest bird to be reportedfrom County Kerry this spring and would haveproved very popular had it stayed for anylength of time. This would be only the sixthrecord in Ireland and the first adult male, aswell as a first for the county. Amazingly, anotherfirst record for the county was found on thesame day – a Black Kite seen at Smerwick onthe Dingle peninsula. Not quite as rare werethe two Ring-necked Ducks noted on LoughNamona in early April.

The main highlight from Clare was a SurfScoter at Gleninagh on April 3rd, while Galwayhosted a Forster’s Tern in Galway Bay onvarious dates in May and June. A Green-winged Teal was found at Kiltiernan Turlough inearly April. Elsewhere in Connacht, a Hobbywas a good find at Foxford, Co Mayo, withsame county hosting a Kumlien’s Gull atBelmullet on April 22nd and four Surf Scotersat Claggan during the spring.

In Sligo, the main highlight was a county firstrecord of a Cattle Egret at Enniscrone fromApril 4th to 20th. The long-staying adult maleKing Eider was seen on Inishmurray in mid-May on one of the few visits to this remoteisland. Also notable wre sightings of a LesserScaup on Lough Skean on April 3rd and aGreat White Egret at Mullaghmore in earlyJune.

Fermanagh finally clinched its first Ring-billedGull record when a first-summer bird wasfound in Enniskillen on June 14th, remaining onsite until month’s end. A drake Lesser Scaupwas present on Lower Lough Erne RSPBReserve from June 7th to 10th.

There were several notable birds found inDonegal, the rarest being a Pacific GoldenPlover at Inch Lake on May 11th. Tory Island inthe far north of the county was graced by aRed-necked Phalarope on June 14th, while aHawfinch was seen here nine days earlier.

Formerly considered a very rare visitor,White-billed Diver has become almost annual,with most sightings from the west coast. Thereis a small spring passage of this species in

An adult male Subalpine Warbler, Great Saltee Island, Co Wexford, on May 8th 2016.Photo:Tom Shevlin (see more of Tom’s bird photographs at http://irishbirds.ie)

Hawfinch visiting a bird table on Tory Island, Co Donegal, on June 5th.Photograph:Anton Meenan

To include news from your branch in Branching Out, please email Niall Hatch at nhatch@birdwatchireland.ie

Clare Branch members listening to Cuckoos and Whitethroats as the sun rises over Mullaghmorein the Burren, Co Clare, on Dawn Chorus Day in May. Photograph: Susan O’Donohue.They were joined on the walk by visiting wildlife biologist and artist Heather Wallis Murphy fromWashington State (see her website wildtales.com), who digiscoped a Cuckoo using hersmartphone and a telescope (see inset photograph).

Seán Mullins (Laois Branch) with nestbox, solar panel and camera for installationin school grounds. The branch installed nestboxes at thirty primary schools inCo Laois. Those that were occupied by nesting birds were fitted with nestboxcameras to transmit live footage to classrooms. Photograph: Charles Tweney

Last year, Laois Branch applied to Laois County Council for fundingfrom the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund to placenestboxes in the environs of primary schools; it received €2,300 andput up boxes in over 30 schools. The boxes that were occupied bynesting birds were fitted with a solar-powered camera to transmitlive footage to classroom screens. BirdWatch Ireland members thenvisited the schools to interpret the pictures. Rita Ní hAoláin, ateacher in Gaelscoil Phortlaoise, sent us this report after the birds ather school had fledged this spring:

“Ghlacamar páirt i dtionscnamh iontach darbh ainm ‘TionscnamhBhosca Neadaireachta Scoile’ i nGaelscoil Phortlaoise le linn anearraigh. Tháinig beirt fhear chun na scoile chun boscaí éan a chursuas i measc na gcrann. Bhíomar ag súil go dtiocfadh éin chun cónaíinár scoil. Ba mhór an ábhair iontais dúinn nuair a thug cailín i Rang ahAon faoi deara go raibh neadaíocht déanta i mbosca amháin. I ndiaidh teagmháil a dhéanamh le Seán Ó Maoláin [Seán Mullins] óBirdWatch Ireland, tháinig sé chun ceamara a chur sa nead. I ndiaidhcúpla triall bhíomar ceangailte beo leis an neaidín seo. B’iad MeantáinGhorma a bhí lonnaithe ar ár gcampus. Fuair gach páiste ó Rang naNaíonáin Bheaga suas go dtí Rang a Sé deis féachaint ar nahuibheacha, na héin bheaga, na héin ag fáil bia óna tuistí agus na héinóga ag foghlaim conas eitilt. Chaitheamar ár gcuid laethanta ag tabhairtsracfhéachaintí ar na héin seo. Thángamar ar ais i ndiaidh an deireadhseachtaine fada i mí an Mheitheamh agus, faraoir, bhí an nead folamh.

School nestbox project in LaoisSeán Mullins (Laois Branch)

Visit to Longford Demesne, SligoMichael Bell & Sandie McCanny (Sligo Branch)

Sligo Branch members look for Dippers on the Garavogue River in Sligo town onJanuary 10th. The walk (through Doorly Park) was led by Michael Bell.

CHARLE

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WINGS AUTUMN 201630

Despite the windy and showery conditions, Sligo Branch had a greatturn-out for a woodland walk at Longford Demesne, near Beltra,west of Ballysadare, Co Sligo, on July 19th. It was a great opportunityto see Longford Demesne Wood with its recently-created trails (seealso www.longforddemesnewood.com). In 2010, this woodland,owned by Declan and Yvonne Foley, won the Bio-DiverseForestry/Woodland Award in the RDS-ForestService Irish Forestry Awards.

Birds were hard to find in the conditions,but Blackcaps and Willow Warblers wereheard singing throughout the wood. Somebeauties showed up in a moth trap that hadbeen set the night before – including GreenSilver-lines (pictured) and Buff Arches.

Our thanks to Declan and Yvonne Foley for hostingthe branch visit to the demesne and providing refreshments.

Bhí na héin álainn seo imithe le chéile chun cuairt a thabhairt ar árdtimpeallacht iontach. Mar mhúinteoir, bhíos chomh sásta go rabhasábalta an deis iontach seo a thabhairt dona páistí agus, dar ndóigh, bamhór an ábhair iontais domsa é chomh maith. Is feachtas iontach éseo agus ba chóir do gach scoil an deis seo a fháil.”

MOLLY BEL

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Crossword No 52Complete this crossword correctly and you are in with a chance to win a copy of Doorstep Wilderness: A Wilder Side ofDublin, by Paul Hughes, published by the Collins Press, Cork, a book valued at €25. Send your entry to BirdWatch IrelandCrossword Competition, Unit 20, Block D, Bullford Business Campus, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, to arrive not later thanFriday 10th June 2016. The winner of Crossword No 51 was Jackie Dawson from Churchtown, Dublin 14. Jackie won acopy of Doorstep Wilderness: A Wilder Side of Dublin, by Paul Hughes.

CluesAcross1 The ermine in rufous summer coat (5).3 Small native broadleaf with edible nuts (5).6 The land of the free (7).7 A counter where liquor is served to customers (3).8 Lift up, sounds like sunshine (5).10 A male duck (5).12 Alright, in short (1,1).13 The American teen drama (1,1).14 To squander, perhaps household refuse (5).17 Apparatus for transmitting or receiving broadcasts (5).18 Tool with blade on handle for chopping wood (3).19 To wrap up in or cover completely (7).20 Monarchs, can be Eider and fisher (5).21 Oarsman (or woman) (5).

Down1 Long-tailed, broad-winged bird of prey that chases small birds (11).2 A small rare finch of Irish coastal heaths (5).3 To accumulate or hide for future use, like pot of gold (5).4 Horse-like African mammal with black stripes (5).5 A big policeman or an extinct English butterfly (5,6).9 Also known as, in short (1,1,1).11 Cultivated form of carp believed to be from Japan (3).15 After the bend, a small and graceful seabird (5).16 Rapiers of a kind used in fencing (5).17 Common name for pet dog or off-road vehicle (5).

Pat Durkin (left) leads the Kilkenny Branch Dawn Chorus Day walk in Jenkinstown Park, Kilkenny, on May15th. With an attendance of 65 people and lots of birdsong heard, the branch had a great morning out.

MARY

DURKIN

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Andrew CarltonAshley Wynne (Cavan Branch)

It was with great sadness and shock that welearned of the death of one of our long-standing branch members, Andrew Carlton,after a short illness. Andrew was an activemember of our branch and sat on thecommittee for several years. He was afriendly and very genuine person.

Andrew had many interests besidesbirdwatching, including gardening,photography, cycling and golf. He will besadly missed by us all. We would like toexpress our deepest sympathies to hisfamily. May he rest in peace.

Oscar Merne HideBreffni Martin (Louth Branch)

The scrape at the Oscar Merne Bird Hide atLurgangreen, Co Louth, is now becomingwell vegetated and is attracting a range ofbirds. Louth Branch members sowedwildflower seeds in the excavated bank,which will hopefully make a nice displayeach summer and provide food forpasserines in autumn and winter.

Keys to the hide may be obtained fromJoe’s newsagents which is located just up theroad from the turn-off for the hide. See alsohttp://lurgangreenhide.blogspot.ie.

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piledby

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32 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

Except where indicated, all events are free andopen to all age groups, members, non-members, beginners and experts alike.Children under 14 years of age must beaccompanied by an adult. Warm waterproofclothing and footwear is recommended for alloutdoor events.

Note 1: Many of our branches have websitesor Facebook pages, which provide informationon local events and talks – please find furtherdetails below. Any queries, please emailinfo@birdwatchireland.ie.Note 2: Outdoor events listed below maychange due to bad weather.

EVENTS AND TALKS – AUGUST 2016 TO NOVEMBER 2016

Branch August September October NovemberCarlowTo be included on emailing list,write to:powera2@tcd.ieFind us on Facebook (Wild Carlow)● Andrew Power (sec), 087 745 8436,powera2@tcd.ie● Paul Cutler (chair), 086 896 8794,pcutler10@hotmail.com

Sun 21st Heritage Weekwildlife walk on RiverBarrow. Meet atBallyteigelea Bridge,Borris, at 11am.

Fri 16th A talk by UnaFitzpatrick of theNational BiodiversityData Centre. TinrylandParish Hall, 8pm.Sun 25th Outing to HookHead to see autumnmigrants. Meet besidelighthouse at 10.30am.

Sat 15th Outing toCahore Marsh to seemigrants and waterfowl.Meet in car park at southend at 2.30pm.

Cavanwww.cavanbranch.blogspot.ieFind us on FacebookTo be included on emailing list, write to:cavanbirdwatching@gmail.comSee also The Anglo Celt (Cavan News)● Ashley Wynne (sec), 087 773 5487cavanbirdwatching@gmail.com● P.J. Byrne (chair), 086 2614 220

Sun 18th Outing to Sligocoast. Meet in Cartroncar park, Sligo town, at11am.

Sun 16th Outing to GlenLake, Edgeworthstown,Co Longford. Meet inCartron car park, Sligotown, at 11am.

November Outing to Dundalk Bay.Date dependent on tides. Pleasecheck our blog later on for moredetails.

Clarewww.clarebirdwatching.com● Tom Lynch, (065) 682 2145 (H)tnaclynch@gmail.com● Austin Cooney, (065) 682 4804No dogs on outings, please

Sat 27th Joint outing withLimerick Branch to theBridges of Ross forseawatching, if weathersuitable. If not, we willlook around Loop Head.Meet at the car park atBridges of Ross at 9am.

Sat 17th Outing toShannon Airport Lagoonand nearby mudflats tolook for waders andwildfowl. Meet atShannon Golf Club carpark at 10am.

Sat 8th Joint outing withLimerick Branch to LoopHead to look for scarceand rare migrants.Richard’s Pipit was seenlast year! Meet at Kilbahavillage at 9am.

Sat 26th Joint outing with LimerickBranch to Currachase Forest Park tolook for Bramblings, Jays, etc. Meetin the car park at 9.30am.

Corkwww.birdwatchcork.comFind us on FacebookEmailing list: info@birdwatchcork.comText or email sign-up: 087 2734 975● Paul Moore, 087 690 8108paulwmoore01@gmail.com● Conor O’Keeffe,calabkilworth@gmail.com● Donal Sheehan,dcsheehan@eircom.net

Sun 25th Outing toBallycotton. A leisurelystroll along the strand,led by Paul Moore.Meet at Ballynamonacar park at 2pm.

Tues 11th Indoormeeting at SMA Hall,Wilton, Cork, at 8pm.Speaker to be arranged.Details later by email andon our Facebook page.

Sun 13th Outing to new hide atHarper’s Island, Cork, at 2.30pm.Come along and meet fellow birdersand branch members at Cork’snewest and best bird hide.

West Corkwww.birdwatchirelandwestcork.ieFind us on FacebookTo be put on emailing list, write to:mailinglist@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie● Paul Connaughton (chair),086 199 3613,chairman@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie● Nicholas Mitchell (sec), 087 121 5256secretary@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie● David Rees, 086 215 2590

Sun 14th Pelagic boat tripto see seabirds, dolphins,etc. BirdWatch Irelandmembers only. Meet atBaltimore pier, 8.30am.€50 pp. Booking essential(with Nicholas Mitchell).Leader: PaulConnaughton.Sat 27th We will join theIrish Whale & DolphinGroup for National WhaleWatch Day. Meet atGalley Head at 2pm.

Sun 4th Come to OldHead of Kinsale to sea-watch and look forautumn migrants withus. Meet in car parkbefore entrance to OldHead Golf Club at 9am.Booking essential (withNicholas). Leader: PeterWolstenholme.

Sun 16th Come to MizenHead sea-watch and lookfor autumn migrants withus. Meet at Mizen Visionat 7.30am.Leaders: DanBallard, Chris O’Sullivan.Sat-Mon 29th-31st Bearaand Dursey Islandautumn migration blitz.Full programme on ourwebsite soon. Bookings:Nicholas Mitchell.

Sun 20th Come birdwatching withus at Croagh Bay. Meet at 12.30pmat Lowertown South church onR592, four kilometres west of Schull,for car pooling. Leader: PaulHadland.

DonegalTo be included on emailing list, write to: ethnadiver@hotmail.com● Liz Sheppard(074) 914 7129rsheppard@eircom.net● Ethna Diverethnadiver@hotmail.com

Thurs 22nd Wildlife inthe Bluestacks, by JohnCromie. CountyMuseum, High Road,Letterkenny, 8pm.

Sat 1st Outing to theDunfanaghy area. Meetat the Market Square,Dunfanaghy, at 10am.

Sat 12th Outing to Inch Lough. Meetin car park by embankment, 10am.Reached by turning left at BurtChurch (coming from Letterkenny)and proceeding straight on forabout one mile.

Wigeon and Teal (Richard T Mills)

Twite (John Fox)

The Bluestack Mountains(Michael Murtagh)

Ballycotton Lighthouse

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 33

Branch August September October NovemberDublin Fingalwww.bwifingal.ie, Twitterbwifingal@gmail.com● Paul Denny (chair), 087 247 0604james.english046@gmail.com● Frank Prendergast (sec), 087 1319884, frank.prendergast@dit.ie● James English, 087 234 5198james.english046@gmail.comAll indoor talks in Skerries RugbyClub, 8.30pm.

Sat 17th I-WeBS count,Rogerstown Estuary. If youwould like to join ourcounters, meet in Plant WorldGarden Centre car park,Blake’s Cross, N1, at 11am.

Tues 4th Indoor talk,Skerries Rugby Club,8.30pm.Sat 15th I-WeBS count,Rogerstown Estuary. Ifyou would like to joinour counters, meet inPlant World GardenCentre car park, Blake’sCross, N1, at 10am.

Tues 1st Indoor talk,Skerries Rugby Club,8.30pm.Sat 5th I-WeBS count,Rogerstown Estuary. Ifyou would like to joinour counters, meet inPlant World GardenCentre car park, Blake’sCross, N1, at 1pm.Sat 12th Branch outing.Check our website fordetails.

Dublin Southwww.southdublinbirds.comAll talks in Fitzpatrick’s CastleHotel, Killiney, 8pm (free parking),on first Tuesday of each monthfrom September to May.● Eleanor Keane, 087 644 6029,elekeane@gmail.combookings@southdublinbirds.com

Tues 6th Over the Farm Gate:Wild Views of Farming, byAlex Copland.Tues 13th Meet at MerrionGates at 7.30pm to go towatch tern roost on strand.Parking places on StrandRoad. Up to 3,000 terns ofvarious species roost hereeach evening in early autumn.

Tues 4th Mute Swans:Nesting, Breeding,Dispersal and Survival,by Graham Prole.Sun 9th Joint outingwith Wicklow Branch toKilcoole, to look forautumn migrants. Meetin train station car parkat 10.30am.

Tues 1st A Pencil, aBrush and a Bird on theBrain, by Wexford birdartist Dave Daly.Sun 6th Coach trip toWexford. Bus leavesDún Laoghaire Ferryterminal at 8.30am.Book with Eleanor (seecontacts) or emailbookings@southdublinbirds.com.

Dublin Tolkawww.dublinbirding.ie● Dermot McCabe086 418 0241dermot.mccabe@gmail.comAll talks in Botanic GardensAuditorium, Glasnevin, at 8pm(car park opens at 7.30pm)Bookings (when necessary) onlineat www.dublinbirding.ie or byemail to dublinbirding@gmail.com

Thurs 15th Birdwatching inDublin: An Introduction, byJohn Fox. Botanic GardensAuditorium, at 8pm (doorsopen at 7.30pm).Sat 17th Outing to Swordsand north Dublin. Meet atBotanic Gardens at 9.30am orSwords estuary dog kennels at10am. Call Dermot if youneed a lift.

Thurs 20th ThePeregrine FalconProject, by WildlifeRanger Ann Fitzpatrickof the NPWS.Sat 22nd Car outing toWexford. Meet atBotanic Gardens, 8am,or Drinagh Court Hotel(was Farmer’s Kitchen),10.15am. Call Dermot ifyou need a lift.

Thurs 17th Dublin’sMediterranean Gulls, bySean Kingston (SouthDublin Branch). BotanicGardens, 8pm (doorsopen 7.30pm).Sat 19th Car outing toCabragh Wetlands, CoTipperary. Meet atBotanic Gardens, 8am.Call Dermot if you needa lift.

Galwaywww.birdwatchgalway.orgneiljsharkey@gmail.com● Marianne ten Cate087-237 8051mariannetencate@gmail.comShort outing on first Sat of month(Sept-May) at Nimmo’s Pier.● To receive branch e-newsletter,contact Neil Sharkey (above).

Sat 3rd Outing at Nimmo’sPier, Galway, with Tom Cuffe.Meet at base of pier at10.30am. Would suit bothbeginners and moreexperienced birdwatchers.

Sat 1st Outing atNimmo’s Pier, Galway,with Tom Cuffe. Meetat base of pier at10.30am. Would suitboth beginners andmore experiencedbirdwatchers.

Sat 5th Outing atNimmo’s Pier, Galway,with Tom Cuffe. Meet atbase of pier at10.30am. Would suitboth beginners andmore experiencedbirdwatchers.

Kildarewww.birdwatchkildare.combirdwatchkildare@gmail.comAll talks are held in TownhouseHotel, Naas, Co Kildare, at 8pm● Paddy Sheridan (sec)087 687 2939paddy.sheridan0607@gmail.com● Tom McCormack (chair)086 254 7424tom.mccormack07@gmail.com

Sat 27th Children’s outing to DonadeaForest Park for Heritage Week. Meetat the coffee shop in the park at10am. Please note that all childrenmust be accompanied by a parent orguardian.

Thurs 8th The Birds of Athyand South Kildare, by EddieCostelloe (Kildare Branch).Sat 10th Outing to East CoastNature Reserve, Co Wicklow.Meet at Newcastle RailwayStation at 10am.

Thurs 13th KildareBranch AGM at7.30pm, followed byOver the Farm Gate:Balancing Farming withWildlife Conservation,by Alex Copland(BirdWatch Ireland).Sun 16th Bus outing toCastle Espie, Co Down.Leaving B&Q car park inNaas at 8amsharp.Contact branchto book.

Thurs 10th The Art ofBird Identification: AForty-year Perspectiveon Birding and FieldGuides, by KillianMullarney.Sat 12th Outing toCahore Marshes, CoWexford. Meet in thecar park in B&Q, Naas,at 7.45am for carpooling.

KilkennyEmailbirdwatchkilkenny@gmail.comto be included on emailing list.● Mary Durkin,patandmarydurkin@gmail.com● Ken Kinsella, 086 403 9523

Wed 3rd Family Wildlife Discovery Dayat Cabragh Wetlands Centre (nearThurles, Co Tipperary), 10am to3.30pm. Free parking. Furtherinformation from BirdWatch IrelandBanagher Office (05791 51676) oremail rwhelan@birdwatchireland.ie.

Wed 26th A talk byBirdWatch Irelandspeaker. CommunityRoom, The HeritageCouncil offices, ChurchLane, Kilkenny, 8pm.

Sun 13th Outing toWexford WildfowlReserve. Meet atKilkenny Castle gates at9.30am to car pool or atthe car park at theReserve at 11am.

LaoisEmail birdwatchlaois@gmail.comto be included on emailing list.Indoor talks on last Tues of month,Parish Centre, Portlaoise, at 8pm● Des Finnamore (sec), 086 2291637, birdwatchlaois@gmail.com● Billy Burke (chair), 087 645 7535

Tues 23rd Heritage Week eveningwalk at Monicknew in the SlieveBloom Mountains to look for Dippers,led by Alex Copland (BirdWatchIreland). Meet in the adjacent car parkat 7.30pm.

Tues 27th A talk in the ParishCentre, 8pm. Speaker to beannounced later by email andon Facebook.

Sat/Sun 1st or 2nd Awalk related toprevious Tuesday’s talk.Tues 25th A talk, ParishCentre, 8pm. Speakerto be announced byemail and on Facebook.Sat/Sun 29th or 30th Awalk related toprevious Tuesday’s talk.

Galway Harbour (Jessica Curtin)

Marsh Harrier, Cabragh Marsh(Eamonn Brennan)

Rogerstown estuary

Sandymount Strand (Dick Coombes)

Broadmeadow Estuary (John Fox)

Dipper (Michael Bell)

34 WINGS AUTUMN 2016

OTheR BRANCheS: Corca Dhuibhne (West Kerry) Jill Crosher, 086 982 2104, jillcrosher@gmail.com Kerry Frank King, 066 718 0129 Leitrim Kealin Ireland, 086 388 1535, kealinireland@eircom.net Monaghan Joe Shannon, 086 918 5593, joeshannon54@gmail.com Waterford Paul Walsh, 086 170 1599, www.waterfordbirds.com

Branch August September October NovemberLimerickTo be put on emailing list, writeto:birdwatchirelandlimerickbranch@gmail.com● Maura Turner, 087 792 7972● Clodagh Glasgow, 087 6355691No dogs on outings, please

Sat 27th Joint outing withClare Branch to the Bridges ofRoss to watch migrantseabirds passing. Meet in carpark at the Bridges at 9am.Leaders: Tom Lynch, ClodaghGlasgow.

Sat 17th Outing to Tarbert,Tarbert, Blackrock andBallyheigue on Dinglepeninsula to look for wadersand other waterbirds. Meetat the Visitor Centre inTarbert at 9am. Leader:Davey Farrar.

Sat 8th Joint outingwith Clare Branch toLoop Head to look forautumn migrants.Meet at theLighthouse Inn,Kilbaha, at 9am.Leaders: Tom Lynch,Clodagh Glasgow.

Sat 26th Joint outing with ClareBranch to Currachase Forest Park tolook for Brambling, Jay, etc. Meet inthe car park at 9.30am. Leaders:Gearoid Jackson, Tom Lynch. Thisevent is particularly suitable forbeginners and new members.

Louthwww.birdslouth.blogspot.combmartin@regintel.com● Breffni Martin(042) 937 6973, 087 914 5363,bmartin@regintel.comAll talks in Spirit Store, DundalkDocks, 8pm

Mon 5th How to AttractWildlife to your Garden, byBreffni Martin. Spirit Store,8pm.Thurs 22nd Irish GardenBirds, by Breffni Martin. ICALouth, 8pm.

Mon 3rd A talk in theSpirit Store, 8pm.Details will be postedon blog later.Sun 9th Outing toLurgangreen. Time tobe confirmed

Mon 7th A talk in the Spirit Store,8pm. Details will be posted on bloglater.

Mayowww.birdwatchmayo.orgFind us on Twitterbirdwatchmayo@yahoo.comText updates: 087 643 2340● Ruth-Ann Leak, 087 643 2340● Mick Hogan, 087 410 7277

Dolphin Hotel,Inishbofin, Co Galwaywww.dolphinhotel.ieinfo@dolphinhotel.ietel 095 45991

Skylark

All our tours are led by Anthony McGeehan

Bird Treasure Hunt!2nd-5th October3B&B, 3 Dinners, 3 Lunches €385 pps

Dolphin Hotel Ecotourism Tours 2016

MeathFind us on Facebookbirdwatchirelandmeath@gmail.com● Paul Gallagher 086 086 9760● Franck Ar Moenner087 954 2325armoenner@yahoo.co.uk

Mon 29th The Wilds ofCanada, by visiting Canadianphotographer LawrenceChambers (see his websitewww.photographicmoments.ca). Please contact thebranch for venue and time.

Roscommonwww.rosbirdwatch.blogspot.comp70435@yahoo.ie● Pádraig Rocke, 087 907 8849p70435@yahoo.ie

Thurs 25th Up with the Lark:Irish Birds in 1916, by NiallHatch (Development Officer,BirdWatch Ireland). Hannon’sHotel, Roscommon, at 8pm.All welcome.

September A walk will beheld at the end of the month.Please contact the branchnearer the time, for venueand meeting place details.

SligoFind us on Facebook andTwitter (BirdWatch Sligo)For text updates onevents and sightings,contact us● Michael Bell, 085 175 1000,nature.learn1@gmail.com● Sandie McCanny (sec)086 804 6468,sandiemccanny@gmail.comAny additional outings will beposted on sligobirding.com.

Sun 7th Guided tour ofMount Allen Farm, nearLough Allen, Roscommon,with Tom Earley. €5 donationsuggested. Meet at Cartroncar park at 10am or SilverFalls apts (Ballisodare Bay) at10.15am (car pooling).

Sun 18th Joint outing withMayo Branch and CavanBranch to Kilcummin Head,Co Mayo, to sea-watch forautumn seabird migration.This date is weather-dependent. Let us know ifyou wish to be notified.Leader: Michael Bell.

Sun 23rd I-WeBSwetland bird count.Meet at Cartron, Sligo,8.30am, for morningcount.

Sat 12th I-WeBS bird count, Drumcliff.Meet at Cartron, Sligo, at 10am.Sun 13th Sligo Branch stand at SligoIT Science Week exhibition.Fri 18th The Science of Bird-ringing,by Mícheál Casey. Science Weeklecture, Room A005, Sligo IT, 8pm.Sun 27th Outing to Lissadell to seeBarnacle Geese. Meet in Cartron carpark, 12.00 noon (car pooling).Date TBC Sligo’s Barnacle Geese.Talk in Sligo Park Hotel. Trip toLissadell later in week. Check details.

Tipperarywww.tippbirds.weebly.com● Kevin Collins, 087 237 3090● Jane Coman, (067) 31741janecoman@eircom.net

Wed 3rd Family WildlifeDiscovery Day at CabraghWetlands, Thurles, from10.30am-3.30pm. Tea roomsopen.

Date TBC Templemore HouseSparrow Study, by SeanKingston. Cabragh WetlandsCentre, Thurles. Details onbranch website later.

Sun 9th Outing toLittle Brosna bird hide.Details on TipperaryBranch website later.

WestmeathFind us on Facebookbirdwatchwestmeath@gmail.comIndoor talks on 2nd Thursday ofevery month, Bloomfield Hotel,near Mullingar, at 8pm● Tom O’Callaghanocallaghan.tom@gmail.com● Richella Dugganrichella.duggan@googlemail.com

Thurs 8th PhotographyShowcase – a presentation ofbird photos taken byWestmeath Branch members.Also: focus group discussion.Sat 10th Visit to local organicfarm in Kilbeggan. Details willbe announced by email andon Facebook.

Thurs 13th Guestspeaker AnthonyMcGeehan, author ofBirds of theHomeplace and Birdsthrough Irish Eyes.Sat 15th Outing toLough BooraParklands. Details willbe announced byemail and onFacebook.

Thurs 10th Guest speaker DavidFallon, ecologist with Bórd na Móna.Sat 12th An outing is planned, detailsto be confirmed later. Contact branchvia email or check Facebook.

WicklowFind us on Facebookfacebook.com/birdwatchwicklowTo be included on emailing list, write to: birdwatchwicklow@gmail.com

Sat 10th Kildare Branchouting to East Coast NatureReserve, Co Wicklow. Meet atNewcastle Railway Station at10am.

Sun 9th Joint outingwith South DublinBranch to Kilcoole, tolook for autumnmigrants. Meet intrain station car parkat 10.30am.

Red-necked Phalarope(Gregory Smith)

Cooley Mountains(Eoghan Ó Lionnáin)

Kilcoole Marshes (Oran O’Sullivan)

Tufted Duck (Mark Carmody)

White-tailed Eagle (Rewilding Europe)

Notice is hereby given that anExtraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy will beheld at 18:30 hours sharp on Wednesday21st of September 2016 at our offices atUnit 20, Block D, Bullford BusinessCampus, Kilcoole, Greystones, CoWicklow A63 RW83.

The draft agenda is as follows:

1. Adoption of agenda

2. Motion for the EGM

2.1 As unanimously agreed at the AnnualGeneral Meeting (AGM) of 25th of June 2016last, that the updated Memorandum andArticles of Association of the Conservancy beadopted in order to ensure compliance withthe new Companies Act 2014 and in line withthe Code of Practice for Good Governance ofCommunity, Voluntary and CharitableOrganisations in Ireland.

A summary of the changes, prepared bySolicitors Mason, Hayes & Curran, is given inAppendix A below. The complete document isavailable to download from the website athttp://bit.ly/29YJAl6 or on request from theBirdWatch Ireland office at 01-2819878.

Proposer: The Board

3. Termoncarragh Meadows update

By order of the Board

Gerry Lyons,Chairperson,BirdWatch Ireland, Unit 20, Block D,Bulford Business Campus,Kilcoole,CoWicklow

14th of July 2016

Appendix ASummary of Changes (prepared by Mason, Hayes & Curran)

1. REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT

1.1 The Companies Act 2014 consolidates alarge amount of prior legislation and, amongother things, imposes new regulations on thecontent of constitutions of limited companies inIreland.1.2 Companies limited by guarantee (orCLGs) incorporated after the date on whichthe Act came into force are required to have aconstitution in a prescribed form set out in theAct.1.3 The constitutions of existing CLGs aredeemed to have been changed by the Act, butthose changes will not be apparent from thedocument unless action is taken by thecompany in question to clarify the situation.

1.4 The Company, being an existing CLG,ought as a result to change its constitution tobring it in line with the Act. If it does not do so,the Company will have a halfway house of aconstitution which contains references tooutdated legislation, is difficult to interpret andmay be confusing generally.

1.5 The Company has been advised on thisbasis to update its constitution.

1.6 The aim is to make as few unforcedchanges as possible, so that the nature andeffect of the constitution remains materially andsubstantially the same.

2. THE CHANGES

These can be placed into two categories: first,those required by the new Companies Act; andsecondly, those necessary to comply with otherregulatory requirements and with the customand practice of the Company, where thatcustom and practice differs from a strictreading of the existing constitution.

2.1 Required by the Act

These include:

(A) The inclusion of a paragraph in thememorandum explaining that the Company isregistered under the new Act.

(B) Statutory references being updated so thatthe constitution refers to provisions of the2014 Act, not older Acts which are no longer inforce.

(C) Terms introduced by the Act, such as“optional provision” and “mandatoryprovisions” being included to helpunderstanding and clarity.

(D) Where the Act imposes mandatoryprovisions on the Company, these have beenstated expressly, so that the rights of themembers can be easily found without need torefer to the Act. For example, the rights ofmembers at article 7(f) to convene a generalmeeting of the Company are mandated by theAct, and have now been explicitly included inthe constitution.

2.2 Other changes

These include the following:

(A) The amount members’ guarantee inparagraph 10 of the Memorandum has beenconverted from £1 to €1.27.(B) Various new standard powers of theCompany have been included to enable theCompany more effectively to carry out its mainobject. These will enable it to carry out a widerrange of activities whilst remaining within thecharitable framework, whilst ensuring that theCompany may only use them to further itsprincipal objects.

(C) The existing articles allow for the paymentof interest on loans made to the Company by

members or directors at the rate of 5% perannum. This has been reduced to 1% per annumover Euro Interbank Offered Rate in line withcurrent guidelines.

(D) The constitution now clarifies andregularises the position regarding payment todirectors or to persons connected to directorsin consideration for services rendered to theCompany. These payments will be governedstrictly on the basis of the provisions of section89 of the Charities Act 2009, which, amongother things, requires that the payments arereasonable, proportionate and in the bestinterests of the Company.

(E) Where the Company wishes to amend itsconstitution in the future, it must obtainapproval to do so from the Charities Regulatorand appropriate amendments have been madeon that basis.

(F) The base level of members has beenreduced from 15,000 to 7,000 to reflect currentmembership rates. This amount may be changedby the directors, as is currently the case.

(G) For clarity, the description of each class ofmembers now expressly states which of thoseclasses may vote at meetings of the Company.This does not change the rights enjoyed by anyclass of member.

(H) The constitution makes it explicit thatmembership terminates on death or bankruptcy,which is currently been the case.

(I) The matters which are to be considered bythe members at AGMs are more clearly and fullystated.

(J) A general meeting may be convened by threemembers of the company, as opposed to five,which has the effect of greater oversight andtherefore more power to the members.

(K) What were referred to as “LocalAssociations” are now referred to as“Branches”. This is in line with the Company’scurrent practice.

3. Summary

In summary, the Company is obliged to changeits constitution and it is in its best interests todo so, insofar as it is important for theCompany to comply with its statutoryobligations.

Any changes proposed to be made, however, arethose necessary to:

(A) Comply with the Companies Act;

(B) Comply with other regulatoryrequirements;

(C) Reflect the business and practice of theCompany as currently carried on.

It is not proposed that the members’ rightsshould be varied or decreased, that thedirectors should be given materially widerpowers, or that anything will be done whichmight prejudice the Company’s charitable status.

WINGS AUTUMN 2016 35

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