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Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Birds of Ireland: Great Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull [Droimneach mór | Larus marinus] This gull is around 69-73 centimetres long with a wingspan of 156-160 centimetres. The great black-backed gull is a common breeding species found here — at the coast and on estuaries — all year round. The great black-backed gull is the largest of the Irish gulls, and is much bigger than the black-headed gull. The adult birds have a black back and wings with white wing tips. They have flesh-pink legs and a heavy yellow beak with a red spot. Great Black-backed Gull The plumage of juvenile and immature great black-backed gulls initially has a complex pattern of black/brown/white showing more contrast than on other young large gulls. As it matures, the back turns black first (giving a 'saddle-back' appearance). In flight, you can see their black back; and their broad black wings with a white trailing/leading edge and their white wing tips are also visible. Great black-backed gulls have a strong agile flight. When flying, the young birds show their pale inner primaries and their indistinct dark tail band is visible in flight. Their voice features deep calls, including a short ouawk. Tip of the Week: Gulls are found everywhere in Ireland, from the inland-nesting black-headed gull to the great black-backed gull found breeding mainly on cliffs and offshore islands. They have adapted to living with humans. Two examples of this are the noisy clouds of scavenging gulls following a trawler into port and the trail of gulls following the plough in search of insects and worms. Terns come here in their thousands each summer from their wintering grounds in Africa and beyond. The roseate tern, which is the rarest breeding tern in Europe, has one of its largest colonies on the BirdWatch Ireland/DOE-managed island of Rockabill off the north Dublin coast. Skuas are mainly non-breeding summer visitors and are often referred to as sea-hawks or pirates. They chase other seabirds, usually gulls and terns, until they surrender the food they are carrying. Birds of Ireland: A field guide By Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody Jim Wilson is a wildlife writer, broadcaster, tour leader, and former chairman of BirdWatch Ireland. He has been involved in the study and conservation of birds in Ireland for more than 45 years, contributing to several major surveys and international projects. Mark Carmody is an award-winning wildlife photographer, has a PhD in biochemistry and works as a European patent attorney. Read More Birds of Ireland: Collared dove
Irish Examiner
15-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Examiner
Birds of Ireland: Water Rail
Water Rail (Ralóg uisce | Traonach uisce | Rallus actuaticus) A water rail is about 22-26 cm long with a wing span of 38-45pm. They are a common breeding species found here all year around — typically on wetlands. Slightly smaller than a blackbird, a water rail has a dark red eye; a long, thin, slightly downcurved pink-red beak, dark culmen and tip; long legs; large, unwebbed, and pale pink feet. Adult water rails have black streaked upper-parts, brown back/wings; a dark underside; grey face/neck/breast; belly/ flanks heavily barred black/white; vent buff; undertail coverts white. Juvenile and immature water rails look similar to the adults but with a paler face/breast/belly; annd a shorter dull beak. In flight there are no obvious markings but their legs hang down; and they usually only fly a short distance if disturbed. A water rail's voice is the easiest way to identify this secretive bird — it's a loud grunting/squealing pig-like call from a reed bed or other waterside vegetation, mainly at dawn/dusk and at night. Birds of Ireland: Water rail Tip of the Week: When choosing binoculars... 1. Don't be tempted to buy the first pair of binoculars you look at. You will be hoping to get long use from them and it is wise to shop around. 2. Before looking through the binoculars, check for scratches on the glass or bumps on the surface and make sure that the central focusing wheel moves freely. 3. Look through the opposite end of the binoculars for damage or dust inside. (This applies to telescopes also.) 4. There should be a coating on the lenses, usually blue but sometimes green or yellow. 5. Be sure there is no noticeable colour difference between the objects you are looking at with the naked eye and what you see through the binoculars. 6. Some binoculars are better at focusing on objects very close to you. The closer the object, the better you can focus. 7. Check for the amount of blurring (if any) at the edges of the image in view; the less the better. 8. The weight of the binoculars is very important. As already mentioned, holding binoculars up to your eyes for even a few minutes can be quite tiring. Make sure you are comfortable with them. Practice with your new binoculars as often as possible. Look at objects at different distances and heights and try to find and focus on them as quickly as possible. Many people find locating a bird with binoculars quite difficult at first but with just a little practice it will become second nature. The secret is to fix your eyes on the bird or object and then, without looking away from it, place the binoculars to your eyes. Being able to grip and raise your binoculars to your eyes without taking your eyes off the bird is very important. The strap on your binoculars should be adjusted so they do not bounce all over the place when you are walking. The best position is at or about chest level, and make sure you can take them off easily without getting the strap caught around your head. Just like the gunslingers in the Wild West, you need to be quick off the draw with your binoculars to get a close look at a bird that might not wait around for long. Birds of Ireland: A field guide By Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody
Irish Examiner
08-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Examiner
Birds of Ireland: Coot
Coot | Cearc cheannann | Fulica atra A coot is about 36-40cm long with a wingspan of 70-80cm. They are a common breeding species found here all year round — typically on wetlands. Smaller than a mallard, both sexes appear similar. Coots can dive quite well. Birds of Ireland: coot An adult coot has a conspicuous white beak and forehead shield; black plumage; dark red eye; and large, lobed green-grey feet. Juvenile coots are paler than adults, especially on the head, neck and breast. Similar to a young moorhen but they lack white on the undertail; downy chicks dark brown with an orange-red head. A coot in its first winter after hatching looks like an adult but has a smaller forehead shield and a grey tinge to the beak. In flight coots appear all dark with narrow, white trailing edge to the secondaries. Their voice sounds include a loud short krouw, repeated mechanically, with several intermittent brief high-pitched nasal whistles. Coots skipping across the Lough in Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane Tip of the Week: Binoculars, telescopes and cameras are some of the important tools a birdwatcher uses when identifying and studying birds. Like cars, they range from the very cheap and nasty, via the practical and reliable 'value for money' models, right up to incredibly expensive equipment which sometimes functions mainly as a status symbol. If you do your homework before choosing, you can get a pair of binoculars and/or a telescope that will last you a lifetime, for less than the price of a weekend away. When it comes to birdwatching, a pair of binoculars should definitely be the next purchase after your identification guide and notebook. Birds have an unfortunate habit of flying away if you get too close. This can be thought of as part of the challenge, or sometimes the frustration, of birdwatching. The more interested you become in birds and their identification the more apparent it will be that, to learn more about them, you will need to get a closer look, and binoculars are essential to do this without disturbing them. Birds of Ireland: A field guide By Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody Read More Birds of Ireland: Swallow
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Birds of Ireland: Collared dove
Collared Dove | Fearán baicdhubh | Streptopelia decaocto A collared dove is about 30-32 centimetres long with a wing span of 49-53cm. They are a common breeding species found in farmland and in gardens here all year around. A collared dove is slightly smaller than a jackdaw and both sexes look similar. They have a short, thin, dark beak; dark red eyes; short, powdery-pink legs. Collared doves of all ages have sandy-brown plumage, dark brown primaries, and a distinctive (but not always noticeable) thin, black half-collar at the base of their neck. Recently fledged birds have no half collar. In flight a collared dove looks sandy-brown with darker wing tips visible as are the pale tips to most tail feathers, and their large, white undertail band. A collared dove flies straight with fast, jerky wingbeats. For its display behaviour a collared dove glides with stiff, slightly downcurved wings/fanned tail, showing pale under-wing/white undertail with black band at base. Its voice is a gentle cooing sound phrased like ' can yoouuu coo' repeated twice or more. Birds of Ireland: Collared dove Tip of the week: Separating the calls of the collared dove and woodpigeon is easy if you remember that collared doves seem to say, ' Can yoouuu coo ... can yoouuu coo ...', while the similar-sounding woodpigeon 'says' ' take two, John, take two'. There are some very reliable websites with excellent libraries of bird sounds, such as Doves and pigeons are characterised by very short legs, small heads and cooing calls. The most common member of this group is the woodpigeon, which can be a serious pest to farmers. The most recent arrival is the collared dove, unheard of here before 1959, and now widespread and common. Featured in Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide, (Gill Books) by Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody Birds of Ireland: A field guide By Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody Jim Wilson is a wildlife writer, broadcaster, tour leader, and former chairman of BirdWatch Ireland. He has been involved in the study and conservation of birds in Ireland for more than 45 years, contributing to several major surveys and international projects. Mark Carmody is an award-winning wildlife photographer, has a PhD in biochemistry and works as a European patent attorney. Read More Birds of Ireland: Magpie
Irish Examiner
09-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Birds of Ireland: Kingfisher
Kingfisher | Cruidín | Alcedo atthis Kingfishers are around 16-18cm long with a wingspan of 24-26cm. They are a common breeding species found here all year round in wetland areas. A kingfisher is smaller than a starling and both sexes look similar. They have a metallic-looking pale blue back and an orange breast and belly with a white neck patch. Kingfishers have short, rounded sky-blue wings with white spots on the inner half. And they have a dagger-shaped beak and very short pink-red legs. The male has an all-dark beak and female has orange-red towards the base of the lower mandible. In flight, kingfishers look like a blue flash; they have a low, straight, buzzing flight with occasional gliding. They dive from branches and other perches over water and can be seen on the coast in winter. A kingfisher's call is a very loud, piercing pseeeeee, often repeated several times, usually in flight. Birds of Ireland: Kingfisher Tip of the week 'Habitat' describes where the bird is usually found in Ireland and may help with identification. Having said that, birds can turn up in the most unlikely habitats, well away from where they are typically found. After storms, for instance, gannets, which usually stay well out to sea, have turned up in fields and on ponds quite far inland. Some species spend the breeding season in one habitat and use different habitats outside the breeding season. Kingfishers generally breed on freshwater rivers but can be seen in estuaries and on the coast in winter. Be very cautious, but never rule out identifying a species based on where you see it. In flight, kingfishers look like a blue flash; they have a low, straight, buzzing flight with occasional gliding. They dive from branches and other perches over water and can be seen on the coast in winter. Picture: Andrew Brown/Solent News/Shutterstock The habitat types mentioned in Birds of Ireland are: Sea: mainly at sea, usually away from the coast. Coast: mainly along the coast, sandy or rocky shore, and associated habitats such as cliffs, coastal grassland, sand dune and lagoon. Estuary: where a river enters the sea and the water is mainly saltwater and tidal. Also associated habitats such as mudflat and saltmarsh, etc. Wetland: all freshwater habitats such as stream, river, lake, and associated habitats such as reed bed, bog, canal and man-made ponds, etc. Farmland: any cultivated land, tillage, grassland, hedgerows, and associated habitats such as fallow land and uncultivated meadow, etc. Woodland: any substantial natural, semi-natural or planted deciduous, coniferous or mixed wooded area, and associated habitat such as understorey growth, etc. Upland: any area of high ground free of trees or shrubs. Garden: any garden, big or small, rural, suburban or urban. Suburban: a mixture of moderate housing density and gardens. Urban: High-density housing with few gardens and associated parks, etc Birds of Ireland: A field guide By Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody Featured in Birds of Ireland: A field guide Jim Wilson is a wildlife writer, broadcaster, tour leader, and former chairman of BirdWatch Ireland. He has been involved in the study and conservation of birds in Ireland for more than 45 years, contributing to several major surveys and international projects. Mark Carmody is an award-winning wildlife photographer, has a PhD in biochemistry and works as a European patent attorney. Read More
