Latest news with #RathlinIsland
Irish Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Why does Ireland's presidential race still have no one at the starting line?
Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: The drive to inject some impetus into the Irish presidential race has not yielded anything of note just yet with the starter pistol not expected to sound until Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael and Sinn Féin nominate their candidates. The Coalition remains divided over Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless's recent assertion that the student contribution could increase by as much as €1,000 next year for third-level students . The pause on Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs is almost up – is there a plan in place to keep Ireland's pain to a minimum ? Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week: The puffins of Rathlin Island , the digital revolution that didn't turn out as expected, and how the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez destroyed quiet luxury.
Irish Times
04-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Caw of the wild: Rathlin's ‘penguins' may be puffins, but nature lovers still flock to see its birdlife
First, there is a gasp. 'There he is. Oh my God, he's so cute.' A puffin has been sighted, far up on Rathlin Island's western cliffs. On the viewing platform everyone turns towards it, cameras aloft. Above, the puffin peers out, as if contemplating launching itself from the ledge; the crowd holds its collective breath and snaps away, hoping for the perfect picture before the bird retreats, its distinctive orange feet and bill vanishing into the grass. This is the moment approximately 20,000 people come to see every summer. 'It's a very happy place,' says Geraldine Anslow, manager of the West Light Seabird Centre. 'Nobody doesn't have a good time meeting the puffins.' Six miles off the Co Antrim coast at Ballycastle, and within sight of the Mull of Kintyre and Islay in Scotland , Rathlin is a unique place. Northern Ireland's only inhabited island, it is home to around 140 permanent residents and a multitude of rare animals, birds and plants, not least the many thousands of seabirds that return to breed there every year. READ MORE 'It's an amazing opportunity for us to turn people on to the magic of connecting with the wild world,' says Anslow. 'We have quite a lot of people who arrive and say, 'So, where exactly are the penguins?' and that's fine, 'cos we've got a bird that looks just like a penguin.' Rathlin Island: A guillemot returns to land in a densly packed breeding colony on a sea stack as a great black gull cruises above, looking for an easy snack. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw Packed on to the cliffs are approximately 150,000 guillemots, 22,000 razorbills – one of the largest colonies in Europe – and around 1,500 to 2,000 puffins, as well as kittiwakes and fulmars. Liam McFaul, RSPB warden and Rathlin islander, leads The Irish Times down to the island's famous upside-down lighthouse, which has its light – now automated – at the bottom rather than the top of its tower. The sound is the first thing that greets us, a cacophony of screeching and squawking as parents and chicks cry out to each other, all above the crashing of the waves. Then there is the smell; the sort of sharp, acrid smell created by thousands of birds packed on to every available space. RSPB warden Liam McFaul on Rathlin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw The drama of life and death is played out; seabirds swarm over the feeding grounds, searching for fish for their young, then swoop back to land to feed them while gulls hover above, waiting to pick off any chicks left unattended. The puffins are the hardest to see. 'They nest in holes in the ground,' explains McFaul, 'so you rarely ever see a puffin chick, or puffling, and when they're ready to go they will creep out in the hours of darkness, scurry down the bank, into the water, and away.' McFaul speaks with the fondness and familiarity of someone who has spent his life around these cliffs and their birds. Born and raised on a farm on the island, 'I would have been fishing in and around the cliffs and watching the birds all the time. The old people would nearly tell you the weather by the activity of the birds. 'The cliffs were our playground. I've seen everything, in every season.' To this day, he sees everything. Driving The Irish Times around the island, he stops repeatedly when something catches his eye, be it a rare lesser butterfly orchid, a bird – 'that's a stonechat there' – or a cave which, during the Neolithic period, yielded stone for axes which were traded as far away as France. Corncrake-friendly fields on Rathlin are cut late in the season, and have grass left in the centre and along the edge for the birds to hide in. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 'What's that expression? He's forgotten more about Rathlin wildlife than anybody else will ever know,' says Anslow. 'People told me he was actually the first person to identify the golden hare.' McFaul's own eyes light up as he describes the beauty of the hare, which is unique to Rathlin. 'They are absolutely amazing, they're just pure yellow, like a big yellow cat. Hares generally have nice hazel brown eyes, but these guys have bright blue eyes.' [ Islands of calm: six of Ireland's wildest and most beautiful offshore escapes Opens in new window ] The island's big success story is the corncrake. Once common along the north coast, it was facing extinction due to the impact of modern farming practices on its habitat, but extensive conservation efforts brought it back to Rathlin in 2014. 'We've got six calling males here this year.' It is easy to see the corncrake-friendly fields. They are cut late in the season, and with an oasis of grass left in the centre for the birds to hide in, and along the edge; the result of extensive education – and adequate compensation – for farmers. 'The corncrake's one of those species that could slip away out of existence very easily,' says McFaul. 'You have to do your bit.' The uniqueness of Rathlin's wildlife and landscape has also been doing its bit for the island, attracting everyone from walkers to nature enthusiasts to people who simply want to experience an island. [ Life on Rathlin island: 'You either get the island or you don't … It's not an easy place to live' Opens in new window ] 'That means there are staff needed – people come and they want their cup of tea, and all around the island they need places to stay.' McFaul has seen the island change since his own childhood, from the time when 'parents kind of pushed the kids away, saying there's nothing for you here, get a decent education and go off and get a job on the mainland'. Now, he says, 'it's very different. A lot of kids are coming back and moving into family businesses. At this time of year, because tourism has become so busy, there is just enough of a workforce to facilitate it … in a couple of cases, we have people commuting to work here.' Modern technology also means people can work remotely from Rathlin. 'There's a friend of mine writes computer programmes, and he doesn't ever have to leave the island.' One new arrival is 23-year-old Saffran Lockett from Somerset, a summer volunteer at the seabird centre. She used to live in London, and found it was 'living to work rather than working to live. I love it here – it's quiet, wild, and I've found a lot of freedom in it. RSPB volunteer Saffran Lockett, from Somerset. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 'I can go out on a walk on my own and feel safe and explore, that's not an experience I've had before.' On Rathlin, 'I've found a peace and a calm that I think nowadays are a bit lost.' At the centre, another bus full of visitors has arrived from the harbour; they gather around the whiteboard of 'exciting sightings', which tells them that so far this season, as well the birds, staff have spotted a porpoise, a minke whale, a dolphin pod and a racing pigeon. Guillemots on Rathlin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw Looking forward to seeing the birds are Michael O'Brien from Doonbeg, Co Clare, with young relatives Sarah and Patricia Trainer from Belfast. 'The other day, we went past the tipping point [for the warming of the Earth], says Sarah. 'You have to appreciate what's still here, while it's still here,' emphasises Patricia. But, says Anslow, Rathlin shows that with 'persistence and people who are there for the long haul, really extraordinary things can happen.' Soon, the birds will depart. The pufflings will waddle into the sea; the baby razorbills and guillemots will jump from the cliffs. 'It's so epic and emotional,' she says. 'We're all saying, good luck guys, take care out there. 'It's special, but it's short window of opportunity,' she warns. 'Anybody who wants to see a puffin, you've got to be here before the end of July.'
The Independent
04-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Conservationists celebrate resurgence of corncrakes on Rathlin Island
Conservationists are celebrating following a resurgence in the number of corncrakes on an island off the North Antrim coastline. Six calling male corncrakes have been recorded on Rathlin Island this breeding season, the RSPB NI said, describing the highest number to be counted in recent memory. It comes just two decades after the bird faced extinction from Northern Ireland. The RSPB said the corncrake has been driven to the brink by changing farming practices and the loss of traditional hay meadows. They say that Rathlin Island remains the only place in Northern Ireland where the species is confirmed to be breeding, and thanked a 'dedicated effort by RSPB NI staff, volunteers and landowners is helping to change the fate of the corncrake'. The Giving Corncrake A Home project was started by the charity in 2010, bringing volunteers together to dig, wash and transport nettle rhizomes to the island to provide the dense, early cover that corncrakes rely on to breed successfully. It bore fruit in 2014 when the first corncrake returned to Rathlin Island year-on-year. Liam McFaul, RSPB NI warden on Rathlin Island, said he has noticed the drop in numbers himself across his life. 'When I was growing up, corncrakes were everywhere, you couldn't step outside without hearing them. Now, even one call is rare,' he said. 'That's why creating early cover with nettle rhizomes is so important. Without it, corncrakes could have disappeared from Rathlin for good.' Claire Barnett, RSPB NI's east area manager, added: 'I remember being out on Rathlin in 2014, walking the fields and hearing the corncrake call as they were becoming re-established. 'It was a moment of hope but I never imagined we'd one day be hearing six. It's incredible. 'This is down to years of hard work by our team, the community and volunteers. 'We're aiming for 10 calling male corncrakes on Rathlin, and with the right habitat and care, we're confident we can get there.'
BBC News
03-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rathlin Island: RSPB hail 'record-breaking' corncrake count
The presence of six calling male corncrakes on Rathlin Island this breeding season has been hailed as a "record-breaking" Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Northern Ireland (RSPB NI) has said it is the highest number recorded in recent memory and marks a huge step in the fight to protect the bird the 1970s, the Corncrake population has declined significantly, leading to the species being red-listed in both the UK and Republic of record number of male corncrakes being recorded on the island this breeding season has been largely attributed to the efforts of an ongoing RSPB NI volunteer-led project. The Giving Corncrake a Home Project, which was launched back in 2010, helps provide tall vegetation for corncrakes to hide the past 15 years, the charity's staff, volunteers, and local landowners have worked to recreate suitable breeding habitats for the corncrake on the island. This includes planting nettle rhizomes to provide the early, dense vegetation cover corncrakes need to nest project has been hailed as helping the bird return to Rathlin Island in 2014. Why are nettles important for corncrakes? Corncrakes are a secretive bird that prefer to nest in they return from their winter in Africa, tall vegetation on Rathlin Island is in scarce nettles are chosen due to their fast-growing nettles are native to Rathlin, more are required from sites across Northern Ireland in order to create the ideal habitat around the field typically have two broods per breeding season and will also nest in the centre of the field once the grass grows. Liam McFaul, an RSPB warden on Rathlin Island, said it has been incredibly sad to watch the corncrake population decline over the decades, and spoke of the significance of this year's record count."When I was growing up, corncrakes were everywhere, you couldn't step outside without hearing them. Now, even one call is rare. "That's why creating early cover with nettle rhizomes is so important. "Without it, corncrakes could have disappeared from Rathlin for good." How to identify a corncrake Corncrakes are classified in the UK as Red under the Birds of Conservation Concern secretive bird gives a rasping rattle as its breeding call - mostly heard at night, sometimes for hours on prefer to nest in meadows and hay fields in areas with lots of tall plant cover, where they spend most of their time hidden from are summer visitors to Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, wintering in central and southern are round-bodied and long-necked, like a water rail, but with a short, stubby plumage is mostly yellowish-brown, with darker streaks on the back and pale bars on the flanks. There are grey patches on the throat and above the eye. 'Now aiming for ten' RSPB NI's east area manager, Claire Barnett, has been part of the project for more than a decade and reflected on her time working as a senior conservation officer when she first heard the returning corncrake calls on the island."I remember being out on Rathlin in 2014, walking the fields and hearing the corncrake call as they were becoming re-established," she said. "It was a moment of hope, but I never imagined we'd one day be hearing six - it's incredible. "This is down to years of hard work by our team, the community and volunteers. "We're aiming for ten calling male Corncrakes on Rathlin, and with the right habitat and care, we're confident we can get there."
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Springwatch to feature Belfast, Rathlin and Mount Stewart
Despite being a large city, Belfast is home to a surprising amount of wildlife. Television presenter Iolo Williams is determined to seek out its rich and varied urban characters and meet the people keen to keep the city wonderfully wild."It's always good when you visit somewhere which has got a big population with wildlife in the middle of it, because most people now live in towns and in cities," he will be undertaking a three-week nature trek through some of Northern Ireland's most diverse wildlife hotspots as part of the 20th anniversary of BBC Springwatch. The series will return to BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from Monday 26 May, led by Chris Packham and Michaela will be three weeks of live programmes set in the National Trust's Longshaw Estate in the heart of the Peak District but it will also feature three places in Northern Ireland: Belfast, Rathlin Island and Mount Stewart in County added: "It's great for us to show things like golden eagles and white-tailed eagles and basking sharks, but wildlife for most people is what they see in their gardens or in their local parks or in town."After Belfast, Williams will travel by ferry to Rathlin Island, a biodiversity hotspot and Northern Ireland's most northerly point. It is a vital breeding ground for a variety of seabirds and home to endemic species such as the mysterious golden hare. Williams will also hope to hear the call of the rare said: "It's a migratory bird which 100, 120 years ago was really common. It's now declining throughout its range in Europe. "It has disappeared from Wales, hanging on in one or two places in England, and just hanging on in the wilder parts of the west coast, mainly of Scotland, and it's holding on in Ireland as well."At Mount Stewart, Williams will introduce viewers to a range of wildlife. There are 10,000 recorded species at Mount Stewart which has diverse woodlands, ghost ponds, rough farmland fields, twisting hedgerows, and a tidal lough scattered with green islands. Throughout the series, live nest-cameras rigged across springtime locations will tell the story of the season alongside a range of pre-recorded films, which have been capturing moments of spring will continue to reveal an insight into the lives of wildlife, and with 20 years behind it, the programme will build a clear picture of how wildlife has changed since it began filming as well as make some predictions for its future. The programme's executive producer, Rosemary Edwards, said: "Filming in new locations is always a challenge."But getting to know the wildlife there and uncovering new, uplifting stories about our native flora and fauna is something that never ceases to excite us."BBC Springwatch returns at the following times: Mon 26 May – Thursday 29 May at 20:00 GMTMon 2 June – Thursday 5 June at 20:00Mon 9 June – Thursday 12 June at 20:00
