Irish Wildlife - Autumn 2021

ISSN - 1649 - 5705 • AUTUMN ’21

MAGAZINE OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

’S AND IREL

SIT BIE FE LDL E W

AZIN MAG

Ireland's micro

rain forests SPOTTED IN IRELAND: • CUCKOO • FOX CUB • WREN

WINNING HEARTS

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RING OUZEL

BARN OWLS

ECOTOURISM

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WELCOME

2021 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

NOTICE Dear Irish Wildlife Trust Member, The Annual General Meeting of the Irish Wildlife Trust Clg will take place on Saturday, 16th October 2021 at 3pm. As an IWT member, you are invited to attend.

The meeting will receive the Chairman’s Report for 2020, the Statement of Accounts for 2020 and the Auditor’s Report thereof. The meeting will also consider any changes to the membership of the IWT Council (Board of Directors).

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, it has been decided that the AGM will be held on-line using a video conferencing platform.

In order to register, you must be a paid-up member of the Trust and you must send your name and address (sufficient to confirm your membership) to iwtagm@ gmail.com. Registrations will be accepted between the 20th of September and the 6th of October. Registrations received after that date will not be accepted.

Details of how to access the meeting documentation, raise questions for discussion at the meeting and how to join the on-line meeting itself will be sent by email response to those who have been registered.

Yours Sincerely,

Hon. Secretary IWT Clg

16th October, 3pm

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WELCOME

Chairman’s Comment

ISSN - 1649 - 5705 • SPRING ’21

G IRISH MAGAZINE OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

ND’S IRELA

STE BE LDLIF E WI

ZIN MAGA

The

PLUS WHAT’S KEEPING GORDON D’ARCY BUSY DURING COVID?

Curlew Calls

SPOTTED IN IRELAND: • GREY MINING BEE • CURLEW • FOX

UNDERSTANDING THE MIRACLE OF OYSTERS

WILDLIFE CRIME

FOREST PEOPLE

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Cover credit: Mike Brown

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Contents page credits: Puffin: Wojciech Kruczynski, iStock Red Clover: Anne Sundermann Fox cub: John Mullane The Ring Ouzel: Robert Vaughan ObSERVE Aerial Cover Image: Rossa Meade Cuckoo: Daniel Fildes Seals on the Blaskets: Pádraic Fogarty Wren: Paul Lowen

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Opinions and comments expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure that all information contained in this publication is factual and correct at time of going to press, Ashville Media Group and the Irish Wildlife

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Please recycle this copy of Irish Wildlife

reetings from all in IWT! As this autumn edition of our magazine was preparing to go to print, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Report. The report’s findings are stark and whist there is a small degree of cautious optimism built in, overall the conclusion is that we are facing a dire future due to increasingly rapid changes to our climatic patterns. For decades, we have strongly suspected that evidence suggested the earth’s atmosphere was heating and affecting our climate, yet few were willing to make a definitive link. Warnings and predictions about the earth’s future in the face of climate change were equivocal and of course, this was seized upon by governments and industry, eager not to upset political bases and economic interests.

What makes this latest report stand out is that for the first time, the links between human activities and climate change are backed by irrefutable scientific evidence.

Human induced climate change is happening now and is rapidly intensifying. The timeframes required for us to limit the damage, often seen as fluid, have suddenly become very real and set in stone. If we are to avoid the worst-case outcomes, then a monumental global collective effort is needed, starting today. Time is not on our side. Haven’t we heard much of this before?

The IPCC report garnered much media attention here in Ireland, with discussions and debates dominating the airwaves and print media. This is welcome as for too long, many of our media outlets were notable for their lacklustre approach to the topic of climate change.

Government representatives were quick to point to the recently passed Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, which legally obliges Ireland to reduce emissions by 51% by 2030 and to reduce this to ‘net zero’ by 2050.

This Act heralds a solid approach to tackling climate change and to demonstrating that Ireland is serious when it comes to playing our part globally. The passing of this law is welcomed, but it is not without its shortcomings and the task ahead will be tough. Balancing and dividing emissions budgets between various sectors will require firm political and societal will. Plans and projects for innovative public transport, agriculture, renewable energies etc. are needed urgently if targets are to be met.

An opportunity to address both climate change and the biodiversity crisis now exists with marine habitat

protection, rewilding, bogland restoration and more, all vital weapons in our fight against climate change.

Within days of the IPCC’s Assessment being published, another report – ‘The Status of Ireland’s Climate 2020’ – was released and brought the seriousness of climate change closer to home. From an Irish perspective, atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases are at their highest since measurements began, annual average precipitation levels have increased by 6% and the average annual air temperature has increased by +0.9°C. On the surface, these may seem like minor changes, but our atmosphere and oceans are delicately balanced and interconnected and small tweaks in their component inputs can and do result in big impacts on our weather, increasingly with serious impacts on humans and wildlife.

Many people in Ireland tend to think of climate change as something foreign such as melting ice caps, prolonged droughts, coral reefs disappearing etc. The reality is that Ireland’s weather patterns are already changing and the consequences of climate change on our coastal areas, agricultural practices, to name but a few, will become increasingly evident in the years to come. No region on earth is immune to climate change.

This autumn edition of our magazine brings you a variety of articles and I would like to thank all our contributors. Rory Hodd’s piece gives us an introduction to the fascinating world of bryophytes, an oftenoverlooked component of our biodiversity. Billy Flynn updates us on the successful Barn Owl Project, showing us that conservation projects are effective. Allan Mee’s article on the ring ouzel highlights the plight of this rare summer visitor. Five years ago, I sighted a male ring ouzel in north Co. Sligo but sadly have not seen one since. Like many other species associated with our uplands, habitat pressures due to conifer plantations, overgrazing and heather removal have resulted in their near loss. Such a shame if this charismatic upland species were to disappear from the Irish landscape.

In the meantime, stay in touch with IWT by following us on social media and checking our website for details of upcoming webinars, talks and events.

Seán Meehan, Chairman, Irish Wildlife Trust

Pass it on. If you’re finished with your Irish Wildlife don’t throw it in the bin. Pass it on to someone who you think may enjoy it – or ask your local library or doctor’s office to leave it in the reception. You’ll help the environment and the IWT while you’re at it. Irish Wildlife has a new cover to make it 100% recyclable, so if you do choose to throw it out, please put it in the green bin.

Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘21

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FIELD REPORT

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CONTENTS

Contents 07

MARINE CONSERVATION

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MINIATURE RAINFORESTS

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OBSERVE PROJECT

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ECOTOUR EXPERIENCE

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AUTUMN FOCUS

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

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WINNING HEARTS

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SURVEYING AN ENIGMA

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FACEBOOK PHOTOS

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COMPETITION

IWT MPA Project Officer, Regina Classen, looks at successful conservation efforts in California Bryologist Rory Hodd gives an insight into the surprisingly diverse world of Ireland’s mosses and liverworts A collaboration between academics and state agencies is revealing the secrets of Ireland’s deep Atlantic waters Gordon D’Arcy takes a tour around Kerry’s Blasket Islands Billy Flynn on the latest efforts to save the endangered Barn Owl Anne Sundermann gives us some advice on transforming your green desert into a wildlife oasis Caroline Crowley on how social science is used to benefit people and nature Allan Mee on surveying one of Ireland’s rarest birds Our pick of the photos submitted to our everpopular photo of the month contest run on Facebook Your chance to win a copy of Zoë Devlin’s ‘Wildflowers of Ireland’

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IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

About Us The Irish Wildlife Trust was founded in 1979 and aims to conserve wildlife and the habitats it depends on throughout Ireland, while encouraging a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

The IWT is dedicated to creating a better future for Ireland’s wildlife through: Motivating and supporting people to take action for wildlife.

Education and raising awareness of all aspects of Irish wildlife and conservation issues.

Research of the natural environment.

Acquiring and managing nature reserves to safeguard species and habitats.

Lobbying decision-makers at all levels to promote policy in Ireland that provides a sustainable future for wildlife and people.

Working in partnership with other organisations to achieve results that matter for conservation.

The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Dublin: dublinbranch@iwt.ie facebook.com/DublinBranchIrishWildlife Trust, dubliniwt.blogspot.ie Waterford: Denis Cullen, iwtwaterfordbranch@gmail.com, deniscullen@eircom.net, irishwildlifetrust. blogspot.ie Kerry: Ger, iwtkerry@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/KerryIWT Galway: Dan, iwtgalway@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/IWTgalwaybranch Laois/Offaly: Ricky, iwtlaoisoffaly@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/IWTlaoisoffalybranch

Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT.

IMAGES THIS PAGE: TOP: Common Dolphins ABOVE: Puffins

HAVE COMMENTS? Editor: Pádraic Fogarty Magazine queries email: editor@iwt.ie Information on campaigning and policies email: irishwildlife@iwt.ie Snail mail: The Irish Wildlife Trust, 8 CABRA ROAD, DUBLIN 7, D07 T1W2 Web: www.iwt.ie Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust twitter.com/Irishwildlife instagram.com/irishwildlifetrust/

HOW CAN YOU HELP? You, our members, make the IWT what it is. Through your subscriptions and support we can undertake the projects that are benefiting Ireland’s wildlife. If you would like to help more, here’s what you can do: • Make a one-off donation to the IWT. • Give IWT membership as a gift.

• Volunteer – we are always looking for people to help out. There are lots of ways to get involved, from helping with important admin work in our office to helping us increase membership by volunteering at public events. See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the office directly.

• Do you have land that you would like used for conservation? We are always on the lookout to establish new sites to enhance wildlife or provide education opportunities.

• Remember us in your will. Why not leave a lasting legacy towards conserving Ireland’s natural heritage? The IWT uses all funds towards our campaigns, managing reserves and our education programmes. Please visit www.mylegacy.ie.

• Set up a branch. Are you passionate about wildlife and are in a county that does not have an IWT branch? Contact the office and we can give you the support you need to get up and running.

Keep up to date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie 4

Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘21

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CONSERVATION NEWS

CONSERVATION NEWS

The latest national and international news from the conservation world, compiled by Tim Clabon

IRISH NEWS

Quagga mussel

arrives on our shores The threat posed by invasive species has once again been highlighted.

An ‘Invasive Species Alert’ for Quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis was issued on the 9th of July after being discovered in Lough Ree and Lough Derg, being abundant at various depths in Lough Ree. The Quagga mussel was also present in the River Shannon, between these two lakes.

The alert was issued based on the potentially high impact this species could have in Ireland and that it was only discovered in July 2021. Surveys are ongoing to establish the current distribution of this interloper within our waterways.

It is not known how this species arrived into Ireland. The most likely source was a contaminant/hitchhiker on boats or equipment brought from infested areas outside of Ireland into Irish waters. This may be as larvae in boat bilge water, in boat engine cooling water, as juveniles or adults attached to hulls of boats or as larvae on wet/damp angling gear.

Introduction to new areas can also occur through discharge of ballast water from ships. It was first reported in UK waters in 2014 after spreading from its native area in Ukraine.

SOME OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS CAUSED BY THIS SPECIES INCLUDE:

• Quagga mussel is a filter feeder removing planktonic organisms from the water column. It has a high filtration rate likely to result in further changes to water quality and nutrient dynamics of lakes, in particular.

• The Quagga mussel is likely to compete with native mussel species and with the alien invasive zebra mussel D. polymorpha.

• It may have additional impacts on water quality and the ecological integrity of Irish aquatic ecosystems.

• In invaded areas, it could significantly reduce native plant, invertebrate and fish populations.

• Having a wide ecological tolerance and suited to Irish climatic conditions, it is expected to become widely distributed in time. It appears to have a preference for cooler water and can settle on finer sediments than the zebra mussel, explaining its greater abundance at depth in some colonized lakes elsewhere. It can produce up to 1 million eggs per year.

While currently confined to the areas mentioned, fouling is likely to increase its spread along the Shannon and Shannon-Erne Waterways.

There is also a potential for its spread overland via boats on trailers.

Cleaning boating, angling and other equipment (even swimming gear!) if moving between waterways will help prevent its spread.

The Quagga mussel is a bivalve with alternating light and dark brown stripes and can also be described as triangular or ‘D’ shaped (though I would say paddle blade shape). These features help with identification. It is similar in appearance to the invasive zebra mussel and expert knowledge may be needed to tell the two species apart.

Although it can reach 5cm in length, specimens found are likely to be smaller or still juveniles.

Any potential sightings should be made to The National Biodiversity Data Centre: records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/invasives Enter “Dreissena bugensis'' as the species name; the full scientific name nor the common name Quagga mussel cannot be entered just yet.

Unfortunately, along with other species of interest, information and warnings on potential threats to native biodiversity are not made public enough and only found if looking. The lack of information flow is likely to hinder any chance of controlling species and diseases threatening biodiversity.

See:www.biodiversityireland.ie/quagga-mussel-alert/ Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘21

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CONSERVATION NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Amazon Rainforest – now contributing to climate change The Amazon Rainforest was once thought of as the lungs of the planet, playing an important role (along with many other forests) in absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2). However, for the first time ever the Amazon Rainforest is believed to be emitting more CO2 than it is absorbing, making the need to reduce our carbon emissions all the more urgent.

According to a recent study published in Nature, approximately a billion tonnes of carbon a year are being emitted, taking into account the amount of greenhouse gases being absorbed by the rainforest by growing trees. This means that through deforestation and forest fires, the Amazon Rainforest is contributing to climate change whereas previously, it would have been a carbon sink, removing carbon out of the atmosphere.

The cause of the decline of the Amazon as a carbon sink is complex but linked to deforestation and climate change itself. Over the past 40-50 years, humans have had an impact on the complex ecosystem found within the Amazon Rainforest. Approximately 17% has been lost, of which 14% has been to agriculture. Removal of forested areas can cause an increase in temperature and reduced evapotranspiration.

This has been shown to reduce precipitation downwind of deforested areas.

Regional deforestation and logging also lead to the degradation of nearby forests, increasing their vulnerability to fires. The effects of the

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degradation are enhanced by the temperature increases caused by the decrease in forest cover, combined with the global temperature rise in the background.

This is causing a negative loop within the forest's ecosystem. The reduced cover increases the temperature. It is estimated that evapotranspiration is responsible for 25-35% of rainfall in the region.

Human disturbance through deforestation reduces this process which increases further degradation, leading to the death of trees and increased susceptibility to forest fires, which in turn leads to more forest loss.

The study, led by Luciana Gatti at the National Institute for Space Research in Brazil, was carried out over a nine-year period and involved collecting data from four survey sites throughout the region, taking vertical atmospheric sampling above the rainforest involving 590 flights.

In the four regions studied, there were differences in the size of deforestation. The most deforested regions (more than 30%) had a drier, warmer and longer drought. This is causing the Amazon, in these regions, to emit 10 times more carbon than in areas with less than 20% deforestation. The larger emissions occur due to emissions from burning and due to a lower absorption of CO2 by the forest.

During the months of August, September and October the rainfall reduction is higher, along with an increase in temperature over 2˚C in addition to a longer duration of the dry season in these regions. This condition promotes an increase in the flammability of the forest and the mortality of trees typical of a humid tropical forest.

The southeastern region of the Amazon presented the worst scenario, where the forest already represents a source of carbon for the atmosphere and is increasing every year, in addition to presenting the largest extensions of burned forest area. This region of the Amazon is the one that generates the most concern, as the degradation is extreme, leading to an increase in tree mortality. During months of drought and higher temperatures, as well as the occurrence of fires in deforested areas, fire penetrates the forest that has not been deforested but it is very dry and more flammable. During this period, there is also greater carbon emission than absorption by the forest due to climatic stress.

“Stopping deforestation and fires, in addition to reducing CO2 emissions, would also increase the capacity of the Amazon forest to absorb carbon, contribute to increased rainfall and reduced temperature, which in turn further increases the capacity to absorb carbon forming a positive cycle, not only for the Amazon, but also for the rest of Brazil, South America and the planet, as we are all interconnected,” says Luciana Gatti.

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MARINE CONSERVATION MARINE CONSERVATION

Marine news

by Regina Classen

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MARINE MARINE CONSERVATION CONSERVATION

MPA spills over into nearby fishing grounds) of spiny lobster, which benefits the lobster fishery in southern California. Remarkably, a 35% reduction in fishing area (following MPA designations) was compensated for by a 225% increase in total catch after six years. No-take zones clearly benefit the local lobster fishery of California! The spiny lobster has an important role to play in kelp forest ecosystems because it feeds on sea urchins. Urchins graze on kelp, so an overabundance is a threat to the entire habitat. Fisheries management, in this case through the creation of no-take areas, is key in order to keep the ecosystem in balance.

THE IMPORTANCE OF OUTREACH The website https://californiampas.org/ has an outreach toolkit with a wealth of information from teaching materials, scientific publications, videos, brochures, maps, MPAthemed colouring books and other great activities for kids, plus guides for visiting your local MPA and much more. Anything you want to know about your local MPA is right there in one place.

DO MARINE PROTECTED AREAS WORK? We have published several articles in the past few issues of ‘Irish Wildlife’ about how Ireland’s marine protected areas (MPAs) are not working. They are simply too poorly managed. Sadly, this trend is common all over the world – there are very few examples of MPAs, never mind entire networks of MPAs, that actually benefit biodiversity. So we did some digging. In this article, we’re taking a plunge into a conservation success story that ticks all the boxes – California’s coastal network of MPAs. In one of the most advanced marine protection management systems in the world, California has designated 124 MPAs spanning 16% of state waters, through a science-based, stakeholder-driven process. The Marine Life Protection Act came into force in 1999 which required California to designate an improved network of MPAs within 3 nautical miles of 8

the state’s coastline. By 2013, the network was complete – but the work didn’t stop there.

CO-MANAGEMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES An adaptive management program was put in place which acknowledges the sovereign status of native American tribes as co-equal users, managers and stewards of marine species.

Tribal knowledge was instrumental in establishing the baseline of ecological conditions and creation of monitoring and implementation plans.

Similarly, the knowledge of fishermen is applied throughout various projects, e.g. by conducting collaborative hook-and-line surveys with commercial fishermen. Termed ‘collaborative fisheries research’, the trust and communication between fishermen, scientists and MPA managers is promoted.

Today, there is evidence of ‘spillover’ (where the diversity and abundance of life inside the

COSTS Unfortunately, this level of engagement and scientific monitoring doesn’t come cheap.

At network completion in 2013, approximately $38 million (about half of which was private charitable foundation funds and half public funds) had been spent to make the network a reality. Given the economic, social and biodiversity benefits of the MPA network however, it will have been worth every penny.

More importantly, the lessons learned from examples such as these can now be applied elsewhere in the world, with much less trial and error, saving other countries precious time and money. California’s MPA network is divided into five geographical segments. The map shows the MPAs of the Central Coast segment.

NOTES FROM THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST’S MARINE PROTECTED AREA ROADSHOW The IWT held a series of virtual townhall meetings from April to July to bring the government’s MPA consultation to the attention of the public. A few of the main themes are laid out below.

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MARINE CONSERVATION

NEED FOR MORE GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT AND BETTER COMMUNICATION Many of the participants commented that the MPA report was simply too long and the information overwhelming. It was generally agreed that there is a need for a short and digestible summary and infographics, along with more general engagement from the government in the form of meetings or explainer videos.

CONCERNS OVER EXPANDING INDUSTRIES Participants in both Kerry and Donegal voiced concerns over losing their local area to industry, feeling "bullied" and as though their area is being "redlined" for industrial development, especially wind and aquaculture expansion. People fear that their local beauty spots or "family jewels" may become mangled with Pacific oyster trestles and windfarms, even inside existing Special Areas of Conservation. They fear a reduction in tourism in their local area as a result.

One participant told us, “The risk is that the Dept of the Marine ‘grandfathers’ all existing locations which are earmarked for aquaculture development, evading a genuine consultation process. The fact that fisheries and aquaculture were not included in the National Maritime Planning Framework is indicative of the intention.”

Another said, “Rural communities cannot afford to fight multinationals through the courts to protect their community and way of life.”

DETERIORATION OF MARINE LIFE In Galway, we heard about the deterioration that has taken place in Galway Bay and other locations along the Galway coast. One source of concern was an increase in freshwater inflow into Galway Bay, which may threaten the native oyster reefs south of Galway city.

One participant called for a 'one-stop shop' to protect the area, as the current system allowed for too much evasion of responsibilities.

In Kerry, concern was raised regarding the state of sharks. One participant called Tralee and Brandon Bays the "Serengeti of sharks and rays" which depend on a local spider crab moulting site for food. One attendee told us, "We’re on the last legs with these species

[sharks and rays] and they’re within our 12 nautical miles", adding that we "must hurry up" with MPA designations if they're to stand a chance.

heard about the importance of co-management and how protected areas could become a "classroom for the nation", where schools can visit and learn about marine biodiversity.

DATA GAPS – AN OBSTACLE TO DESIGNATION? While many participants agreed that there is a lack of data, it was also pointed out that enough data exists to make a solid start on MPA designations. Certainly, a lack of data is not a reason for delay while deterioration of vulnerable ecosystems continues. Another participant pointed out that lots of data has been collected by private industry, which isn’t accessible to the public. One participant said: "It doesn’t pay to get over focused on data, we have sufficient data to make a solid start on designating MPAs and additional areas. The data are spread among a number of organisations but substantial data collection has been undertaken in recent years since BioMar, more would be welcome but we have sufficient to make a solid start."

IS DUBLIN BIOSPHERE A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR AN MPA? The Dublin Bay Biosphere is a good example for an MPA in terms of public engagement, resources and a conservation strategy, but it lacks legal protection and clear lines of responsibility. We heard about on-going disturbance and amenity pressure on the site, as well as unregulated shellfish gathering.

BIOCULTURAL DIVERSITY In Donegal and Kerry, we heard from several inspirational speakers about the importance of biocultural diversity and the need to integrate local heritage into MPA design. We

CONCLUSION OF TOWNHALLS The townhalls have been very focused on inshore waters, because that's where most stakeholders operate. While most new MPAs will likely be larger offshore sites (which are needed to bring the total MPA coverage up to 30%), these meetings have shown how much work is ahead of the government to make even existing inshore MPAs (SACs and SPAs) work. The townhalls showed us many of the known difficulties also highlighted in the MPA report; that MPA designations are an emotional process and people want to voice their concerns and want to be a part of the process.

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IWT NEWS

A C T I V I T Y U P D A T E By Kieran Flood, IWT Coordinator

IWT People for Bees Update This spring saw the launch of a new All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025. We are a partner organisation in the new phase of this important plan run by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. The Irish Wildlife Trust will be supporting the plan through the habitat creation activities of our branches (reported in this magazine previously) and through the delivery of our ‘People for Bees’ training workshops.

IWT People for Bees is a training programme that teaches community groups and the general public about Ireland’s wild bees and how to help them. The training covers wild bee biology, habitat creation, bee identification and monitoring.

This year with support from Cork County Council, we delivered a virtual People for Bees programme to community groups across Cork county. We have had a great response, working with many groups from Baltimore to Passage West to Fermoy and beyond.

Through the online sessions, we have met dozens of enthusiastic volunteers who give up their time to conserve their local bee population by creating habitat in their community.

Habitat loss is driving wildlife to extinction in Ireland and across the world, so to see communities taking action to create and conserve habitat is truly uplifting. We have learnt a lot from the groups and the virtual format allowed lots of groups to come together over the course of the programme and exchange practical knowledge of their habitat creation experiences. The growing interest and knowledge of pollinators at community level is evident and hopefully will grow to embrace all biodiversity.

The virtual format allowed us work with many groups in a short space of time and proved very effective, however we were delighted to get out and about recently for the first in-person bee workshop in over a year. We spent a sunny afternoon with the Inchicore Environmental Group exploring some newly created habitat in that part of Dublin. It was great to get out and meet people again to share the joy of nature. Hopefully we’ll be running virtual and in-person People for Bees events in your county soon!

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New IWT Limerick Branch This year, a number of people in Limerick got together to set up a branch of the IWT to facilitate the achievement of our aims – the conservation of wildlife and habitats and to encourage a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world. A steering committee was formed and a small programme of events was arranged for the summer months to get the ball rolling. Dragonfly identification sessions were arranged for Murroe, Curraghchase and Castleconnell and a short botanical tour of Limerick City. Attendance at these events has been very encouraging and bodes well for an active branch of ‘citizen scientists’. All are welcome to join us, not just those in Limerick – just email limerickbranch@ iwt.ie to register your interest with the Secretary Lyn Nolan and we will keep you informed of upcoming events.

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IWT NEWS

C A M P A I G N U P D A T E By Pádraic Fogarty

Arterial Drainage Act Earlier this year, we launched a petition to reform the Arterial Drainage Act (ADA) and we’re grateful to the over 5,000 people who added their name to it. There is pretty widespread acknowledgement that the ADA, which mandates the continual dredging and removal of bankside trees and other vegetation from over 11,500km of rivers, is outdated.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean reforming it will be easy.

Changing anything is difficult and with no mention of the ADA in the Programme for Government, there is no incentive for politicians to prioritise it. It’s also increasingly apparent that the responsible minister, Fine Gael’s Patrick O’Donovan, not only has little interest in nature but is openly hostile to it. In May of this year he described An Taisce as “shabby” for objecting to a giant cheese plant in Co. Kilkenny.

He complained that a “Kerry slug” was holding up a flood relief scheme in Cork adding, “this is the sort of thing we have to call time on” (Irish Examiner, May 12th 2021). The Kerry slug is protected under the EU Habitats Directive so is the minister calling for the revocation of EU law? In July, the minister of state was reported in the Limerick Leader to be less than satisfied with measures to promote pollinators in that county. “It is like the Serengeti all around the county. I am waiting to see a giraffe or buffalo from the side of the road. It is like something out of a Safari tour” said the minister. “It is shocking to see what is

going on. The grass is three and four foot tall on the side of the road - you could bale it now in some places. It is shocking to see the height of the grass. It is terrible” (Limerick Leader, July 23rd 2021). This mindset is very much in keeping with the standard line in Fine Gael, whose decade in office will be remembered with a shudder among environmental activists.

Minister O’Donovan is in charge of the Office of Public works (not known for its sensitivity towards biodiversity) which spends hundreds of millions of euro of taxpayers money on river ‘maintenance’ and flood programmes. With this minister at the helm the reform of the ADA is unlikely to be advanced. Nevertheless, before the Oireachtas rose for the summer break, we delivered our petition to his office. We did ask that he come out to receive it but sadly he wasn’t available.

A lack of interest by the minister however does not detract from the urgency of this reform. Our rivers are under tremendous strain from pollution and artificial barriers as well as dredging programmes.

Destroying rivers exacerbates the impact of flooding on towns and homes which must be prioritised over farmland. Extreme weather events are only intensifying. This campaign will pick up again in the autumn as we will be looking at some of the OPW works on rivers in Special Areas of Conservation.

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C A M P A I G N U P D A T E By Pádraic Fogarty

Climate breakdown As the politicians headed off on their summer holidays, President Michael D. Higgins signed into law the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. Leader of the Green Party and Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, heralded it as a “landmark day”. The Irish government is now legally bound to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 and to reduce emissions to ‘net zero’ not later than 2050. Those who say it’s not enough are no doubt correct. However, it is also a significant step change in our approach and is set to transform every aspect of our society and economy. It will set carbon budgets that will include all greenhouse gases (not only carbon dioxide), including those from agriculture (principally methane but also nitrous oxide). The government will decide which sectors get to emit how much and so if, for instance, they decide that agriculture 12

should get more lenient targets, that means other sectors, such as transport, need to do more.

The preamble proposes that the purpose of the Act is to pursue “the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich and climate neutral economy by no later than the end of the year 2050 and to thereby promote climate justice, and just transition”. However, biodiversity and just transition are not strongly provided for. The Act marks the capstone on the government’s first year in office and despite some last minute hiccups, Green Party TDs in particular will be pleased that their signature policy is now over the line. Although, maybe ‘at the starting line’ would be a better metaphor because the actual work of reducing emissions still lies ahead and this will be no easy task. The IWT warmly welcomes the passing of the Act and we recognise the significant milestone that it represents.

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Food and the Marine One of the most disappointing areas has been in relation to the marine environment and agriculture more generally. Minister Charlie McConalogue managed to do a lot of media interviews and social media videos in the run up to the final negotiations of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) without mentioning the climate and biodiversity crisis. He has also stayed right on course with previous governments in insisting that overfishing must continue despite a legally-binding deadline to end it in 2020. The new CAP has left a lot in the hands of national governments and McConalogue at least has shown little sign that he plans to make any radical changes to the status quo. At a European level, the battle lines are clearly drawn between the Commission and the Parliament, who want more ambition, and the Member States, including Ireland, which are digging their heels in.

What does seem certain is that by next summer, we will know for sure whether Ireland’s Programme for Government – the “greenest in Europe” as we were told – is living up to its reputation.

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C A M P A I G N U P D A T E By Pádraic Fogarty

Forestry Progress in other policy areas is a mixed bag. Forestry has been offloaded to the Forestry Policy Group, ‘Project Woodland’, and while there are lots of valuable discussions going on, there is so far little of substance to show for it. An interim report published by Minster for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett, in July confirmed that a review of the licencing procedures as well as a public consultation on future forestry policy are to get underway.

The IWT has a seat on ‘Project Woodland’ and we also sit on one of the working groups tasked with coming up with a ‘shared vision’ for forestry. Our group had a field visit to see some commercial plantations in July.

It’s all very lofty stuff, with everyone agreeing that we must address the climate and biodiversity crisis. I do fear however that when the rubber hits the road, there will be less agreement on what that actually means.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) review The review of the NPWS was due to be published in June but as I write, it has not yet been published. I have been told that around 3,500 submissions were made during the public consultation – an impressive number (no doubt many of you readers were among this number and thank you for that). Why there is now a delay is

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unclear. Are the shadowy forces for ‘business as usual’ making things difficult for Minister Malcolm Noonan? It’s quite possible.

We hope that Minister Noonan will receive whatever support he needs from within the government and that the Green Party at large will deliver on this important promise.

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IWT NEWS

Farm visit

The IWT visited a dairy farm in July. At the invitation of the farmer, David Kerr, I was shown around the Co. Laois farm at the foothills of the Slieve Bloom mountains. We recognise that the debate around farming and the environment can be tense at times, however my experience is that the vast majority of the protagonists are respectful and heart-felt in their convictions. We certainly need more face-to-face conversations across the divide and in that spirit, we are happy to visit any farm or talk to any group about the issues of concern. We want to see farmers succeed however this must recognise the finite limits of nature. Defining what that means in practice will be different for every farm and every farmer. Above all, it will require food and land use policies that are compatible with addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency. Our criticisms have always been directed at these policies rather than at farmers themselves, but I acknowledge it can look different depending on your perspective. I want to thank David for his hospitality and for showing me his beautiful farm.

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 The acrocarpous moss Dicranoweisia cirrata

PHOTOGRAPHS: RORY HODD

FEATURE

Our Overlooked Miniature Rainforest M oss rarely enters the awareness of AN INTRODUCTION TO most people, except maybe as a IRELAND’S ABUNDANCE drab green background fuzz, not OF MOSSES, LIVERWORTS worthy of further notice or, more AND HORNWORTS BY likely, as an undesirable invader RORY HODD of lawns that must be exterminated at all costs

lest the perfect uniform grass sward is interrupted and rendered untidy. As for liverworts and hornworts, they are even more obscure and further from mainstream consciousness. Even most botanists ignore these plants, dismissed as being too small and too difficult to identify to bother with.

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However, by slowing down and looking closely, it is possible to enter the beautiful, diverse and colourful world that these tiny plants inhabit.

Mosses, liverworts and hornworts, collectively known as bryophytes, are a group of plants that are not closely related to each other but share a lifestyle and a number of features. They are spore-producing (as opposed to seed-producing) plants and lack a vascular system, which differentiates them from the ‘higher’ plants, that is, most of the plants people are familiar with such as trees,

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FEATURE

 The liverwort Lophocolea bidentata

 The pleurocarpous moss Thuidium tamariscinum

 The hornwort Anthoceros punctatus  The acrocarpous moss Bryum alpinum

grasses, herbs and ferns. The vascular system carries water and nutrients around plants and provides important structural support. As the bryophytes lack this and have no roots, they absorb what they need directly through the surface of their leaves. This has a number of key consequences. Firstly, they are limited in how large they can grow, so most species are small or tiny. Secondly, they require water to grow and reproduce and are dormant when dry, but quickly spring back into life once rehydrated. Therefore, they are most at home in moist, humid places, where they reach their highest diversity and most luxuriant growth.

Unsurprisingly, considering its position on the edge of the Atlantic which results in a humid, moist and mild climate with frequent rain, Ireland has a rich and diverse bryophyte flora, as good as anywhere in Europe and significant in a global context. This is in contrast to the higher plant flora, which is relatively poor, with 10% of Europe’s higher plant species occurring in Ireland as opposed to almost 50% of Europe’s bryophyte species.

Of the more than 900 species of bryophyte present in Ireland, many of them are rare or absent elsewhere in Europe and reach their greatest abundance and luxuriance here, particularly in the oceanic far west of the island. Some of these species have fascinating

distributions, growing elsewhere thousands of kilometres away, in the Tropics or the Himalaya and nowhere in between! In total, Ireland has more than 600 moss species, almost 300 liverworts and just three hornworts, with new species being added to the Irish list every couple of years.

So, how would you go about finding and recognising bryophytes? Once you have your eye in, they’re easy to find as they generally grow everywhere, although they are much more prominent and abundant in shady, damp

places. You’ll find them even in the most urban places; in cracks in pavements, on walls, on soil in flowerbeds, forming tufts on the branches of street trees or creeping through amenity grassland. However, to really see them at their best, a humid shady woodland should be visited, ideally with a stream running through it, where a rich variety of mosses and liverworts, in a myriad of shapes and colours, form a luxuriant blanket over every tree and rock. Mountains are also host to a wide array of bryophytes. Their frequent cloudy cap and Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘21

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FEATURE

variety of rocky niches make them ideal refuges for many species. Bogs and peatlands are another habitat rich in bryophytes, perhaps not very rich in terms of species numbers, but unparalleled in terms of sheer amount of bryophyte cover.

Once you’ve found a good place with some bryophytes present, then it’s time to dive in and explore their beautiful tiny world. All you need for this is a hand lens with 10 to 20 times magnification and with some patience and attention to detail, the variety of species present will soon become apparent.

The first question to ask when looking at a bryophyte is whether it’s a moss, liverwort or hornwort. Mosses and leafy liverworts have a structure familiar from higher plants, having stems and leaves, while thallose liverworts and hornworts form flat green mats, with no leaves or stems. You’re more likely to confuse thallose liverworts and hornworts with lichens, although lichens are in fact something very different, being a symbiosis of a fungus and an alga, thus lacking the soft greenness of a bryophyte.

Hornworts are uncommon, but thallose liverworts are more frequent and come in a range of shapes and sizes, including delicate translucent mats on tree branches, miniature cabbages on sand dunes and dense carpets over rocks and soil, patterned like the skin of a lizard. Their reproductive structures are sometimes prominent, looking like miniature umbrellas in some species. The most obvious difference between thallose liverworts and hornworts is in their reproductive structures, with hornworts bearing upright horn-like sporophytes, which split open to release the spores when mature.

Leafy liverworts vary in size from creeping shoots a few millimetres long to large, dense cushions, 10cm or more deep and are mostly delicate and somewhat ethereal in character.

The range of beauty and diversity amongst the leafy liverworts is unparalleled. Firstly, the variety of colours draws the eye, from vibrant greens, warm golds and rusty oranges, to rich reds and deep purples. An extra layer of complexity is then revealed once individual shoots are examined under a lens, as their leaves take on a remarkable variety of shapes and forms. Some species have leaves sharply divided into two or three lobes, while others have leaves that are deeply incised into many fingers, giving the entire plant a soft woolly look. A number of species have their leaves arranged in one plane either side of the stem, with a smaller lobe forming a pouch tucked under the leaf and a row of smaller leaves, very different in shape, along the underside 18

 The two commonest acrocarpous mosses of walls in a suburban garden, Tortula muralis and Grimmia pulvinata

of the stem. It is thought that at least one Irish species of liverwort may use the pouches on its leaves to trap tiny, microscopic animals to provide it with extra nutrients. Another feature that some liverworts display is the presence of aromatic compounds, so that when sniffed they have a strong, pleasant, perfumed scent and in some cases a sharp peppery taste.

The largest group of bryophytes is the mosses and these can be divided into two main groups: acrocarpous mosses and pleurocarpous mosses, plus Sphagnum, or bog moss. The most noticeable difference between typical acrocarpous and pleurocarpous species is in their growth form.

The majority of acrocarpous mosses form cushions, with unbranched upright shoots, while the typical pleurocarp has a much branched, spreading growth form (although there are exceptions that can easily catch out the unwary bryologist). Acrocarpous species often form cushions on walls and trees and can take on the appearance of pincushions, with numerous stalked spore capsules sticking neatly out of the cushion. The leaves of acrocarpous mosses vary in shape, from long and narrow with a drawn out tip to broad and oval and may have a distinct nerve along the centre of the leaf or a border of differentiated cells around the leaf edge. Some species have what is known as a hair-point on the end of the leaf, which is a colourless hair-like protrusion from the leaf tip which is thought to help with water retention.

Pleurocarps typically sprawl over rocks and trees and often catch the eye before other

bryophytes, due to their relatively large size and abundance. Some species are very regularly and neatly branched and can branch two or three times to give the whole plant a feathery appearance. Others have all of their leaves strongly curved to one side, in some cases forming a full circle, with the leaf tip pointing back towards the stem. A number of species grow like miniature palm trees, with an upright, unbranched ‘trunk’, topped with branches spreading out in all directions. One final group to mention is Sphagnum. These are the bog mosses and more than 30 species occur in Ireland, growing in bogs, flushes and other acidic wet places. They are a remarkable group of species as they create their own habitat, building the bogs in which they grow.

Beneath the soft lawns and hummocks that they form on the bog surface are metres of peat composed of decaying dead Sphagnum deposited over thousands of years. Sphagnums display a wide range of forms and colours, growing as intense wine red, copper, orange and warm brown cushions and carpets, providing a habitat for a range of higher plants to grow on.

This article serves as an extremely brief introduction to the fascinating world of bryophytes, but there are many further resources if you want to explore them further.

The essential book to have is the British Bryological Society Field Guide, which is very well-illustrated and user-friendly. If you become really hooked, a microscope is essential, which will open up a further layer of beauty and interest.

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FEATURE

 The liverwort Bazzania trilobata

 A colourful mix of Sphagnum, other mosses and the liverwort Anastrepta orcadensis

 A mix of acrocarpous mosses

 The oceanic liverwort Herbertus hutchinsiae

 A mix of acrocarpous and pleurocarpous mosses by a river

 Two Sphagnum species which form hummocks in intact wet bog, S. austinii and S. beothuk

 The thallose liverwort Conocephalum conicum

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WILD IDEAS

ObSERVING

r u o ocean wildlife Now in Phase 2, The ObSERVE Programme is improving our knowledge and understanding of protected offshore species and sensitive habitats, writes Laurena Leacy 20

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ObSERVE Aerial Cover Image

WILD IDEAS

P

hase 2 of the Irish Government’s ObSERVE Programme began in June 2021, with an aerial survey along Ireland’s southern coast. ObSERVE is a major marine scientific programme to collect and analyse high quality data on marine species and habitats to inform marine conservation strategies and sustainable management of offshore activities. The latest funding of €1.6 million for the ObSERVE 2 Aerial survey project brings total investment of the ObSERVE Programme to €4.5 million.

Ireland’s large marine environment is home to a diverse array of life in the relatively shallow and calmer Irish Sea to the deep Atlantic Ocean to the west. The valuable natural resources within Irish offshore space supports the important Irish maritime economy, its heritage and contribute to Ireland’s energy and climate targets through the development of offshore renewable energy.

The ObSERVE Programme, jointly funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI), was established in 2014 with the aim of greatly improving our knowledge and understanding of protected offshore species and sensitive habitats through high quality, state-ofthe-art data collection. The analysis of this data provided a new insight into the distribution and abundance of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), seabirds, turtles and other marine species around the Irish coast and in our wild Atlantic waters.

Two projects were completed under the first phase of ObSERVE; an Aerial project and an Acoustic project. The projects’ objectives were to learn more about the occurrence, distribution, abundance and migration habits of marine species, particularly those that are rarely seen.

The Phase 1 Aerial Project, led by University College Cork with international partners IMARES, Alnilam and Aerosotravia, consisted of a series of aerial surveys of approx. 37,000 survey line kilometres across a significant portion of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). These surveys recorded the occurrences of whales, dolphins, seabirds and other marine life across two summers and two winters in 2015-2017. In 2016, three further intensive, fine-scale seabird surveys flying 6,687km were undertaken in the western Irish Sea. In total, the project’s four combined summer and winter aerial surveys recorded, analysed and mapped almost 10,000 sightings of seabirds (24 species) and almost 2,000 cetacean sighting records (19 species).

Notable sightings include the rarely-seen beaked whales, which are specialised deep-diving species, significant sightings of Minke whale calves, as well as unexpected species such as the beluga (a mainly Arctic species) and white-tailed tropicbirds (usually seen in the tropics).

ObSERVE Sowersby Beaked Whale

The project has given us the first abundance estimates for ocean sunfish Mola mola in offshore waters in the north-east Atlantic, the first record of extensive sunfish presence in these waters year-round as well as evidence of seasonal movement.

In 2015-2016, the Phase 1 Acoustic Project, led by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in partnership with the Marine Institute, JASCO Applied Sciences, SMRU Consulting and the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group, recorded underwater sounds made by more than 20 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises using both underwater listening devices at depths of 1.6-2km and mobile acoustic monitoring surveys.

The project provided vital insights into the frequency and seasonal occurrence of several large whale species (for example sperm whale, fin whale and blue whale) as well as the rarely seen deep-diving Sowerby's beaked whale, Cuvier's beaked whale and several other toothed cetacean species. During this project, the first confirmed atsea sightings of Sowerby’s beaked whales with attendant calves in the Northeast Atlantic were recorded.

ObSERVE Phase 2 will build on the results of Phase 1 and provide further insight into the biodiversity of Irish waters, develop conservation strategies, inform decision-making and sustainable management of offshore development activities and contribute towards Ireland’s ambitious climate goals. The Phase 2 Aerial Project will again fly the Irish EEZ over two summer and winter seasons, recording marine species and seabirds along with fine-scale surveying of the southern and southwestern coast. This data will be analysed to produce density and abundance estimates for key species and identify important marine areas/features. Final reports for this project are expected in 2024. This aerial project is being led by University College Cork with partners IMARES, Duke University and Action Air Environment.

Further information and Phase 1 reports can be downloaded from www.gov.ie/en/publication/12374-observe-programme/ Follow the Programme at #ObSERVE #ObSERVEAerial Laurena Leacy is a geologist with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications

ObSERVE Aerial Survey Lines

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WILD IDEAS

Ecotour Experience

Given that wildlife cannot speak for itself, wildlife enthusiasts will (understandably and usually justifiably) take its side when it comes to downsides associated with human interaction, writes GORDON D’ARCY

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couple of issues ago in this magazine, I raised the question of wildlife harassment linking it to increasing eco-tourism. Having had first-hand experience of this in other parts of the world, I tend to steer clear of situations where this might arise. Sometimes, however, the circumstance and the promise of a grand day out are just too enticing to ignore. The opportunity to be a participant in a Blasket Island Eco-tour on a fine summer’s day in 2021 was one of these.

With the sun on 16 faces and the progress of our small tour craft through the gentle swell, an adventurous air prevailed as we headed out from Ventry pier on the Dingle peninsula. The trip would take four hours. Our guide Richard – loquacious and well-informed – regaled us with ecological background to enrich our experience. Within an hour and close to Slea Head, we were in the company of three Minke

whales, one of which was an immature. Three ecstatic little boys watched intently as the cetaceans emerged from the deep and rolled over, revealing their tiny dorsal fins. Everyone was excited, including the skipper, who was noticeably careful not to subject the animals to any unwarranted pressure. Switching the engine off when we were close not only ensured this but in the resulting quiet, also heightened the atmosphere of ‘swish and plunge’.

The sea was calm enough to enable us to pick up a further three passengers from the little quay on Great Blasket. Due to the abundance of human bathers in the sandy bay close to the abandoned settlement, there was no sign of the grey seal haul-out which is often hundreds strong. Instead, a couple of curious bulls watched us from a safe distance before nonchalantly disappearing beneath the waves.

Clouds of puffins flew up in front of the boat as we plied along the face of the large island and gannets plummeted into the ocean after

PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK

Flock of cormorants on a cliff with Blasket island in the background

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WILD IDEAS

 Seals on the Blaskets

PHOTOGRAPH: PÁDRAIC FOGARTY

Risso’s dolphins

fish. On then to Inishnabro. Shags, cormorants, guillemots, black guillemots and razorbills busied themselves on and below the spectacular ‘Cathedral Cliffs’, while countless puffins stood like exotic sentinels at the entrances to their tunnels. Above, on the steep slopes, choughs and ravens cavorted in the sunshine. Despite our proximity, the birds seemed quite unfazed at our presence.

A pod of 25 boisterous common dolphins joined us as we cruised west along the islands.

It was clear that they had elected to join us; not us, them. As before, everyone on board, especially the children, reacted joyfully. What is it about dolphins? I asked our guide about the potential for injury to the dolphins from the propeller but was told that although they were aware of the possibility of this, there was no special protective guard. Given the regularity of their appearance during the course of the tours, I felt that this was regrettable.

Plying between Inishnabro and Inishvickillane (also known as Charley’s island after our late Taoiseach Charles Haughey who once owned it), we could see the immense rocky shark’s fin of Tearach, most westerly of the Blaskets. Above, on the slopes, a dozen red deer (introduced to the island by the Taoiseach) relaxed in the sun. The stags sported impressive antlers, still in their velvety covering. As we lingered in the swell beneath the cliffs, we were once again surrounded by myriad auks while stiffwinged fulmars glided overhead. It was clear from the relaxed pulse of this seabird city that its inhabitants were indifferent to us and our little boat.

Pod of common dolphins

Puffins

Turning for home presented us with yet another exciting encounter. A pair of Risso’s dolphins, cream-coloured and 3m long, bobbed up in front so close that we could see the scratch marks (caused by sparring during mating) on their skin surface. Larger than the well-known bottle-nose (Fungi, for instance), Risso’s dolphins have a blunt head and an enormous dorsal fin which our guide informed us, sometimes results in it being mistaken distantly

for the orca. Again the protocol kicked in; engine off and respectful distance maintained.

We nevertheless followed their meanderings for a while before we were once again visited by the pod of common dolphins.

There is no doubt that our eco-tour provided us with dramatic close up and personal encounters with the spectacular wildlife of the Blaskets. There was in my view, however, no question of unwarranted intrusion or harassment. The Blasket archipelago is the domain of its wildlife; we were guests there, to be educated and enthralled. As we disembarked at Ventry pier, the bright eyes of the trio of children spoke most eloquently of the success of the outing. For me, it was the best €60 I’ve spent in ages and some of my eco-tourism misgivings allayed, to boot. www.marinetours.ie Gordondarcynature.com Instagram: @gordondarcynature Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘21

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AUTUMN FOCUS

The

Barn Owl Project

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by Billy Fynn

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AUTUMN FOCUS

I

t’s funny how some jobs turn out. Years ago, when John Carrig of Ballinasloe decided to make a go of a career as a photographer, he probably didn’t foresee that this would make him a central figure in the conservation of the barn owl in Ireland.

Certainly, he’d not foreseen himself employing novel technologies in barn owl surveying techniques, as nobody did. Drones and thermal imaging didn’t exist back then and neither did the Barn Owl Project.

John works on an ambitious project to improve the chances of Irish barn owls through a combination of practical conservation, training, awareness-raising, surveying and monitoring. They have a team with international experience, work with our national agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and even with conservation organisations overseas. Despite the fact that this project has identified many, many more Irish barn owl breeding sites than any other initiative heretofore, there’s a good chance that most people have never heard of the Barn Owl Project. That’s likely to change!

John Carrig was handy with a camera and had a particular interest in wildlife. These combined when he was asked to assist with the monitoring of a pair of nesting peregrine falcons. This he did and over a two-year period, he estimates that he gathered upwards of 10,000 trail camera clips and countless stills from a range of vantage points including a hide over three metres from an active nest. A fascination with birds of prey developed and has obviously never left him. The barn owl was a species he had never photographed so when a chance came to assist on a local conservation project, he eagerly took part.

A short few years later, John and his team of volunteers (there are no paid staff on this project) have been quietly building up a conservation project that is making important strides in the understanding of this species and what we need to do to allow for its continued existence in a changed agricultural landscape.

The author stumbled across the Barn Owl Project during a web search for owl nesting box designs. Yes, they do this, but so much more too. Their survey and monitoring efforts are extraordinary, especially given the voluntary nature of the project. Prior to their work, six to eight confirmed barn owl nest sites were known in County Galway, says John. Now, he believes that this figure is 48, giving this figure with no small degree of confidence. The Barn Owl Project also carries out ‘soft-releases’ of chicks with, John believes, the most monitoring and scrutiny ever carried out on this species in Ireland.

Looking at the bigger picture, the project is also focusing its efforts on where barn owls aren’t found. These are the ‘dead zones’ where there is no evidence of barn owl activity and no reports of any recent records of same.

Here, they will work with farmers on addressing why there is this ‘dead’ area and what to do about it. Establishing a rapport with landowners is key and trust must be demonstrable, on both sides. Everything from habitat management to rodenticide use is on the table, long before a barn owl box is proposed. John cites an instance of a farmer, a lady of no fewer than 93 years who while never

seeing a barn owl on her property, was prepared to take a leap of faith on what could be achieved. Her farm is now a soft-release site.

The Barn Owl Project has attracted interest and muchneeded support from corporate sponsors. Without sponsors such as ThermoKing (Galway), the project would struggle.

Sponsors have also lent their technical know-how and equipment to the project. Droneworks Ireland have drones whose principal function is to read temperature differentials in the ball-bearings of wind turbines to detect wear and tear in ball bearings 30m over ground level. The same tech has been brought to bear by remotely sensing barn owl body heat down chimneys in old and derelict houses scheduled for demolition. Impressive stuff!

The Barn Owl Project has learned from the longer established Barn Owl Trust in the UK and has established good relationships with Brazilian and Portuguese counterpart organisations. Looking forward to the new agri-environmental regulations, John can see the project getting even busier, with hundreds of farmers looking to make their holdings more owl-friendly. A trained carpenter, he sees the role that Men’s Sheds might soon be playing in the production of owl nesting boxes and nationwide, not just in Galway. Their work in making farms more rodent and small mammal-friendly could prove important in the success of new farm management measures on an all-island scale. Owl pellet research being carried out by GMIT students on placement with the project is helping us gain insight into the spread of non-native prey species, such as the bank vole and the greater white-toothed shrew.

It’s a team effort, John insists, giving credit to his colleagues Alexandria and Danny, as well as the sponsors that have stepped up to supply ladders and veterinary practices such as Ark Vets that provide expertise in the care for injured and orphaned barn owls. To date, the Barn Owl Project’s work has been almost as quiet and unnoticed as the species they are committed to protect. Their achievements though, are a clear and loud call to action and a ringing endorsement of the power of cooperation across the fields.

See www.thebarnowlproject.com or @TheBarnOwlProj1 on Twitter Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘21

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

Banishing

Green Desert

The

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

 Daisies

N

othing says ‘summer’ like the low buzz of a mower trimming the grass. We meticulously tend to our lawns, banishing unwanted dandelions and buttercups. In fact, these lawns, village greens and their kin, playing pitches, athletic fields and golf courses, are a biodiversity desert.

Similar to the incursion of the Sitka spruce into Ireland’s native forests, the green grass in our back garden is a commercial replacement for native grasses, creating a highmaintenance, monocultured landcover that offers little benefit to naturally occurring species such as insect pollinators and garden birds.

From the Ice Ages to our modern era, nearly all of Ireland’s native forest cover has been lost. Currently 60% of Ireland’s land is covered in either manmade or semi-naturalized grasslands.

Although much of this land has economic value as pastures or farm fields, 91% of Ireland’s internationally important habitats (bogs and grasslands) is deemed poor or inadequate quality, including the household lawn or the community pitch or green.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT As we enter the autumn months, the following actions can set the stage for a more biodiverse garden in the coming year.

• At the last mow of the year, take special care to lift all the cuttings • Do not fertilise; native plants and grasses thrive in a lownutrient environment. If you fertilise, turf grasses will outcompete wildflowers and native grasses • Scarify the surface with a rake, so that native seeds can find their way through the grass to reach the soil.

BY ANNE SUNDERMANN

According to Brian Gaynor, landscape architect and co-chair of IWT’s Laois/Offaly Branch, “There are a few options for green spaces in the garden, including the short-cut meadow. Pollinatorfriendly bulbs can be planted in autumn for an attractive spring meadow.”

The advantages of the short-cut meadow are less frequent mowing and increased water conservation. Also, the use of fertiliser, insecticides and herbicides can be eliminated and of course, there’s the obvious benefit of the visual beauty of our native wildflowers such as red clover, selfheal and bird’s-foot trefoil.

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

 Crested dog's-tail

 Ireland has 31 common or widespread grass species, according to Paul Green, Ireland Officer at Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, and approximately 10 species commonly occur in lawns.  Often seen as a common garden weed, the bright yellow flowers of Ireland’s native dandelion species are an important springtime food source for insects including bees, butterflies and beetles.

After the dandelion has finished flowering, its seed feeds our favourite garden birds, including finches and swallows. In addition to the dandelion, other pollinator friendly plants will appear with a lower impact lawn cutting regime including selfheal, cuckoo flower, dead nettle and clover.  See www.pollinators.ie for more information  Red clover

In her book ‘Gardening for Biodiversity’ (available to download from www.heritagecouncil.ie), Juanita Browne advocates the following cutting schedule to allow for the development of a short meadow: 1. After 15th April – this cutting will allow dandelions, an important pollinator food source, to flower 2. End of May - leaving the lawn to grow from late May to mid to late July will increase the growth of important plants like clover and selfheal 3. Mid-late July – this cut maximises growth of clovers and other wildflowers 4. After mid-October – be sure to lift all cuttings from this final cut.

SOW WHAT? When naturalizing a lawn, a common question is, what type of wildflower seed should I use? The best answer is: no seed at all! Native plants and their pollinators evolve together, so mix and match is not always a successful strategy. Instead, according to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, “Reduce mowing and allow our beautiful natural Irish meadows to return with native flowers that are meant to be there. It won’t look like the front 28

 Dandelions

of a wildflower seed packet, but that’s not a natural habitat and is not what pollinators want.”

MAKE IT EASY All of nature is a competition for resources. Leaving at least a small portion of the garden untidy will provide homes for insects in hollow stems or leaf litter. Instead of cutting everything back, actions as simple as leaving a pile of leaves in a corner of the garden will benefit overwintering wildlife.

Even without a crystal ball, we can predict that the future will bring wide-ranging alterations that come with a changing climate. According to Teagasc, “Alterations in water availability, nutrients availability, increased temperature and elevated CO2” will influence plant growth. These changes will have a global impact, from countries around the world to the back garden. With a little forethought, Irish homeowners and communities can prepare for more biodiverse green spaces for next year and beyond.

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FIADHLÚRA

LIOSTA CRAINN AGUS SCEACHA NA CLAÍ: Ash - Fuinseog Hazel - Coll Holly - Cuileann Ivy - Eidhnean Furze - Aiteann Elder - Trom Hawthorn - Sceach Geal Blackthorn - Draighean

Fálta sceac

Honeysuckle -Féithleann Bramble - Dris (Sméara Dubha) Privet - Pribhéad

le Cáit Nic Lochlainn

A

g an tráth seo de bhliain tá na claíanna le feiceáil thart timpeall ar gach garrai agus páirc faoin tuaith; tá an sceach geal clúdaithe le torthaí dearga - na "haws" atá san ainm acu.

Is feidir iad a ithe cé nach bfhuil siad robhlasta - ach is príomhfhoinse bia iad dosna h-éin agus na h-ainmhithe.

Is cuid luachmhar d’oidhreacht chultúrtha agus nádúrtha na hÉireann fálta sceach. Má fhéachaimid go géar ar na stiallacha glasa seo is féidir linn píosa staire a chaomhnú.

Bronann siad seo cuma an-tipiciúil ar an radharc; ach ní mar seo a raibh sé i gconai.

Is de dhéantús an duine na fálta agus na páirceanna beaga a chuimsíonn siad.

Ar ndóigh, fadó sna seanlaethanta d-úsáid muintir na h-Éireann an draighneán mar bharacáide cosanta thart timpeall ar a gcuid feirm, mar gheall ar na cealga fada baolach a fhasann ar an sceach seo.

Níos déanaí, sna mean-aoiseanna, ó am luath-Chríostaí, úsáideadh fálta sceach mar imfháluithe eallaigh; faoi na meánaoiseanna

cuireadh go leor fálta sceach gar do bhailte, ag cruthú bailte fearainn, atá anois i measc na bhfálta sceach is sine sa tír.

Ach cuireadh formhór na claíanna atá ann anois i rith an 17ú agus an 18ú aois, an am a bhí dlí ann an go raibh dualgas ar chuile dhuine gach píosa talúin a fhálaigh Is gné riachtanach dár tuath iad fálta sceach dúchasacha, ní amháin gur nasc iad lenár n-am atá thart ach is éicea-chórais thábhachtacha iad freisin do phlandaí agus d’ainmhithe.

Is í bithéagsúlacht na bhfálta an rud a cruthaíonn go bhfuil siad chomh tábhachtach dár dtuath. Tá i bhfad níos mó speicis ná mar a shílfeá insan ribín cúng sin de sceacha agus plandai.

Tá an-tóir ar an sceach geal agus an draighean mar phlandaí fálta toisc go bhfásann siad go tapadh; ina dtoir tiubha, rud a bhí an-oiriúnach chun beithigh a choinneáil ón strae.

Is furasta Crataegus monogyna a aithint i mí na Bealtaine nuair a bhíonn a mbrainsí dealga faoi bhláth; tá na céadtha míle de chlaíanna le feiscint i ngach contae. Deirtear go bhfuil nios mó ná 300,000 cilimeadair acu, agus iad ceangailte le chéile ar nós gréasán.

Tá fálta sceach uathúil go leor mar tá plandaí iontu mar éagsúlacht plandaí i stiall bheag. Déanann siad aithris ar imill na coillearnaí mar go bhfuil crainn árda iontu anois is arís. Níos ísle, beidh driseacha agus paistí féaraigh. Is é an meascán seo de chineálacha plandaí agus ainmhithe a chrothaionn an flúirse sa gnhnáthóg.

Ligeann an meascán d’fhás ard agus íseal, in éineacht le raon foinsí bia do go leor speiceas a bheith ann le chéile. i dtír cosuil le Éire - áit nach bhfuil ach rianta fágtha den ár gcoill agus ár foraois feidhmíonn siad mar mhórbhealach dosna hainmhithe beaga, na feithidi agus na h-éanlaith. Tá sé in aghaidh an dlí claíanna a ghearradh i rith an séasúr neadaithe.

Tá fálta á gcailliúint trí fhaillí, dul in aois agus baint ghníomhach; Faoi théarmaí an Achta um Fhiadhúlra, ní cheadaítear gearradh fálta ar thaobh an bhóthair ach idir 1 Meán Fómhair agus deireadh mhí Feabhra. má fheiceann tú éinne ag gearradh claí roimh deireadh an tséasúir, cuir in iúl do sheirbhís fiadhúlra na bpáirceanna náisiunta.

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

Connemara National park: 2000 hectares of bog and mountains.

Winning Hearts WHY SOCIAL SCIENCE IS A KEY INGREDIENT IN SUCCESSFUL NATURE CONSERVATION, BY CAROLINE CROWLEY

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

“

P

eople protect NATURA sites, not designations” – so said one conservation activist I interviewed recently, referring to the Natura 2000 nature conservation sites that cover around 12% of Ireland’s land area. The interview was one of a series conducted to help map out diverse stakeholders and their perspectives in relation to the Wild Atlantic Nature (WAN) LIFE Integrated Project (see www.wildatlanticnature.ie). This nine-year project aims to improve awareness, conservation and engagement in relation to blanket bogs in the north-west of Ireland. While its team has expertise in ecology, data management and administration, it also includes a social scientist.

The opening comment goes to the heart of why social science has a key role to play in achieving lasting nature conservation. Social science looks at society and considers the relationships among its people and institutions.

Those relationships are the glue that ensures mutual respect and trust, that underpins the goodwill and collaboration necessary to achieve successful and sustainable nature conservation.

Relationships have a history and a geography that are important to understand too. Such understanding can support the relationships required among stakeholders with differing needs and values in order to optimise trust, communication, collaboration and coordination.

Stakeholders in the WAN LIFE project provided some insights into the processes involved in both ‘bad’ and ‘good’ relationship practices in relation to achieving successful peatland conservation, as the following outlines.

A quarter of a century since the state first implemented NATURA designations on privately owned blanket bogs in a top-down manner, the negative legacy on relationships with landowners persists. Hearing from the people, families and communities affected by these designations, one begins to understand how they experienced a lack of respect: for farming livelihoods where farm incomes are already among the lowest nationally; for traditional farming or turf-cutting practices imbued with deep cultural resonance; for fuel rights in homes still entirely dependent on solid fuel. Designations were doomed to fail because the state did not seek to first understand the perspectives of farmers, other landowners, turf cutters, households with turbary rights and the wider communities in which all are integrated by kinship and other social, cultural or economic ties. In the absence of good communication or relationships, the state was unable to harness the support of the stakeholders, something which is essential to

 Turf-cutting in Co. Mayo

achieve sustainable blanket bog conservation across farms and communities and for future generations.

Therefore, understanding relationships across society (past and present) is invaluable. At community level, relationships have evolved in particular ways in response to local environments and landscapes, in turn creating cultures that respond to local social-economic realities shaped by geography and history.

Simultaneously, it is also important to recognise the overarching structuring influence of the state’s systems and policies on regulating and controlling those relationships.

‘Human ecology’ is a branch of social science that studies relationships in this holistic way.

It is open to diverse fields because it recognises the complexity of lived realities and the diversity of stakeholders. It can help to identify important connections (and disconnects) to inform sustainable nature conservation. Thus, nature conservation projects that bring together teams of ecologists and social scientists, such as WAN LIFE, are a step in the right direction.

The tools for building relationships between such teams and stakeholders on the ground come from the discipline of community development. Experienced practitioners in community development and from successful nature conservation projects shared their tips on building relationships of respect, trust and ultimately partnerships of collaboration with farmers and communities. They described a process of bottom-up, participatory decisionmaking, i.e. ‘nothing about us without us’, that aims to achieve equity in the balance of power and the distribution of resources and to ensure a good fit between needs, actions and outcomes.

Community development supports stakeholders and communities to identify their

own needs and aspirations. It happens through conversations “over the farm gate or in people’s kitchens”. For instance, the motto of The Living Bog LIFE project in the midlands (see www. raisedbogs.ie) was “legwork, not letters”, where the team built relationships by simply visiting people in their local area, chatting and (most importantly), listening to them. Community development then empowers people to take action themselves.

This work is called ‘facilitation’. It is hard to measure so it often goes unseen and tends to be under-resourced in nature conservation. Yet, like the foundations of a home, it is essential from the start and fundamental to success. Good facilitation builds trust and enables genuine, two-way, old-fashioned conversation to take place. It helps people to find common ground with sensitivity and from that common ground, the relationships needed to achieve successful and lasting nature conservation may grow and thrive.

 Heather on the side of peat cuttings, Sheepshead Peninsula

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CITIZEN SCIENCE  Recently fledged chick near nest site in Donegal.

WILL THE ELUSIVE MOUNTAIN BLACKBIRD VANISH LARGELY UNNOTICED FROM IRELAND, ASKS ALLAN MEE

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

Male delivering food to nest site in Co Donegal

PHOTOGRAPHS: ROBERT VAUGHAN

T

he ring ouzel, an upland thrush, like the more familiar blackbird but with the striking whitish bib of a dipper, is one of the most poorly known and threatened breeding birds in Ireland. Once widespread and reasonably common in the right habitat, ring ouzels were apparently found in summer in all but four counties across Ireland in the 19th century. A considerable decline was noted by the 1950s, with the species having apparently gone from many former haunts. During the 1st Breeding Bird Atlas in 1968-72, ring ouzels were found breeding in just eight counties. Declines continued in Ireland and Britain during the four decades following the 1st Atlas.

So where are ring ouzels found? In continental Europe, ring ouzels are birds of mountain steppe, open coniferous forest, conifer-beech woodland, alpine scrub, heath and subalpine meadows above the tree line. In Ireland, as in Britain, ring ouzels inhabit uplands up to 1,000m but down to near sea level in parts of north-west Ireland. They are birds of steep crags, scree slopes and ravines in mountainous areas of blanket bog and heath, with varying degrees of heather cover. Ring ouzels are summer migrants, with Irish and British birds believed to largely winter in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco in North Africa. However, no Irish breeding ring ouzels have ever been ringed or tagged to reveal if ‘our’ birds migrate and winter in the same parts of North Africa as the British birds. Birds arrive back on breeding sites as early as late March, most arriving in April. Males are highly vocal and begin singing on arrival back at breeding sites. Their distinctive mournful piping song is unmistakeable and the best way to locate birds, especially in April through to June. Otherwise, ring ouzels are notoriously shy and elusive, making birds hard to locate especially in the large open landscape of a mountain coum or corrie.

Nests in Ireland and Britain are almost always on the ground in cliffs, crags and gullies, but often in trees in Europe. The diet of nestlings is dominated by invertebrates, especially earthworms. Some 50% of ring ouzels in Scotland are double-brooded and we now know that this is the case for some Irish birds as well. Research in Scotland has shown that from mid-July, adults and juveniles switch to feeding on the berries of bilberry, rowan and crowberry. A mosaic of heather patches as cover and open grazed areas to forage appear to be important habitat preferences. Heather provides cover for nesting and foraging birds and chicks once they leave the nest and for birds using short grass patches to find earthworms and other delicacies. Heather cover also provides protection from potential predators.

So how threatened are Irish ring ouzels? The most recent Breeding Atlas (2007-2011) revealed a 57% decline in its breeding range in Ireland since 1968-72, with breeding

confirmed only in Donegal and Kerry. The first dedicated survey of the species in Kerry, by Terry Carruthers in the 1990s, estimated the breeding population in Kerry to be “probably no more than 10 to 15 pairs”, located mainly in the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. More recent surveys in the Reeks in 2008-2012 found 4-11 singing males, with only three sites consistently occupied across all years.

Upland bird surveys in north-west Ireland in 2002 and 2003 located ring ouzels at 10 sites with possibly up to 15 pairs breeding, all in Donegal. Reports also indicated sporadic breeding in Sligo, Wicklow and Waterford.

Clearly, the evidence pointed to a species with a very small and declining population. Not surprisingly, ring ouzel is again red-listed in the latest Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland (2020-2026) as threated with extinction, along with 50% of all upland breeding bird species!

In 2021, under contract to the National Parks & Wildlife Service, a small team of ornithologists carried out the first national survey of ring ouzel in Ireland. Surveying ring ouzels is often arduous, involving a lot of very early starts and hikes to beautiful but remote terrain. The survey area focused on counties Donegal and Kerry but also included tetrads (2 km2) in Waterford, Wicklow and Sligo. In total, some 62 tetrads were identified, of which 34 were high priority. While it is as yet too early to report on the final population estimates, the survey results confirm the precarious status of ring ouzel as a breeding bird in Ireland, with losses of birds from previously occupied sites. Habitat change, especially loss of heather cover, large-scale plantation forestry, low adult and juvenile survival, inter-specific competition, habitat loss on the wintering grounds, hunting pressure on migration and climate change have all been cited as driving declines.

Predation can also be an important factor in ring ouzel breeding success and juvenile survival.

Without immediate conservation action, extinction is likely within the next 10-20 years. Will the ring ouzel, like the corn bunting, vanish largely unnoticed in Ireland?

Time is now of the essence.

You can keep up to date with this project by following the Irish Ring Ouzel Survey 2021 on Twitter @OuzelRingo.

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH

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Fox cub by John Mullane Wren by Paul Lowen Cuckoo by Daniel Fildes Spider and babies by Helen Mar y Fitzsimons

Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘21

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COMPETITION

COMPETITION In this issue of Irish Wildlife you have a chance to win a copy of Zoë Devlin’s new edition of ‘The Wildflowers of Ireland’.

Discover the fascinating world of Ireland’s diverse and astonishing collection of native wildflowers: from the insecteating Sundew to the humble Harebell, this superbly illustrated guide features 623 of the wildflowers of Ireland, beautifully photographed. For ease of identification, the species are divided into colour categories and within each category the species are grouped by, for example, the number of petals in the flower or whether the species carries its flowers in a cluster or a spike.

In easily understood terminology, focus is put on the main identifying features of each plant, by colour, size, shape of flower, leaf, habitat, flowering season, and where in Ireland it might be found.

This is a must for enthusiasts of all ages and experience!

Zoë Devlin is passionate about wildflowers and the environment. She combined her interests in botany and photography to develop the website, wildflowersofIreland. net. Zoë earnestly hopes this guide will encourage many, especially young people, to identify, understand and cherish wildflowers growing all around, if only they stop and look.

We have three copies of Wildflowers of Ireland to give away. Just answer the following question:

Approximately how many species of bryophyte (mosses and liverworts) are recorded from Ireland?

The answer is somewhere in this issue! Send your answer, name and address to magazinecomp@iwt.ie by October 31st.

Summer Issue In our summer issue we gave readers a chance to win a copies of ‘Saving Eden’ by Kevin Corcoran or ‘Remarkable Creatures’ by Aga Grandowicz.

The answer to the question was the Common Crane, which was this year confirmed to have nested in Ireland for the first time in over 300 years.

Congratulations to Eithne Ní Mhurchadha, Baile Átha Cliath 8, Aideen Klauer, Valleymount, Co.Wicklow, David Devins, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, Caoimhe O’Brien, Rathmines, Dublin and Damian O’ Sullivan, Skibbereen, Co. Cork. Thanks to all who entered!

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