Irish Wildlife Winter 2018

ISSN - 1649 - 5705 • WINTER ‘18

IRISH MAGAZINE OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

IRELAND’S

BEST

WILDLIFE

MAGAZINE

PROTECTING OUR NATIVE TREES AND WOODLANDS

timefor

Trees

SPOTTED

IN IRELAND: • Common Skate • Dipper • Common Dolphin RECORDING BIODIVERSITY

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COASTAL CONSERVATION

HIGH NATURE VALUE FARMING

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WELCOME

Chairman’s Comment

I Cover credits: Kingfisher (credit, Ronald Surgenor) Common Skate (credit, Scottish Shark Tagging Project) Dipper (credit, Lindsay Hodges) Dolphin (credit, Margot McCuaig) Contents page credits: All photos belong to Friends of Merlin Woods.

Red squirrel, credit Noel Barber; Long tailed tit, Hairy shieldbug, Flowering ivy, Common carder bee, Honey fungus and Jay, credit Colin Stanley.

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.

Editor: Sinéad Ní Bheoláin, IWT Published by Ashville Media Group www.ashville.com

All articles © 2018. No part of this publication including the images used may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

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 Trust

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cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions contained herein.

Please recycle this copy of Irish Wildlife

would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Seán Meehan and I am delighted to have been elected Chairman of the IWT following our AGM in October. Firstly, I want to thank our outgoing chairman David McCormick for his commitment and work over the last two years. Our board of directors has also undergone changes; Billy Flynn, long time IWT director and magazine contributor, has been elected vice-chairman. Brian Gaynor stepped down after two years on the board, however he will remain active on the Laois/Offaly branch committee. Finally, I want to welcome three new members to the IWT board; Gef Dickson, Marion Jammet and Ruth Canning.

I became involved with IWT in 2006 and am proud to be part of one of Ireland’s longest established and most respected ENGO (environmental non-governmental organisation).

Over the years I have come to understand that the life of an ENGO is never easy; with tough economic years taking their toll due to massive cuts in grants and funding. Despite promises, reassurances and political sound-bites, successive governments continue to fail to deliver on commitments to address habitat and biodiversity loss. At times it is easy to get disheartened and disillusioned. However, despite the negatives, one aspect of the IWT has remained constant throughout the years; the dedication and passion of our directors, staff, volunteers and members.

It is this enthusiasm that has enabled the IWT to survive, overcome obstacles, successfully influence environmental decision-making and be to the forefront of environmental campaigning and education in Ireland over the years. It is you, the volunteers and members, that are our greatest asset; without whom the IWT simply would not exist. Thank you to all who give so selflessly.

In October, the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report 2018 was released. It makes for disturbing reading and highlights the imminent catastrophe our planet is facing; the collapse of global ecosystems by 2050. The 60% decrease in

Contributors Rebecca Hunter is a marine biologist with experience across the research, government and charity sectors. During her Masters, she contributed to the global Census of Marine Life at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research and spent six weeks at sea surveying the deep water life of the mid-Atlantic Ridge. She has since worked at research institutes in California, Sweden and England as well as the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the UK’s statutory nature conservation body. Since returning home to Belfast four years ago she has delivered various marine conservation and policy projects for Ulster Wildlife, forming links with Queen’s University Belfast

wildlife populations since 1970 is staggering and with extinction for many species looming, it is becoming increasingly likely that many of us reading this magazine today will live to witness the full impacts of this unfolding ecological crisis unless the global community takes immediate and urgent action. Billy Flynn’s article in this edition discusses the WWF report and lays out many of the consequences for humanity in all their ugly reality. Whilst the media did give the report attention on the day of its release, the lacklustre response from the Irish government was predictable. Hardly surprising considering the appalling track record we as a nation have when it comes to environmental degradation such as overfishing, mismanagement of uplands and the failure to meet emissions targets. We in Ireland can no longer continue to insulate ourselves on our little ‘green’ island. This approaching global ecosystem collapse will not be hit and miss. Ireland will not be immune.

Considering the WWF report and a plethora of others with their stark yet very real warnings about biodiversity loss, climate change etc., it is easy to forget about the positives. For example, in this edition, Gerard Walshe outlines his HNV approach to farming and the benefits it brings to biodiversity. IWT branches have been busy and we have a round-up of the events and initiatives that they undertake that help deliver environmental education to communities around the country. We have excellent articles on dippers, sharks, evergreens and lots more informative topics for you to enjoy.

Finally, new volunteers and members are always welcome so if you or someone you know is interested in becoming a member or getting involved with us, please visit our website www.iwt. ie to get in touch.

Enjoy the read,

Seán Meehan Chairman, Irish Wildlife Trust

to forward local shark and skate conservation measures. She is an independent advisor to the Northern Ireland government on marine nature conservation and a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellow.

Is as Baile Átha Cliath í Alison Ní Dhorchaidhe, a bhfuil cónaí uirthi i nGlaschú anois le 7 mbliana anuas. Tá suim mhór aici sa dúlra, agus ghlac sí páirt in obair bainteach le Duais Iain Muir agus Duais Dhiúc Dhún Éideann le daltaí meánscoile.

D’oibrigh sí le RSPB Loch Uinneach ar feadh bliana mar cheannaire grúpa óige.

Tá sí ina múinteoir meánscoile agus is maith léi a bheith ag scríobh haikúanna faoin dúlra. Feicfear í ar BBC Alba i mí na Nollag mar láithreoir ar chlár faoi chrainn cháiliúla na hAlban.

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CONTENTS

Contents 4.

ABOUT US

Discover more about the work of the IWT and how you can get involved.

5. CONSERVATION NEWS

Tim Clabon compiles the latest news from the conservation world and Ricky Whelan provides winter wildlife tips.

9. IWT NEWS

Recent updates and plans for the future.

13. EDUCATION

The value of observing our surroundings.

14. FIADHÚLRA

Tógann Alison Ní Dhorchaidhe muid ar turas chuig loch fíorálainn i nGlaschú.

16 BRANCH FOCUS

Local news from various branches around the country.

18. WILD IDEAS

Rebecca Hunter is working with Sea Deep to protect the sharks, skates and rays in Irish waters.

21. COMPETITION

We’re offering our readers the opportunity to win some fantastic books.

22. FEATURE

The future of black poplar trees in Ireland.

26. EXPLORING WILDLIFE

Learning about the Lebanon cedar.

28. WINTER FOCUS

Billy Flynn discusses the shocking

findings of the WWF’s Living Planet Report.

30. WILD SPACES

Martina Caplice tells the fascinating

story of North Bull Island.

32. FIELD REPORT

Observing the ‘Harry Houdini’ of the bird family.

34. OVER TO YOU

A selection of photos and messages sent in by Irish Wildlife Trust members.

36. ON LOCATION

High Nature Value Farming in Connemara with Gerard Walshe.

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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.

IMAGES THIS PAGE: TOP: Black poplar, credit Daniel Buckley ABOVE: Lebanon cedar, credit Christine Cassidy

HAVE COMMENTS? Magazine queries, general wildlife questions or observations email: iwteditor@gmail.com Information on campaigning and policies email: irishwildlife@iwt.ie Phone: (01) 860 2839 Snail mail: The Irish Wildlife Trust, Sigmund Business Centre, 93A Lagan Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 11 Web: www.iwt.ie Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust twitter.com/Irishwildlife

Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT.

The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Dublin: Barbara, 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 Longford/Westmeath: Chris Martin, iwtlongfordwestmeath@gmail.com Facebook: search for ‘Longford/ Westmeath Irish Wildlife Trust Branch’ Laois/Offaly: Ricky, iwtlaoisoffaly@gmail.com www.facebook.com/IWTlaoisoffalybranch West Cork: Eoghan Daltun, eoghandaltun@yahoo.com

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 in different ways.

There are lots of ways to get involved, from work experience in specialist areas to getting your hands dirty at our sites or helping us increase membership at 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

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CONSERVATION NEWS

CONSERVATION

NEWS

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

IRISH NEWS

5Creagh Meadows, credit Doris Noe

Breathing space for landing place

by Doris Noe Every October, hundreds of wild swans arrive from Iceland at a traditional site in mid-Ulster. The wet grasslands of the Creagh Meadows adjoining Lough Beg, halfway between Belfast and Derry, host Ireland’s single most important wintering population of whooper swans. Only this winter, these meadows are ominously marked with the outline of a dual carriageway.

The A6 connects Belfast with Ireland’s northwest. As part of an upgrade, a 4km section is to be built through the floodplain of Lough Beg, a rich mosaic of wetland habitats vital for these swans and other wildlife. It is not the need to upgrade the A6 that campaigners challenge, but the

choice of this route, when far less damaging alternatives exist. Regular bird counts led to Lough Beg and nearby Lough Neagh receiving protective EU status as a Special Protection Area (SPA) in 1998. In 2010, the findings of a five-year site fidelity study of wintering swans and geese, commissioned

by Northern Ireland’s Environment Agency (NIEA), confirmed the Creagh Meadows’ prime importance for Icelandic whooper swans. Fundamental to meeting the SPA’s legally binding conservation objectives to maintain populations of wintering swans and over 20 other species of water birds is the purposeful protection of these wet grasslands.

Plainly, they are not being protected.

With the return of the whooper swans, construction along the contested route has had to stop, giving them breathing space for the next six months. I, a German national resident in Northern Ireland since 1986, lodged a complaint with the European Commission and during this time they will be investigating whether the scheme is in breach of the Habitats Directive. Anyone wishing to express their support for the protection of Lough Beg and the Creagh Meadows is asked to write to the European Commission.

Details available on https://www.change. org/p/save-the-seamus-heaney-landscapesaveheaneycountry

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CONSERVATION NEWS

Deep-water organisms to aid research into novel pharmaceutical An expedition, part of a Science Foundation Ireland and Marine Institute funded project to derive novel pharmaceuticals from deep-water organisms, explored waters off the edge of Ireland’s continental shelf, with the aim of both exploiting and conserving Ireland’s deep-sea genetic resources.

Scientists mapped the biodiversity of the sea floor and collected samples of sponges and octocorals (which lack the stony skeleton of tropical reef-building corals), to study their chemistry back in the labs. These organisms produce chemicals as part of their defensive NUI Galway PhD student Sam Afoullous hands a sponge-encrusted rock, collected with the remotely systems, to stop, for example, other operated vehicle Holland I, to Prof. Louise Allcock sponges and corals growing on top of them, and such chemicals can be the source of new drugs. The chemicals extracted by NUI Galway chemists are being tested against a range of disease screens with collaborators from around the world. The scientists are screening against various types of cancer, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and various pathogens such as Enterobacter bacteria species.

Professor Louise Allcock from the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway, and chief scientist and principal investigator on the project, Exploiting and Conserving Deep-sea Genetic Resources, emphasised the importance of Irish deep-sea fauna. “New diseases emerge every decade. It’s important to also conserve these unique habitats so that medicine can draw on them in the future. Our species distribution maps will help with that,” she said.

BEAKED WHALE WITH CALVES IN NORTHEAST ATLANTIC The first confirmed sightings of a Sowerby’s beaked whale with calves in the Northeast Atlantic were made by observers from the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre and Irish Whale and Dolphin Group onboard the Marine Institute’s research vessel, RV Celtic Voyager. The first sighting was made on the morning of 9 May 2015 approximately 120km off the west coast. The second sighting was made on 23 May 2016, approximately 360km offshore. In both cases calves were observed, attended by adults. The calves were believed to be around 6-12 months of age. This is the first

BETTER OPTIONS FOR BANDON? In an attempt to relieve the town of Bandon in West Cork from regular flooding, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has been dredging the river Bandon over the past year and a half. Is there a better way to stop this Munster plantation town from flooding? The OPW manages 11,500km of river channels which it is responsible for maintaining in a permanently ‘dredged’ condition under legislation dating from the 1940s (when the prime consideration was expansion of farmland rather than saving property). The Arterial Drainage Act now requires urgent review given the enormous changes to our environment which have occurred, and the greater acceptance that a more nature-friendly approach is needed. In the catchment of the Bandon River intensive agricultural practices (requiring on-going land drainage), unsustainable forestry activities (which reduce soil storage capacity by the use of non-native trees and the practice of clear-felling), peatland degradation and inappropriate development have all contributed to flooding. Conversely, less intensive farming, native woodland creation and peatland restoration can help to alleviate flooding. However, the planning documentation for the Bandon flood scheme shows that these were not considered as alternative approaches.

time calves have been recorded in this area, and suggests that calving and breeding areas for Sowerby’s beaked whale occur off western Ireland. It is therefore important that any impact caused by offshore maritime activities such as deepsea trawling or resource exploration take this into account as this species is susceptible to noise pollution.

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie 6

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CONSERVATION NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

New species of spiders discovered at Australian BioBlitz While we complete BioBlitz events to record the biodiversity, we don’t really expect to find new species but in Australia on the Cooloola Coast, their BioBlitz found 37 new species of spider. Robert Whyte, co-author of A field guide to spiders of Australia, who has worked on many BioBlitz campaigns in Australia said, “People might be alarmed, but these aren’t big hairy spiders. These are tiny little things that look like jewels,”. Mr Whyte said the most interesting was a spider with a body length of just 1.14mm, which was named the Baalzebub after the god of darkness.

Ninety-seven scientists and volunteers spent the weekend in August going through leaf litter, undergrowth and shaking trees; literally collecting anything that moved. In all, 700 species were collected, identified and catalogued. Three sites were surveyed, ranging in habitats of mangrove forests, high dunes; littoral forests, rainforest, heathlands, fens and eucalyptus forests. Cooloola Coast is situated on the Southeast of Queensland. While it is on the list of tentative World Heritage Sites, it is hoped that the discovery of the new species of spider will help get the site listed as a World Heritage Site. More BioBlitz events are planned, and it is thought new species are still waiting to be discovered. While guided by experts such as Robert Whyte, volunteers of all experience levels working through citizen science show just how important getting out and involved can be in monitoring and protecting biodiversity.

BELUGA WHALE FINDS NEW HOME IN LONDON A rare beluga whale has been inhabiting the Thames Estuary. First spotted on the 25th September, the whale currently shows no signs of leaving. British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and the Port of London Authority have been and continue to monitor the whale with plans to lower a hydrophone to monitor its behaviour and confirm if it is eating. Observations suggest the beluga whale continues to be highly mobile, providing limited sightings and is swimming strongly and exhibiting normal foraging. The sex and age are unknown but improved estimates of length now put it at around 3.5 metres.

It is not known why the whale

ARCTIC PLANTS GROW TALLER AMID WARMING CLIMATE A team of experts, led by the University of Edinburgh, has discovered that the effects of climate change are behind an increase in plant height across the tundra over the past 30 years. As well as the Arctic’s native plants growing in stature, in the southern reaches of the Arctic, taller species of plants are spreading across the tundra. Vernal sweetgrass, which is common in lowland Europe, has now moved into sites in Iceland and Sweden.

Rapid climate warming in the Arctic and alpine regions is driving changes in the structure and composition of plant communities.

Taller plants trap more snow, which insulates the underlying soil and prevents it from freezing as quickly in winter. An increase in taller plants could speed up the thawing of this frozen carbon bank, and lead to an

increase in the release of greenhouse gases. This has important consequences for how this vast and sensitive ecosystem functions. Arctic regions have long been a focus for climate change research, as the permafrost lying under the northern latitudes contains 30 to 50% of the world’s soil carbon. The team assessed relationships between temperature, soil moisture and key traits that represent plants’ form and function. Plant height and leaf area were analysed and tracked, along with specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen content and leaf dry matter content, as well as woodiness and evergreenness. Surprisingly, only height was found to increase strongly over time. Plant traits were strongly influenced by moisture levels in addition to temperature.

came and chose to stay in the Thames estuary. The BDMLR are in contact with experts on beluga whales, as well as relevant agencies to discuss various scenarios and get important information on this species.

An exclusion zone around the whale is in force, and visitors have been asked to avoid the area around the whale.

Since the 1960s there have been 20 sightings of belugas around the UK coast, the last off Northumberland in 2015. A beluga whale was last seen off Irish coasts in 2015.

5Beluga whale, credit Sam Lipman/

British Divers Marine Life Rescue

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie Irish Wildlife Winter ‘18

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CONSERVATION NEWS

PRACTICAL CONSERVATION

Winter Wildlife Tips Ricky Whelan – Project Officer BirdWatch Ireland/ Chairman IWT Laois Offaly Branch Coal tit feeding, credit Martine Brennan

Wildlife, especially, birds, mammals and amphibians can experience difficulties during the cold winter months, this was amplified during the severe weather experienced early in 2018 where many species were pushed to the edge and forced to come into much closer contact with humans in efforts to survive. There was reports of Woodcock sheltering in small urban gardens, Pine Martens feeding at bird feeders and all sorts of unusual occurrences.

Many frogs had also spawned by the time the severe weather hit in early spring, leaving frogspawn exposed to the frost. Birds for example can move to avoid the worst conditions if extreme weather prevails but there are a few things folks can do to help wildlife in their gardens during the cold months and during extreme weather events.

Feed the birds: Commercially available bird seed and fat balls etc are best but failing that there is a few things in the cupboard that will substitute these. For example, apples are brilliant for thrushes such as blackbirds and song thrushes. Cooked rice, brown or white (without salt added) is beneficial and readily accepted by all species during severe

winter weather. Uncooked porridge oats are readily taken by a number of bird species.

Porridge oats must never be cooked, since this makes them glutinous and could harden causing the bird problems. Cheese can be given to birds and grated cheese often attracts robins and dunnocks.

Provide Water: All animals need water to survive and in cold snaps water can be particularly hard to find and access for birds and other creatures. Birds need water to drink but also to bath in to keep feathers clean, so they retain their insulating quality for the cold nights ahead. Break ice on bird baths or replace water each morning as required.

Garden Ponds: Frogs spawn in early spring before the worst cold weather is behind us. Frogspawn can be damaged and the tadpoles in the top layer of spawn can die when ice persists, but the mass of frog spawn usually extends below the waters surface. The spawn below the top layer is normally fine. Break the ice each morning to allow birds to drink from the pond and the help the frogspawn but be careful not to damage it.

Frogs will often have a second go at mating and spawning, so all may not be lost even if the first batch is harmed.

Hedgehogs: Hedgehogs love cat and dog food. If you think there is a hedgehog active in your garden leave a plate of pet food somewhere safe and accessible for the hedgehog to have a feed. Most hedgehogs should remain in their winter nest sites during cold weather, but some may be awake and will be hungry.

Pets: Keep family pets away from feeders as the birds are under pressure to feed, especially in the morning (to regain vitsl calories lost overnight), and the added stress of being chased by pets can be fatal in certain cases.

Sick or injured animals: If you encounter sick or injured wildlife you can place them in a warm, dark, quite place such as a cardboard box with air holes and some water.

Contact your local wildlife rescue group to get further advice - these groups will have Facebook pages where you can find contact details.

Is there a practical conservation project you would like to see covered? Email iwteditor@gmail.com 8

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IWT NEWS

IWTNEWS Activity Update

By Kieran Flood, IWT Conservation Officer.

Let’s have a look back at some of our recent activities and look forward to important IWT projects coming up. Right now, the need to protect our biodiversity from human induced extinction is more important than ever and it is something we all need to engage with if we are to achieve the goal of saving our vulnerable species and habitats. The activities below see IWT engaging with all sections of society to work towards this goal. We hope you will join us.

Waterways for Wildlife Once more this year, we ran our Waterways for Wildlife project with support from Waterways Ireland and the Laois and Offaly County Councils. Waterways act as wildlife corridors within our landscape. Many of our canals provide food and shelter for wildlife such as birds, bats and bees. They are lined with mature trees and wildflowers, not to mention the fantastic resource of the insects living below the water and on its surface.

This project explores the biodiversity of these linear nature reserves by teaching local residents how to identify and record this wealth of life. This year we ran three events on the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal.

This waterway splits with the Grand Canal at Lowtown Co Kildare and heads south to join the Barrow River at Athy. At these events, we explored the insects, plants and bats living on the canal with the communities of Athy, Vicarstown and Lowtown.

5Waterways for Wildlife workshop in Athy

Autumn Conferences This autumn we attended some very interesting gatherings including the Irish Upland Forum conference in Mulranny, Co Mayo and the GBIF Seminar in Kilkenny City. What is GBIF you might be wondering? Well, it stands for the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. It is a worldwide network of national biodiversity record centres. Our own National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) is the Irish node of GBIF. The network gathers and shares local biodiversity information globally with organisations throughout the world and with the public via their website. This information is then used for research and to inform conservation actions all over the world. For example, our own National Biodiversity Data Centre has used their record to make actions plans like the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and the biodiversity indicators. These in turn help us measure our progress toward saving some of our most endangered species and habitats. Why not send in your nature records to the NBDC and your species sightings could be used by Irish planners to protect wildlife or help researchers on the other side of the world study global biodiversity changes.

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IWT NEWS

Together for Biodiversity Awards This winter we launched the Together for Biodiversity Awards.

The awards are part of the National Biodiversity Conference and are generously funded by the Dublin Port Company. Through the awards scheme, individuals, schools, community groups and farmers are telling us about wildlife conservation projects they have been working on over the last year. It is an opportunity to have this work recognised and be in with the chance of winning funding for future biodiversity projects. These fantastic projects

were all submitted over recent weeks and now it is your turn to get involved by heading over to our website, iwt.ie/biodiversityawards, to vote for your favourite project. The winners will be announced at the National Biodiversity Conference on 20th & 21st February 2019. This conference is open for all to attend and is a gathering of community groups, researchers, NGOs and state agencies, all assembling to try and figure out how best we can save the precious biodiversity of Ireland.

People for Bees We are delighted to inform you that we are continuing our People for Bees workshops in 2019. We will be running bumblebee ID and habitat creation workshops in Counties Donegal, Kerry, Limerick and Westmeath. All IWT members are invited to attend these workshops and they are free of charge, so why not come along to learn how you can support the National Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme or how to provide food and shelter for our pollinator population. We can all do our bit to help. For details of workshop dates and venues and to book in, get in touch with us at conservation@iwt.ie.

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IWT NEWS

Campaign Update

By Pádraic Fogarty, IWT Campaigns Officer Forestry in Ireland – an opportunity waiting to happen?

5Mushrooms in Derryclare Forest, credit John Smyth

Derryclare Nature Reserve is a tiny patch of old oak woodland tucked up against the edge of a lake of the same name, deep in the heart of Connemara. Above it looms Derryclare mountain, one of the 12 Bens – a cluster of peaks in one of Ireland’s most scenic locations – and not far from Connemara National Park.

While the landscape retains a dramatic edge its once abundant nature has not fared so well.

Despite much of the open hills lying within a Special Area of Conservation, the plant and animal community today is but a pale reflection of its former glory.

Golden and white-tailed eagles, red grouse, nightjar, hen harrier, breeding waders and wintering geese have all disappeared from Connemara, or hang on by a thread.

Overgrazing by sheep has destroyed the fragile, and in some instances globally unique, peatland

habitats while conifer plantations are reminders of the mistakes of the past. But if you’re looking for hope, look no further than Derryclare Nature Reserve, that is, if you can find it. There are no signposts or obvious trails leading to the forest and it was only on my third attempt that I found a way in. The wooden sign marking the entrance lies prostrate and almost engulfed in vegetation. Standing on the shore of the lake, the woodland on the far side stands out with its soft contours and delicate colours. The boughs of the oaks reach out over the water, casting their refection on calm days like Narcissus admiring their own beauty - and they certainly are gorgeous. Some of the oaks are massive in size, gnarled, green and mossy.

Some of the fleshy lichens which engulf bark and branch are also green – and Derryclare is known for its great abundance and diversity

of lichens. The old oak woodland is one of a handful of places in Ireland where we can glimpse what much of Ireland would have looked like before farming cleared the land.

What was once Ireland’s largest habitat is now among our smallest; only around 1% of the country today is native woodland. The great beauty of Derryclare contrasts sharply with its immediate surroundings where, since the 1960s, plantations of conifer trees were planted in great bands across the base of the mountains and up to the shores of Loughs Inagh and Derryclare. There was even an attempt to plant conifers in the oak woods themselves but thankfully these were removed. Recent clearfelling - the means of harvesting the trees which involves taking all the trees down in one go has left ugly expanses of stumps and brash.

Interestingly, one patch of land near the lake

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IWT NEWS

was clear-felled in the 1990s and left to nature’s devices. It now has a dense canopy of birch trees, pioneers of the woodland world, which will prepare the ground for the mighty oaks in years to come.

Too often, people decide what trees grow where and these planting projects frequently fail, convincing some that trees won’t grow in Connemara’s peaty soil and soggy climate. But, when left to her own devices, nature proves otherwise.

In October, the IWT Galway branch held a public event in Derryclare, guided by Dermot Breen, the local NPWS ranger. He told the crowd about the importance of the woodland for its biodiversity but also about some of the threats it faces. Sheep, in particular, are grazing too much of the vegetation. One massive oak had recently fallen in a storm, sad, but not normally a disaster given that the dead wood will go on to nourish countless fungi and invertebrates and send its nutrients back into the soil. But what was really sad is that there are no new oak seedlings growing to fill the space. Rhododendron is not so much of a problem, but it does lurk in corners, and Dermot told us how he keeps plants in check so they don’t get out of hand. Derryclare should be getting the five star treatment, as one of the last fragments of native woodland left in Ireland, but it isn’t. Connemara should be among the richest wildlife landscapes in Ireland, but it’s far from it. Conifer plantations should never have come next or near to such a fragile and scenic region, but there they are, darkening every valley. Is there a way to start turning this situation around? The good news is; yes.

5Branch member with acorn, credit John

Smyth

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5Fallen oak Derryclare Forest, credit John Smyth Galway branch outing, credit John Smyth

The Native Woodland Scheme is a statefunded programme for the planting of new native woodlands and the maintenance of existing woodlands. It provides guidance and resources for fencing to keep out sheep and other grazers, removing alien invasive species, and, if needs be, planting new trees to increase diversity. To date however, its success has been mixed. Private landowners have been slow to get involved and we are failing to meet even our very modest targets for native woodland creation. Derryclare Nature Reserve is a prime candidate for this scheme and we hope that the NPWS can move swiftly to save the forest before more of the veteran trees are lost. But we also hope that Coillte too can get involved. Our vision is for a new native woodland that can replace all of the existing

plantations in this area. The IWT wants to see a review of all of the conifer plantations across Ireland which are widely acknowledged to have been planted in the wrong places. We feel there is an enormous opportunity for nature and local communities in creating a forest that will in time be full of ancient oaks cloaked in mosses and lichens. The trees which are standing there today are potentially the parents and grandparents of this next generation. The IWT has already held meetings with Coillte, NPWS and the Forest Service - which would have to licence such a project - to explore this idea and we feel, if successful, it could provide a template for communities across Ireland who want a more nature-friendly approach to the management of their landscape.

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EDUCATION

We can learn a lot from nature if we just take the time to stop and observe our surroundings Jenny Quinn highlights the important lessons we can learn from observing and understanding our trees.

5 Forest carpet in Cavan

Inspirational

Trees

counted, then the amount of leaves on one section or on the whole tree could be estimated using multiplication. Another simple activity is to observe and record the symmetry of leaves. For secondary school maths students, trees can be used to enhance mean, mode and median learning. The length and width of a selection of leaves on a particular tree can be recorded. The range can then be recorded and then the average dimension using mean, mode and median. ne of Albert Einstein’s most famous quotes - “Look deep With regard to English, again there are some very simple activities into nature, and then you will understand everything that can be done. For example, primary school students could think of better” - invites us to appreciate and engage with the some simple adjectives to describe a tree and then compare different teaching power of nature. For example, going for a walk trees using comparative language. Trees can also inspire children to in the woods and observing the surrounding trees can come up with similes and metaphors. Trees can also be a great source remind us of some important values including patience, of inspiration when it comes to stillness, acceptance and strength, to name but a few. What’s “For secondary school poetry and short story writing for more, trees (and indeed other natural resources) can be a both primary and secondary school maths students, trees great source of more practical knowledge and can act as students. In addition, using a rich learning resources to complement curriculum based woodland area as a space to do can be used to enhance learning happening inside the classroom. mean, mode and median some role play activities can be a The value of trees, in both of these respects, has gained great way to inspire children to learning.” momentum in recent years with the creation of Forest develop oral communication skills.

Schools and other outdoor learning programmes. Of course, Needless to say trees can be the parents and teachers can utilise trees as a learning resource source of many other learning for children without having to take part in these more official programmes, opportunities, in the areas of science, history, geography and art for example. or indeed in addition to these programmes. If we take a look at subjects In fact, trees can inspire cross-curricular learning, for example a poem or including English and maths, we can see how trees can bolster everyday a short story about a tree might incorporate some scientific language such classroom learning. as carbon dioxide, oxygen and photosynthesis. So depending on what feels A simple tree-based maths learning activity for primary age children is right, a walk in the woods can be a welcome oxygen fuelled break from a leaf count. For example, the amount of leaves on one branch could be learning, a time to enhance learning, or both!

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20/11/2018 12:35

FIADHÚLRA

5 Corr réisc

Tearmann do dhaoine agus fhiadhúlra mar aon in oirthuaisceart Ghlaschú le Alison Ní Dhorchaidhe

L

á álainn fómhair atá ann, agus tá dath rua, órga agus buí ar na crainn, rud atá níos suntasaí fós le hais gorm na spéire.

Sroichimid Loch Hogganfield, mé féin agus mo chéile agus, mar is iondúil, tá an áit plódaithe le daoine - níl spás ar bith sa charrchlós! Ní chuireann sé iontas orainn ar ndóigh, ar lá mar seo. Faighim spléachadh ar chinn bhána na n-ealaí agus tagann sceitimíní orm – tá mo chroí istigh iontu.

Faighimid spás sa charrchlós ag an gclub gailf díreach in aice leis an loch, agus tugaimid amach na gloiní agus an scóp go maolchluasach, ar eagla go bhfeicfeadh galfaire sinn...

Cuireann sé gliondar ar ár gcroí nuair a 14

5 Loch hoggenfield, le caoinchead Carole Hughes

chloisimid gáir na n-ealaí glóracha – tá cuid acu tar éis Glaschú a shroicheadh cheana ag deireadh turais 13,00km ón Íoslainn. Tá cuma chairdiúil, shona orthu agus, cé go bhfuil ealaí balbha an-mhaorga, tá carachtar níos láidre ag na healaí glóracha seo.

Caithimid súil ghéar timpeall orainn agus tugaimid faoi deara éanlaith uisce eile ina measc – broighill á dtroimiú féin le sciatháin sínte amach; tumairí rua an-ghar dúinn ag iarraidh bia a ghoid ó pháistí; lachain bhadánacha ag princeam is ag tumadh san uisce. Ar oileán beag bídeach nach fada uainn, tá eala bhalbh á piocadh is á cíoradh féin agus corr réisc ag gabháil néal codlata.

Níos faide amuigh, tá foithigh mhóra agus praslachain ann.

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FIADHÚLRA

Bíonn an “Huggie” – leasainm atá ag muintir na háite ar an loch – beo le daoine, idir shean agus óg; daoine a bhfuil suim mhór acu sna héin is daoine a thagann ann chun dul ar shiúlóid agus na madraí a thabhairt amach (bím féin ag peataireacht na madraí gleoite freisin!). Tá an loch féin an-mhór, le cosán 2km ar fad timpeall air – tá go leor spáis ann chun dul ag rothaíocht freisin.

Inniu, tá roinnt mhaith daoine thart le gloiní timpeall a muiníl – tádar anseo chun spléachadh a fháil ar éan suntasach, an gheabhróg dhubh. Tá sí anseo le tamaill anuas, ach níl an t-ádh orainn inniu, de réir dealraimh. Nach mbeadh a fhios agat é. Ach tagann geabhróg choitianta inár dtreo de ruathar is í ag eitilt go ligthe lúfar.

Is áit thábhachtach í seo ó thaobh éanlaith agus fiadhúlra de agus ó thaobh na sláinte de freisin - bíonn muintir an cheantair ag baint leas as le haghaidh aclaíochta agus aeir úir, agus go deimhin feictear dúinn go bhfuil tionchar láidir ag an dúlra ar mheabhairshláinte. Tá an loch agus an pháirc i gcroílár cheantar cónaithe agus is cosúil go gcruthaíonn sin ceangal idir muintir na háite agus an dúlra. Stopann fear óg ar rothar chun

hAlban chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do bhithéagsúlacht an dúlra, tsláinte a chur chun cinn agus tádar ag súil go mbeidh tionchar maith ag an tionscadal seo ar chúrsaí eacnamaíochta freisin.

Le déanaí, chonacthas a lán speiceas éagsúil sa cheantar – na céadta glaisneach ag eitilt isteach le haghaidh don gheimreadh; gaduail; praslachain; rálóga uisce; cruidín; caislín aitinn óg; spadalaigh; lachain rua; foithigh chluasacha; broigheall Eorpach; agus, go deimhin, an gheabhróg dhubh óg a mheall na fairtheoirí éan chun an locha. Tá cliú ar Loch Frankfield, atá gar do Loch Hogganfield agus suite i dtalamh riascach, mar áit den scoth chun an naoscach bhídeach a fheiceáil, éan atá neamhchoitianta agus a thagann ón tSibéir chun éalú ó na geimhrí garbha ansin. Bhí an t-ádh orainn féin ceann

a fheiceáil lá fuar seaca agus í ag eitilt thart.

Chomh maith le héin, tá go leor speiceas eile ann, ar nós fianna odhar, ioraí agus vóil uisce, atá an-fhaiteach agus neamhchoitianta.

Tugtar “Froggy” mar leasainm ar Cardowan Moss mar gheall ar an oiread de froganna atá ann agus bíonn an t-aer lán snáthaidí móra i rith an tsamhraidh! Tá giolcarnach taobh le Loch Frankfield atá go hiontach le haghaidh froganna, buafa agus niúit, agus tá tolláin faoin bhóthar in aice leis an loch ionas go mbeidh na créatúir seo in ann an loch a bhaint amach go slán sábháilte, rud a thógann mo chroí.

Is beag áit ann de mhacasamhail Loch Hogganfield agus an talamh timpeall air, atá lán beatha ilghnéithigh agus suite gar do chathair mhór. Ní gan údar a tugadh Glaschú mar ainm air!

5 Cruidín, le caoinchead Ronald Surgenor

“Tá an loch agus an pháirc i gcroílár cheantar cónaithe agus is cosúil go gcruthaíonn sin ceangal idir muintir na háite agus an dúlra.” labhairt linn faoin gcruidín a chonaic sé le déanaí ag iascaireacht ar an loch. Go hiondúil, is daoine meánaosta nó seandaoine a bhíonn amuigh ag faire ar éin agus is sinne na daoine is óige ina measc, mar sin tá sé deas bualadh le fear óg a bhfuil suim aige sa dúlra. Is cosúil go bhfuil tionchar maith ag tearmann dúlra mar seo ar na daoine a bhfuil cónaí orthu ann.

Tá Loch Hogganfield anois mar chuid de thionscadal mór, ‘The Seven Lochs Wetland Park’, a fuair deontas £4,461,800 ón Heritage Lottery Fund in 2016 chun níos mó cosán agus áiseanna cuairteora a chur timpeall lochanna Hogganfield, Frankfield, Bishop, Johnston, Garnqueen, Woodend agus Lochend (.i., na seacht lochanna). Tá an ceantar seo suite in oirthuaisceart Ghlaschú agus Tuaisceart Leannraig agus tá 16km cearnach sa pháirc ar fad. Tá sé i gceist ag lucht an tionscadail gnáthóg bhogaigh a chruthú is a chothabháil i gCrios Lárnach na Irish Wildlife Winter ‘18

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BRANCH FOCUS

Across Country THE LATEST UPDATES FROM

the

News and updates from IWT branches across Ireland.

 Rockpooling in Dublin, credit

Briana Shiels

Rockpooling

by Briana Shiels, Dublin Branch

On Sunday 3rd of September, what looked like the whole of Dublin descended on Portmarnock beach for our annual rockpooling event. Adults, teenagers, children, toddlers and even the family dog were in attendance. The sun shone and temperatures and excitement were high. Our event was led by Kevin Delahunty and Laila Higgins who shared their knowledge and answered any and all questions.

The rockpools were teeming with life and provided hours of entertainment and education. Crabs of all shapes and sizes were found hiding in the rocks and crevices. Hermit crabs in all sizes and colours were found. All manner of shells were found - clams, razorshells, scallops, cockles, mussels, limpets, periwinkles, whelks and barnacles. We learned that the dark red beadlet anemones use their long tentacles to sting and capture prey. While their stings are not harmful to humans, the lion’s mane jellyfish’s are.

We saw a lion’s mane jellyfish washed up in the rockpools, it was relatively small compared to others that washed up on Ireland’s shores this summer.

Brittlestars were also discovered. Similiar to how lizards can drop their tails as a defense mechanism, brittlestars can lose an arm if they feel threatened.

We also saw prawns, gobies and chitons - the list goes on and on.

Kevin suggested we do a two minute beach clean and leave the shore better than we found it - a brilliant idea. We collected all types of litter that would have ended up in our seas. Thank you to everyone who came and donated.

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BRANCH FOCUS

Stag, credit Ger Scollard

The Fallow Deer Rut in the Phoenix Park

The Rut in Killarney

By Niamh Sullivan, Dublin Branch

The Red Deer Rut event in Killarney has become an annual event - and highlight - for the Kerry Branch. This year’s event, held on Sunday 21st October, was led by Dr David McCormick and was a great success. With an early start in a misty Killarney, we were also treated to seeing a dipper in the river as well as a red squirrel - first spotted by one of the younger members of the group. As we walked the path in the national park, after the initial delight of seeing the red squirrel, the roars of the male stags then greeted us. Upon reaching a more open area the group was able to stand and observe ‘the rut’. Its hard to describe the majesty of this, seeing and hearing the stag laying claim to a group of females, a group of younger males watching everything, hesitant to challenge the larger male and at times doing some practice fighting. The gloomy weather even added more to the atmosphere.

Sunday 21st October saw our walk out to see the fallow deer in the Phoenix Park. Not dissuaded by the lashing rain, 80 die hard deer stalkers of all ages turned up. Thankfully by the time we walked from our meeting point to the herd the rain had cleared.Our walk was led by Dr Favel Naulty from UCD. Having worked with the OPW in the management of the herd for nearly 20 years, Favel is a mine of information and answered all our questions about behaviour, population dynamics, ecology and even which one was Rudolph.

The fallow deer have been in the Phoenix Park since the 17th century. The herd is currently kept at between 450 and 500 animals, as this number was observed to be the safest for both the herd and road users in the park.The main distinguishing feature of fallow deer is the flat palm shaped antlers grown by the males. In the Phoenix Park, the rut happens every October.

Most males will not successfully mate until they are five years old while females can generally breed from their second year with up to 200 fawns born annually in the park.

Unfortunately it has now become a popular pastime to hand feed the deer. As a result the deer have become habituated to people and look for food if you get too close. It was worrying to see parents with young children trying to pet the deer. Adult males stand 1m at the shoulder and can weigh up to 100 kg. A large male with a large set of antlers could do a lot of damage - without meaning to - with one swift turn of the head.

Luckily the OPW rangers arrived to safeguard the herd. Thanks again to Favel for another brilliant walk and to all who attended.  Dublin Branch at the Phoenix Park, credit

Niamh Sullivan

By Ger Scollard, Kerry Branch

Successful Funding for Meadow Maintenance Equipment By Brian Gaynor, Branch Secretary Lowland hay (wildflower) meadows were once a  New meadow maintenance equipment, credit Brian common sight across the Irish countryside with Gaynor fields awash with colour throughout the summer.

These meadows would have included a vast array of native wildflowers and grasses that would in turn have supported a host of other wildlife including many of our native pollinators. However, over the last 60 years, well over 90% of this habitat has disappeared and with it much of our wildlife that depend on it. Its further decline has been halted somewhat in recent years, mainly through the creation of meadows on some public grounds around the country.

To do our bit here in Laois and Offaly, we set out to restore and raise awareness of this habitat where we could. We have partnered with community groups, sports clubs, Council, etc. to help them manage parts of their grounds as a meadow. However, one of the main obstacles for these groups with regard the creation of meadows is the maintenance required at the end of the season, which involves a cut and lift of the meadow.

To overcome this, we started exploring options for acquiring our own equipment that would allow us assist these groups to manage these new areas of wildflower meadow. Thankfully there was funding available under the LEADER programme, which is delivered through Laois Partnership Company, and we were delighted to be successful in our application this summer 2018. We would also like to thank G-Unit Property Services for their donation which helped us with our match funding.

Our application included a power scythe, brush cutters, mechanical rakes and scarifiers and a leaf vacuum for harvesting seed, which we hope to put to good use over the coming years. We are always happy to hear from any local groups who would like to discuss opportunities for creating new meadows in our area and how we can help. Please feel free to contact us at 087 7829477.

Interested in becoming involved with an existing branch or seeing if there is interest in your area for a new branch, please get in touch! Details on the About Us page.

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WILD IDEAS

 Common skate, credit Scottish

Shark Tagging Project

Get hooked on Sharks, Skates and Rays Over 60 species of sharks, skates and rays live in the seas surrounding Ireland. Rebecca Hunter, Project Coordinator of Ulster Wildlife’s marine conservation project, Sea Deep, highlights the important work being carried out to protect these creatures, some of which are highly endangered.

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S

ea Deep, a new marine conservation project delivered by Ulster Wildlife, is encouraging sea users and coast lovers to help safeguard the future of our local sharks, skates and rays. With support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we are training volunteers to record much-needed information about these incredible, but severely threatened, creatures.

Unknown to many, the seas around Ireland are home to over 60 species of sharks, skates and rays, including the common skate - the largest in the world, reaching three meters in length with a lifespan of over 100 years.

GETTING TO KNOW OUR SHARKS, SKATES AND RAYS The smaller spurdog shark, which gets its name from the smooth spine at the front of each dorsal fin, can live for up to 70 years and has one of the longest pregnancies of any animal in the world – between 18 months and two years.

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WILD IDEAS

 Common skate tagging, credit Rebecca Hunter

The porbeagle shark is a deeper water species. It is closely related to the great white and can reach up to 3.5m in length. Porbeagle are highly migratory – an individual tagged on the west coast of Ireland travelled across the entire Atlantic Ocean and was recaptured 10 years later in Newfoundland, Canada.

Tope are slender hound sharks which can grow up to 2m in length.

They are another highly migratory species, with individuals tagged along the west coast of Scotland recaptured as far away as Iceland and the Canary Islands.

The small spotted catshark is the most common shark around our coasts. A nocturnal hunter, it is often found by divers snoozing on the seabed during the day, making a perfect photo opportunity.

DWINDLING POPULATIONS Unfortunately, these incredible animals have gained a bad reputation from Hollywood films and sensationalised shark attack stories. In reality, they are one of the most vulnerable groups of animals in our seas.

Sharks and rays are long-lived and slow to mature and reproduce which makes them vulnerable to overfishing and other threats such as pollution or habitat destruction. Sadly, these characteristics mean that the populations of many of our sharks, skates and rays have significantly reduced as our seas have become a busier and more dangerous place to live in.

 Common skate tagging, credit Ronald Surgenor

Some, such as the porbeagle and the ironically-named common skate, are now more endangered than the snow leopard or African elephant.

There is very little protection for these species around Ireland. This is partly due to the lack of information we have about these animals. To protect a highly mobile marine species, you need to know where the areas important to its life cycle are. These include feeding spots, breeding and spawning grounds as well as nursery areas for the young pups.

HERE TO HELP So how can we get our fins on this important information? Through Sea Deep, we are training and equipping volunteers to tag sharks at sea and record their egg cases on the shore.

Our shark and ray tagging courses train sea anglers, fishermen and researchers in best practice techniques to handle and tag these endangered animals.

All sharks, skates and rays have a skeleton made from cartilage (similar to our ears and noses) rather than bone. This is much lighter and more flexible than bone, but provides less support when removed from the water. While tagging in the water is therefore preferred, it is also important to know how to lift these animals without damaging them if necessary.

Correct tagging techniques are crucial to ensure that we gain information without causing any harm to the animals. Our training Irish Wildlife Winter ‘18

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WILD IDEAS

 Egg case hunt, credit Ulster Wildlife

 Correct handling of tope, credit Ronald Surgenor

 Small spotted catfish, credit Amy Lewis

 Spurdog, credit Peter Verhoog

“Correct tagging techniques are crucial to ensure that we gain information without causing any harm to the animals.” covers the equipment, minimum sizes for tagging, tag placement and how to recognise stress. If a shark is pregnant or injured in any way, we do not tag it and return it to the water immediately.

We are also encouraging our anglers and fishermen to share their shark stories. Through social media groups we are building a community of trained taggers working on the project, sharing best practice, advice, and important information on our sharks. This can include noticing fresh mating scars (an extreme love bite) which can alert us to a possible breeding ground.

Sea Deep is also encouraging all coast lovers to hunt for shark and ray egg cases along the shore. Better known as ‘mermaids’ purses’, these cases can be identified to the exact species that lay them. This will give us important information on the different kinds of species in our seas and their spawning and nursery grounds.

Using the records from both sea and shore, Sea Deep will provide a clearer picture of the sharks and rays around our coast. By working with government officials, researchers, industry and recreational groups, we can use this information to secure stronger protection and management measures that will allow space for these damaged populations to recover.

Find out more about Sea Deep and how you can take part by visiting www.seadeepni.org and learn more about the wider conservation work of Ulster Wildlife by visiting www.ulsterwildlife.org 20

 Tope, credit Peter Verhoog

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Competition

COMPETITION

We’re offering Irish Wildlife readers the chance to win one of two fantastic books!

Ireland’s Seashore: A Field Guide by Lucy Taylor and Emma Nickelson Ireland’s seashores are famous for their spectacular beauty, ranging from exposed rocky headlands that receive the full power of the Atlantic to enclosed sea loughs and sheltered mudflats. Providing habitats like no other, our coasts are teeming with plant and animal life. Beginning with clear background information on the types of shore, tides, waves, coastal habitats and conservation practices, this highly accessible guide has everything you need to understand the wildlife on our coastline. A helpful identification guide uses simple questions to guide you to the correct section, where you will find an introduction to the species, followed by detailed entries on the most common shoreline inhabitants with both Irish and Latin names, size, distribution and memorable nuggets of information. Written by qualified marine biologists with a passion for their subject, this is the ideal companion on any seashore ramble, whether you are a beginner or an experienced naturalist.

Dr Hibernica’s Compelling Compendium of Irish Animals by Aga Grandowicz and Rob Maguire Dr Hibernica’s Compelling Compendium of Irish Animals celebrates the diversity and wonder of Ireland’s fauna, from the tiny Eurasian pygmy shrew to the enormous killer whale, with exquisite zoologically correct illustrations and light-hearted prose.

Giving loving and detailed information about the robins, puffins and owls of the air, the toads, seals, and basking sharks of Ireland’s waters, and the hedgehogs, otters and deer with whom we share the land, this is a treasure of a book with details of 28 of Ireland’s most compelling and iconic animals all introduced to the reader by Dr Hibernica, a fictitious Irish zoologist. The Compendium is presented in the style of her notebook and field notes, with jokes and sketches throughout. The idea for the book began with Irish-Polish illustrator Aga Grandowicz. She joined forces with Bray native Rob Maguire, who supplied the witty, entertaining and informative prose. They also worked closely with Nicola Marples, Professor of Zoology at Trinity College Dublin, who shared her knowledge of the animals of Ireland and checked every fact – furry, fishy or flighty – in the book.

We have two copies of Ireland’s Seashore: A Field Guide and two copies of Dr Hibernica’s Compelling Compendium of Irish Animals to give away. To be in with a chance to win, just answer the following question: What tree is on the national flag of Lebanon?

Please send your answer along with your name and address as well as the title of your preferred book to iwteditor@gmail.com by the 31st of January.

Autumn ‘18 Winners: In our autumn issue we gave our readers the chance to win two copies of A Life in the Trees by Declan Murphy and two copies of Giolcaireacht sa Ghairdín by Marie Whelton with illustrations by Frank Endersby.

The question asked was: What does the IUCN stand for?

The answer was: International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The winners are: Sandra Anne Colman, Co Cork and Enda Hayes, Co Tipperary (A Life in the Trees), and Gemma O’Rourke, Co Tyrone and Alison Reynolds, Co Dublin (Giolcaireacht sa Ghairdín).

Congratulations and many thanks to all who entered!

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FEATURE

of Ireland’s Floodplain Forests The future of black poplar trees in Ireland by Daniel Buckley

T

o gaze upon a mature black poplar tree for the first time is an unforgettable experience. I was first made aware of this enigmatic tree species after reading Richard Mabey’s seminal book, Flora Brittanica, as a teenager. In the summer of 2002, as I was traveling through Co Clare, I passed through the town of Clarecastle on the River Fergus. There, in a field in the town, stood an old tree which looked like it had jumped out of the pages of Washington Irving’s book Sleepy Hollow. Its trunk was gnarled and riddled with burrs, its branches sweeping downwards from

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multiple angles with the outer branches twisting upwards like a myriad of begging hands laden with deep green arrow-like leaves. I had seen my first black poplar and from then on I was obsessed, like many poplar hunters before me.

Black poplar (Populus nigra) is a member of the willow family, Salicaceae. It is found across Europe, into the far-east and in Northern Africa.

There are a number of sub-species described from physical characteristics, with the subspecies Betulifolia found in Ireland, Britain and France. This sub-species is differentiated from the other European sub-species Nigra by having fine pubescent hairs on the shoots and leaves

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FEATURE

 A mature black poplar cuts an imposing

figure in the Irish lowland landscape, credit Daniel Buckley

“There, in a field in the town, stood an old tree which looked like it had jumped out of the pages of Washington Irving’s book Sleepy Hollow.”

of new growth in the spring and burrs on the trunk and branches. In reality, there are very few differences between the two sub-species at a genetic level. Black poplar leaves tend to be diamond shaped with pointed leaf tips. The bark is grey-brown and is thick and furrowed on old trees. Mature trees are often leaning with an untidy appearance.

Branches are down-sweeping with up-sweeping branch tips. Black poplar is dioecious - male and female flowers are found on separate trees.

Male catkins are crimson red while female

catkins are yellowish green and grape-like in appearance. Female trees produce millions of fluffy seeds in mid-summer that disperse with the wind.

The natural habitat of the black poplar is floodplain or alluvial forests where it is a pioneer species. These are very dynamic habitats, constantly changing due to the erosion and deposition of the river, which often braids into a multitude of wooded islands. In these forests, black poplar seeds need exposed damp soil to germinate and grow immediately after dispersal in the summer. These conditions are found on recently deposited wet alluvial soils,

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FEATURE

 A floodplain forest, the

original habitat of the black poplar, credit Daniel Buckley

“Unfortunately in most planted populations of black poplar, female trees are now very rare as males were cloned preferentially due to people’s dislike of the “messy” seed fluff produced by female trees. ”

eroded banks or recently formed sand banks. Black poplar can also reproduce by cloning itself when branches fall off into rivers and sprout downstream or through the growth of suckers stimulated by root disturbance.

Over the centuries, the area of floodplain forest in Europe has been greatly reduced as low lying river valleys have been converted into farmland and settlements by humans. Human activity has also resulted in many rivers being heavily modified by dredging, draining and the construction of levees to prevent flooding, which has resulted in the loss of dynamic river hydrology required for the black poplar to reproduce sexually.

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However, humans have saved the species in modified farm landscapes by growing black poplars from cuttings and planting them along ditches and field boundaries. The wood of black poplar was used for making cart wheels, clogs and floor boards. Unfortunately in most planted populations of black poplar, female trees are now very rare as males were cloned preferentially due to people’s dislike of the “messy” seed fluff produced by female trees.

From the 18th century onwards black poplars were displaced by hybrid poplar clones created by crossing black poplar with the American eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides). The fastigiate or upright black poplar clone known as Lombardy poplar has also been widely planted for ornamental purposes. Both hybrid and Lombardy clones represent a threat to native

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black poplar populations through hybridisation.

So what is the status of black poplar in Ireland? Nineteenth century naturalists dismissed the species as an uncommon nonnative tree often planted near houses. However, the pioneering survey work of English botanist, Desmond Hobson in 1989 and 1990 helped to build a better picture of the species here.

Hobson concentrated his survey efforts around the major Irish river systems, recording trees visible from the roadside. In total, he recorded 373 trees within the Shannon, Liffey, Nore,  A juvenile black poplar tree growing on the shore of Lough Allen where Suir, Barrow, Slaney and Munster Blackwater the species is thought to reproduce catchments. High concentrations of trees were naturally, an uncommon occurrence recorded around Portumna in Co Galway along in most European countries, credit Daniel Buckley the Kilcrowe and Cappagh Rivers. Most trees were found along drainage ditches and in hedgerows and were likely planted, but of European significance was his discovery of apparently naturally reproducing populations on the lake shores of Lough Ree and Lough Allen in the upper Shannon. He theorised that the flood lap zone on the lake shores may be providing suitable conditions for seed germination and/or clonal reproduction from suckers growing from roots damaged by wave action. Interestingly, 50% of the trees Hobson recorded lacked burrs on their trunks and branches. Hobson felt that black poplars were a native species in Ireland due to the fact they occurred mostly in lowland river valleys - their natural habitat - and due to the presence of the unique burrless trees, which are quite rare in Britain. The most recent work on Irish black  The characteristic diamond shaped leaves of the black poplars was done by forester Kevin Keary. In poplar, credit Daniel Buckley 2001, he re-surveyed all of Hobson’s records in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Offaly, Tipperary and Galway. He also collected cuttings from each tree he located which were then sent “It is crucial that an up-toto the Forest date and accurate distribution Research lab located survey of all surviving in Roslin, Scotland for sexing and genetic trees is conducted. This is analysis. Of 105 trees something that I am currently recorded, 25 were undertaking,” found to actually be hybrid trees. A high level of clonality was found in Irish trees with only nine unique clones identified and the majority of trees belonging to three clones. Of the 41 trees that were successfully sexed, only five were female.

Worryingly, Keary was unable to re-locate 40 trees previously recorded by Hobson and these are presumed lost. Based on these results, it is likely that the Irish black poplar population has a dangerously low level of genetic diversity but further genetic work across the rest of species range here, particularly the populations on Lough Ree and Allen is required to confirm this. While Keary’s genetic research did not draw any conclusions about the native status of black poplar in Ireland, he showed that the pattern of clone distribution indicated widespread movement and planting by humans in the sampled counties.

So going forward, what are the priorities for black poplar research and conservation in Ireland? It is crucial that an up-to-date and accurate distribution survey of all surviving trees is conducted. This is something that I am currently undertaking, both as part of my work in the western division of NPWS with help from my colleagues and in other localities in my spare time. A range-wide genetic study to determine the number of clone types that occur in Ireland is required to inform future genetic conservation measures for the species here, including the establishment of a national Irish black poplar clone collection that could be used to propagate plant material for reintroduction into suitable locations. Research that could help determine the native status of black poplar is also required. This could be done by comparative genetic analysis with British and mainland European populations and also through the analysis of cores taken from lake beds and bogs in proximity to current black poplar populations to look for historical black poplar plant material for radio carbon dating.

In most locations trees are planted in single sexed stands in unsuitable conditions for reproduction. Most trees are also coming to the end of their natural lives. To ensure the long term survival of the species in Ireland we need to be looking at restoring the original habitat of the black poplar, the flood plain forests with natural river hydrology in suitable locations in river catchments where the species is present. Mixed sex and mixed clone black poplar stands could be established in these forests which would hopefully become selfsustaining through natural reproduction. As a country, can we make room for the river and give the black poplar its home back?

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EXPLORING WILDLIFE

Magnificent Evergreens A beautiful tree with an extraordinary past. Gordon D’Arcy extends his knowledge on the magnificent Lebanon cedar.

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towering sentinel, it stands alone, separated from a thousand other lesser trees in full view of the 18th century Baronscourt Demesne in County Tyrone. From this distance it has the look of something sculpted rather than grown, like a major art installation - an arboreal masterpiece. Though over two hundred years old, thirty metres high and just as wide, it is still in its adolescence. It may well grow to be 2000 years old but even now it is of monumental proportions. Its great grey trunk, as wide as a bridge pier, is furrowed like the tread of a tractor wheel. Grenadesized cones decorate the innumerable branches and the jade-green, evergreen foliage comprised of neat needle clusters is arranged on the branches in discrete layers as though individually manicured. The overall effect - the consequence of its most pleasing symmetry, colour and texture - is stunning.

The Lebanon cedar is arguably the most beautiful tree in the world.

For children, it has the ‘wow’ factor. Without fail, hordes of primary school kids on nature outings to Baronscourt break ranks to invade the tree’s accessible precincts. They swarm around its great bole, crawl into the recesses

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of its boughs and lie in its shade in thrall of its exotic presence. With the arrival of a sudden downpour its impenetrable canopy provides welcome shelter for both pupils and teacher.

Its great beauty has garnered the Lebanon cedar priority status in estates, parks and arboreta throughout the world. In Ireland, it grows in many such localities including Muckross House estate, Woodstock Gardens and Kennedy Park Arboretum. A specimen in Adare Manor estate, (featured in Ireland’s Great Trees), is perhaps the oldest in Ireland. Reputed to have been planted in 1645 (though nowadays disputed), with a girth of 10.25m, it is certainly ancient and unquestionably monumental.

My opportunity to see the Lebanon cedar in the ‘wild’ arose during a recent trip to the Levant. A long drive from Beirut, through many military check-points, took me from the coast to the northern mountains at an elevation 2000m. Unfortunately, our arrival in the mountains corresponded with a serious deterioration in the weather with low cloud turning to fog and eventually into a terrifying thunder and lightning storm. With the road doubling as a river, it was impossible to remain at our destination of Beharre - one of the country’s few cedar preserves. Though denied a walk through the great trees, I was

rewarded with a view of their enormous widespreading canopies protruding eerily through the grey backdrop of the downpour. In the blinding maelstrom they stood out majestically, defiantly. This was somehow appropriate given their survival throughout their extraordinary history.

Since ancient times Lebanon cedars were highly valued for their timber and their distinctive perfume. The Egyptians, Assyrians and Babylonians sought them out, exploiting them for ship building and for the structural members of their palaces. King Solomon asked Hirun of Tyre for cedars for the construction of Jerusalem. An Iron Age bas-relief stone carving in Beirut National Museum depicts

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Cedar tree at Baronscourt Demesne, credit Christine Cassidy

the felling and transportation of Lebanon cedars by the Phoenicians. By the second century AD, the indiscriminate logging caused the Roman emperor Hadrian to create reserves to protect the remaining cedar forests.

Of course the destruction did not end then.

In the many periods of conflict and social upheaval that have beset the Levant since the Middle Ages, logging of the cedars continued.

Nowadays, they remain only in a handful of reserves and a couple of national parks in the high mountainous spine of the country.

Ironically, there may be more specimen Lebanese cedars in parks and arboreta throughout the world than what remains in the wild. However, some of those still growing in

the mountains of Lebanon may be among our oldest trees with some reputed to be prehistoric, perhaps three thousand years old.

The Lebanese are immensely proud of their ancient tree. It forms the central motif on the red and white banded flag. Artists and musicians have referenced them in their work.

Thom Moore the late American/Irish singer/ songwriter featured the Lebanon cedar as a theme in a Pumpkinhead CD some years ago.

Ireland has no wild cedars but we do have three species of evergreen conifers; the juniper, yew and Scots pine. The juniper, nowadays merely a token presence compared to its postGlacial abundance, survives mainly as a low shrub in localities such as the Burren. Its finest

expression is on the shores of Lough Derg where it grows in upright form conveying a strangely unfamiliar look to the region. The yew is similarly scarce, probably due to its cattle-poisoning foliage. Where it continues to flourish on limestone outcrops in Killarney National Park and in our western karst country, it conveys a rather un-Irish feel to the landscape.

The Scots pine, easily the most graceful of the trio, grows mainly where it has been planted since the 18th century, having died out in the Middle Ages. However, a few gnarled examples clinging to outcrops on the edge of the Burren may be the last survivors of the original native stock, deserving of protection as much for their beauty as for their unbroken lineage.

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WINTER FOCUS

Angel shark

2050 30 Years to

Save The World Billy Flynn discusses the shocking findings of the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report and asks what can we do to change the stark future predicted.

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I

’s official. We’re not facing an ecological catastrophe, we’re right in the middle of it. We can’t claim we weren’t told this because we just have been. The World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report has laid it out clearly. It’s simple but painful reading. As alluded to in previous articles (e.g. Irish Wildlife, Winter 2016), this author was born in 1970 - the year many records began to be taken and therefore used as a baseline date for large-scale studies such as this last work by the WWF. The ‘highlights’ of the report set out the extent of the disaster that has befallen our living world. The most shocking; since the baseline date of 1970, populations of vertebrate species looked at - that’s mammals, birds, fish and reptiles - have fallen by 60%. Gone. A simplistic projection would be that at this rate, we could be looking

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Black Rhino

forward to 2050 as the date that all wildlife will be a mere memory. It won’t be so simple of course. We will surely by then have figured something out, won’t we? It’s hard to see how we’ll do that though. Our global population continues to grow, albeit at a slower pace now, and our demands as a species grow more and become more complex. Fuelled by desires for new and better things, the global energy demand also grows apace. Our expectation of cheap food, whatever the season, has fuelled absolutely unsustainable agricultural systems. We have embarked on a course of development with no regard for biodiversity and it’s not clear if we can change this now.

This form of development is tackled in the Living Planet Report. The authors stress the absolute necessity of maintaining the natural resources underpinning everything that we do as a species. Biodiversity is not just ‘nice to have’ they say. Hitherto, biodiversity has been seen as an ‘optional extra’ if the planed development or process allows it.

The ‘real’ priorities were increasing economic growth, finding resources to allow cheap products to be made available and maintaining jobs.

The converse is of course true. None of these can be seen to be sustainable if biodiversity, the ‘ground floor’ of every human endeavour, is threatened. The report goes on to stress that all big decisions must take this into account.

Leaving aside the fiscal, market-driven factors like economic growth and competition, there are fundamentals that are under threat now.

Our medical-pharmaceutical industry is rooted firmly in the diversity of small molecules that exists in the plant kingdom. Diminish this and

we are really writing a prescription for failure. Every bit as important is our nutrition. We have come to think of our system of selfsustenance as a food ‘industry’ and indeed it is carried out on an industrial scale. No engineer or technician though can solve the missing link in the process if pollinating insects are not there to allow for around 35% of our food to be made possible.

Almost invisible to us are the services that nature provides to keep us supplied with clean and usable water. Trees and forests work like giant pumps that move water around our living planet.

Wetlands store, filter and clean the water and our aquifers, springs and rivers are replenished by nature - no charge. However, we have dealt our wetlands a massive blow. Over the last century, at least half of our wetlands have been permanently lost. When you consider that these habitats make up only 1% of the planet’s surface area, we can’t afford to lose any more.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of our destruction of the natural world is that we are crippling our greatest ally in the upcoming battle against the worst effects of climate change. We could view biodiversity in a number of ways when it comes to this monumental challenge; like cushions on the side of a ski-slope that will buffer us against impacts, like a reserve of assets when we know others will soon be depleted or like a store of seeds or equipment that can be used to rebuild. Whatever way we want to view it, biodiversity is going to be crucial as our man-made climate change impacts gather force.

So, we know the scale of the destruction to-date, now, what of it? Will any of this knowledge be usefully employed? Without precedence it’s difficult to see how. However, the authors of the Living Planet Report believe that we do still have time. They have laid out the scale of the problem and the nature of the challenges ahead and go a little further to say that we can decide what kind of future we want. They propose the existing framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) be used to set out the key targets. This will call for great ambition on the part of the big decision makers to who will be required to make truly monumental decisions for the planet. The critic might well say that much of this sounds very familiar - didn’t we have urgent needs, targets and goals for Biodiversity 2010?

We did, and we failed dismally. 2050 is now our horizon. The report tells us that a ‘blueprint for biodiversity’, a new way of doing things between 2020 and 2050 might just allow us to nudge this ship off the present course for disaster and into safer waters. But this will need every hand on deck.

Here in Ireland, we cannot shrug off our responsibility by pointing to our small size and the scale of our endeavours, good or ill. While we promote a ‘green’ image and market our produce on this, we are in fact a disaster area in terms of greenhouse gas production and climate change impact mitigation. Our policies and priorities on forestry, uplands and fisheries are completely at odds with a sustainable, biodiverse future. We have allowed our hedgerows and invertebrates to be dealt a savage blow with the Heritage Bill.

We are actively undermining our protected sites. We can change all that. Right here, and long before 2050. Whatever fate is befalling the wider planet, our ability to do our part remains entirely within our control. The Anthropocene comes with responsibilities but also opportunities. They may be our last.

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WILD SPACES

Salt marshes and brent geese,

credit Martina Caplice

ecosystem How a grain of sand became an

Martina Caplice tells the fascinating story of North Bull Island.

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ublin Bay looked completely different prior to the 1700s, an estuary laden by silt with extensive sand flats on either side of the bay, known as the North and South Bull flats. These sand flats were in constant motion, the changing tide rippled their surface and the wind bounced the grains of sand across the bay at low tide. Many times throughout the years the grains of sand would form a little sand bar island known as Green Island which can be found on old OS maps.

Year by year, it showed up in different locations along the bay just offshore of Clontarf, because each winter the vulnerable sands of Green Island were torn apart.

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Common seals, credit Martina Caplice

The shifting sands and silty conditions in Dublin Bay made it notoriously difficult for ships to navigate, often causing ships to run aground. This caused a serious problem for Dublin port and something had to be done. In 1717 work began on solving the silting issue, with South Bull Wall completed in 1795, although it did not completely solve the issue. In 1801 Captain William Bligh (more famously known from Mutiny on the Bounty), was hired to survey the bay and proposed the building of a Northern sea wall. In 1825 the construction of North Bull Wall was completed. The silting issue of Dublin Bay was solved and The River Liffey, now narrowed in the mouth, self-scours and the grains of sand travel further out beyond the walls into the swirling waters of the Irish Sea. An unforeseen and happy accident of this construction was how those grains of sand would flow back towards the sand flats. Those bouncing grains of sand, determined to form an island, finally had an anchor upon which they could lay solid foundations. Slowly the sand grains gathered and a sand bar began to rise out of the sea, strong enough to withstand the harsh winds of winter. Over the next 200 years the sands accumulated and were colonised by pioneering species of grass such as Elytrigia sp. (sea and sand couch grasses) and Ammophila arenaria (marram grass).

This was the beginning of North Bull Island, a teeming ecosystem of not only national importance but also European and global importance. This unique sand bar island, which runs 5km long and approximately 1km wide, is host to a multitude of different habitats and is the most designated site in Ireland. It received its first designation in 1914 as a Rothschild reserve and has gone on to secure more than 15 designations. Plans for the island’s development changed throughout the years from a Manhattan style metropolis to a landfill site yet the

nature reserve prevailed thanks to the help of the local people that valued North Bull Island for its wildlife and, through protest, protected it from these types of developments.

The ecosystem that has formed on North Bull Island might be small in area, but it is immense in importance. The value of this was recognised and strengthened in 2015 when the UNESCO Biosphere was extended to include the wider context of the Dublin bay. These designations help protect the island and require a unique management plan faced with the challenges of finding a balance between conservation and recreation.

The island’s habitats are sensitive systems as they already have to contend with stresses from the environment such as salinity, which means disturbances easily affect its animals and plants, including rare and protected species. The island has three bryophytes species (mosses) and three plant species that are protected under The Flora Protection Order (1999), the plants are Centaurium pulchellum (lesser Ccentury), Galeopsis angustifolia (red hempnettle), and Saxifraga granulata (meadow saxifrage) as well as one listed under the EU Habitats Directive; Petalophyllum ralfsii (petalwort). North Bull Island is not only important to the rare plant species but is also home to approximately half of the floral species in Dublin and 30% of the overall species diversity of Irish flora.

There are other species also protected under the EU Habitats Directive which include five mammal species; common seal, grey seal, common pipistrelle bat, soprano pipistrelle bat and Leisler’s bat, as well as two invertebrate species; white satin moth and marsh fritillary butterfly.

The ecosystem on North Bull Island also supports a diverse population of birds and became Ireland’s first bird sanctuary in 1931. Several overwintering birds on the island are of national importance; shelduck, teal, pintail, shoveler suck, oystercatcher, grey plover, golden plover, knot, sanderling, dunlin, curlew, redshank, turnstone, and black-headed gull, as well as three species of international importance; pale-bellied brent geese, black-tailed godwit) and bar-tailed godwit.

There would be no home for all these wild and rare species if those first few grains of sand had not gathered together to form the foundations of an ecosystem.

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FIELD REPORT

Discerning Dippers Adult dipper with caddisfly larvae, credit Lindsay Hodges

Blink and you’ll miss them. Dippers are daring birds, known for diving deep and dancing on the river edge. Lindsay Hodges teaches us how to spot a dipper dwelling and what to look out for.

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dipper must surely be the Harry Houdini of the bird world, constantly perfecting the art of illusion in a show-stopping magic trick. Death defying, water flying, you just won’t believe your eyes. But the trick to seeing these enigmatic little birds in action is to learn and recognise the environment they love the most.

Any fast flowing but relatively shallow river or stream that is well studded with boulders and rocks is very likely to be home to the dipper, especially if there is an old bridge nearby. The giveaway sign is always a well white-washed stone where the birds have marked their territory.

The first time you see one, particularly if their back is to you, they may appear similar in size, shape and colour to a female blackbird, with dark brown back and tail feathers. But as soon as they turn around, the gorgeous

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white throat and breast make them unmistakable. On closer inspection, the plumage has a beautiful glossy sheen and very fine feather definition. The other standout characteristic of a dipper is the behaviour that gives rise to its name. When you see one perched on a rock mid-stream you will notice that it is constantly moving to its own beat, dipping up and down as if hearing the Staying Alive soundtrack in its head. Not even John Travolta could hold the rhythm so well.

Already captivated by their movement and appearance in the middle of the river, nothing quite prepares you for the first time you see a dipper do what a dipper does best – go for a swim. Suddenly, the bird tips itself down the side of its stony perch and walks underneath the water’s edge before becoming wholly submerged and actively swimming below the surface. This activity isn’t just for the good of their health, of course the reason

for this unique behaviour is their food source.

Dippers search out food between stone crevices and on the river floor, favouring the larvae of caddisflies and mayflies, as well as small invertebrates.

They are a wonder of nature in their physiological design, perfectly adapted for such underwater antics. No need for the artifice of swimming caps and nose clips, dippers are made for the river. They have short muscular wings for that perfect swimming stroke and have feet that, while not webbed, have sharp claws for gripping the slippery stones. In addition, to reduce buoyancy their bones are hollow and their haemoglobin-rich blood increases their oxygen storage levels to facilitate longer dips - excuse the pun - under the water in search of food. They have a large preen gland to waterproof their feathers and are protected underwater by a thin film of air as bubbles are trapped on the surface of their

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plumage. They even have nasal flaps to stop water filling their nostrils.

It is one of the most astonishing sights to watch a dipper in action. It seems to defy belief that they can be so effective against the river’s current, walking underneath and swimming across it in search of food. It is easy to lose track of the bird when it is underwater, with it surfacing again much farther than you would think possible. While bobbing and weaving on the stones, dippers can suddenly take off and fly up or downstream with a whirring action similar to a kingfisher’s flight, often calling a sharp peep as they go.

The reason they are often found near old stone bridges is that this makes for the perfect nest environment; a mossy domed construction often formed within gaps in the stones and near to the running water. They are even known to nest behind waterfalls what a stunning backdrop that makes for starting new life! When gathering their nest material, they often soak dry clumps of moss, grass and roots in the water to make construction that little bit easier. The moss itself absorbs moisture and the grassy inside of the nest will remain dry.

As with all birds, territory is ultra important and while many pairs of dippers can be found along the same river, they need their own space in order to ensure enough food supply is available to survive and raise their young.

Disputes are all in the eyes, usually with a blinking contest where they display their white upper eyelid in warning and threat poses. The membrane also protects the eyes themselves when the bird is submerged. They really give new meaning to a ‘bird’s eye view’.

Dippers are also incredible parents, feeding their pale grey young at an astonishing rate.

You will notice the young as they wobble slightly on the stones and then frantically flap their wings as they see their parents approach with food. Yet they will be independent within a few weeks.

It is a great pleasure to photograph dippers.

The reward for learning their lifestyle means a visit out with your camera is more expectation than mere hope. Knowing the terrain and finding the perfect camouflage tree to settle down behind with a great view of the dippers’ favourite perching stones means there is every chance of witnessing their extraordinary behaviour at close proximity and squeeze the shutter as they are mid bob. There will always be a slight pause before they resurface with a beakful of larvae and get back onto terra

Juvenile dipper, credit Lindsay Hodges

Adult dipper, credit Lindsay Hodges

 Adult dipper nest building - leaf added to the typical moss, credit Lindsay Hodges

firma and the result will be as thrilling as the bird itself. The birds themselves may duck and dive but as a photographer, all that is required is a little stillness, carefully choosing the right time to click.

It is sometimes hard to think of the dipper as one of our songbirds. It makes you wonder what the song of choice might be – Hold Back The River, perhaps, or even Wade In The Water. The reality is that the dipper is simply remarkable in its specialised aquatic lifestyle.

We have all seen our robins and maybe blackbirds having a good feather-clean in our

bird baths, but the dipper takes it to a higher level altogether. It isn’t just swimming, it is pure magic.

Memorable and mesmerising, dippers are birds you never tire of watching. And knowing their terrain, every time you look into a stream that bears the right credentials, you can expect a dipper to be somewhere dancing on the stones. But you need to be quick – they are now you see them, now you don’t masters of the slight of foot, so special they can walk on water. Blink and you’ll miss them.

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MEMBERS’ LETTERS

OVER TO YOU Our members have been busy exploring and making exciting discoveries this autumn.

We love to hear from our members, so remember to keep in touch with all your stories, photos and questions from your adventures!

LOST AT SEA Dear IWT, While on a short birding trip to west Cork I was lucky enough to see a bird called a Pacific diver which comes from as far as northern Canada and eastern Siberia and winters along the Pacific coast of North America.

But this guy had gotten lost and ended up in a small harbour in west Cork called Crookhaven. There had been a bird found wintering at the exact same location last winter so the likley chances are that this is a returing individual and may winter into 2019 in the area. A species that is well worth a long car journey to see!

All the best, Cian Cardiff, Co Wexford

LESSER CELANDINE PREDATORS Dear IWT,

Dear Ruth,

For the past 10 years or more, as winter moves into spring, a large carpet of lesser celandine spreads on a green path beneath a tall ash tree at the edge of my land in east Clare. I love this as it looks like a path of golden stars.

In some years, a creature - I have never known exactly who (it may have been badger, or fox, or perhaps a pheasant) - scratches up at the base of the tree where I had snowdrops growing. The snowdrops would vanish, so I assume it ate them.

This year however something has been scratching up all of the young celandine plants as well. The whole pathway is covered in torn up young plants. Pictured is an example. You can see how all the fresh young leaves have been torn up.

Celandine, being a Ranuculus species, is toxic but not sure if this toxicity affects badgers. There are none of the serious gouging that is associated with badger scrapes. It is more than likely a bird, such as the wood pigeon, foraging for the tubers.

Ruth Marshall

IWT

If you have a story, question, or an image you’d like to share with us, or, God forbid, even a complaint, send it to iwteditor@gmail.com

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MEMBERS’ LETTERS

Dear IWT, When I was a child, dolphins were a world away from us, despite our proximity to the sea.

On Rathlin Island in County Antrim, we were blessed with pods of seals and the occasional excitement of spotting the jet black sheen of a porpoise briefly appearing from the dazzling seawater.

Dolphins though are now regular visitors to the loose blues of our sea and they frequently ride in procession alongside the Rathlin ferry boats, favouring the darting speed of the express boat that seems to bring out the fun in these stunning animals. Over the last few weeks I’ve been able to watch them regularly from the shoreline as they follow the meandering curves of the island, piecing like shards of light through the water’s surface when there are visitors to entertain. Their broad backs lumber into the air with ease and the louder the passengers squeal the heartier their race. There may be frequent sightings but with each and every one I am as excited as a child, their long noses pushing into the surf making me feel that little bit more alive than the moment before the waves broke. If you look down from the ferry boat, the sea is beaming with satisfied reflections. Long may their urgency to entertain continue.

Best wishes, Margot McCuaig Maoil na nDreas, Rathlin Island

PHOTO OF THE MONTH Congratulations to Andrea Hunt, winner of our September Facebook competition, for capturing this tender moment between two foxes in the wild.

TOP TWEET from @ericthebirdman “Crazy motorway Bittern - M11, Wicklow this afternoon... an insane place to see a Bittern”

COW COMPANY

Dear Joe,

A Chara,

It is a yellow dung-fly or cuil bhuí (Scathophaga stercoraria). As its name suggests, the yellow dung-fly is associated with cow dung (along with other large mammal faeces). It is common wherever there are cow pats or horse dung with the yellow coloured males trying to attract the greener coloured females. Eggs are laid in the dung, and the larvae play an important role in breaking down the dung, while they get nutrition from it. They pupate after burrowing down to the soil, and while the flies can be active most of the year, many pupate over the winter period. The adults live for a couple of months and are predatory, feeding on other flies, also attracted to dung. In actual fact cowpats can support a thriving community of organisms.

I came across these particularly strange looking flies in the Bog Meadows/ ClauinAnBhogaigh in west Belfast on 10th Oct 2018. Would any of your readers know what kind of fly it is?

Is mise, Joe Austin

Irish Wildlife Trust

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘18

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20/11/2018 14:07

HIGH NATURE VALUE FARMING

Belted Galloway, credit Gerard Walshe

ON LOCATION

Gerard Walshe, a farmer from Moycullen on High Nature Value farming in Connemara.

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keep a suckler herd of Belted Galloway cattle. Belted Galloway are an extremely hardy, easily fed, low cost suckler cow.

They are a hill cattle breed developed and adapted to the Galloway hills of SW Scotland. They calve easily and their calves are up and sucking quickly. They grow two hair coats, a long outer coat to shed the rain, and an inner one, almost fur like, to protect them from cold and damp. They are naturally polled and the belt makes them easily spotted when herding in low light or at a distance on the hill.

I practice what’s become known as High Nature Value (HNV) farming. Marginal farmland often has a biodiversity that has been lost elsewhere. HNV farmland contains a high proportion of semi natural habitats and grasslands. It contains many habitat features such as old stone walls, patches of woodland, hedgerow, lakes, streams and pools, as well as semi natural species-rich grasslands. Keeping cattle in a low intensity way helps preserve these rich ecosystems and their rich biodiversity.

Belted Galloways are able to cope with the

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rough and wet terrain and can be out-wintered.

They readily eat the coarse grasses such as rushes and purple moor grass and are less selective than sheep, allowing the floral diversity to thrive. The Galloway cow was the breed brought to Connemara by the Congested Districts Board in the late 19th century but almost died out in favour of more commercial continental breeds.

However, a realisation is now emerging that the older breeds like Galloway are more suited to the terrain and climate as well as the conservation and preservation of these rich habitats.

I’ve been a birder all my life but each year now I become more familiar with the butterflies, flowers and all forms of nature. Some highlights this summer on the farm were my first marsh fritillary butterflies as well as a small-white orchid.

Other orchid species include early purple, marsh, heath spotted, lesser butterfly and heath fragrant.

Butterflies also include green hairstreak, common & holly blue, small copper, brimstone, painted lady, silver washed fritillary etc. The hay fields have a rich diversity also with much yellow rattle included. The arrival of summer is marked by

migrants such the cuckoo and common sandpiper. Three pairs of long-eared owls graced the woodlands this summer, marked by the characteristic call of their young. Winter is marked by the large increase in numbers of snipe and woodcock.

One of the biggest pressures on diversity of habitats on marginal farmland is the strict criteria of GAEC (Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition) as applied for eligibility for European grant payments. These supports are vital to support HNV Farming, but are only eligible on grassland type habitats. A broader assessment, consideration and appreciation of habitat types are required by the Deptartment of Agriculture for those practicing HNV Farming.

My wish is that as each year passes I see more indicators of nature thriving through the observation and identification of an even greater variety of species while at the same time continuing to enjoy keeping a breed of cattle evolved over millennia to thrive and produce very tasty beef in the harsh terrain, habitat and climate of Connemara.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘18

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20/11/2018 12:54

Introducing the new Irish Wildlife Trust membership card.

Please fill in your name, cut out and keep your new membership card to present at talks and other events.

Cards valid until February 28th 2019.

Your 2019 card will be printed in our 2019 spring issue.

IWT_2L_Membership_Card_2018.indd 1

AD_TEMPLATE_IBC.indd 1

Membership Card 2018

Individual members, please fill in your full name. Family members, please fill in your family name. Card valid until February 28th 2019. Your 2019 card will be printed in our spring 2019 magazine. Š Irish Wildlife Trust 2018.

27/02/2018 11:53

17/05/2018 15:16