1 1 Also...Dawn Chorus Walks in May Site Guide: The
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Number 93 Summer 2019 • ISSN 1393-3434 Featuring.... Also.... BirdWatch Ireland history: Dawn chorus walks in May the landmark achievements Site Guide: The east midland lakes of theWINGS 1990s SUMMERSPRING and 2016 2019 2000s Barn Owl deaths on motorways1 Feeding Stations, Nestbox Everyday Feeding Station €20.00. (Feeders not included) Ideal for hanging Deluxe Bird Station €45.00. seed, peanut or Tom Chambers feeding station, other types of bird feed, including bird handcrafted from steel. The cakes. The pole is Build Your Own Nest components screw together to easy to place in the Box €10.00. For tits or make a sturdy stand. With three Classic Bird Station €30.00. ground or in a sparrows. With pre- separate feeders, water dish All-in-one feeding, watering container on your cut wood sections, and wire-mesh feeding tray. and bathing station. Suitable balcony or patio. screws, nails, washers A heavy-duty ground spike for use with patio base (sold Height 234 cm. and hanger. Adult ensures stability. Height 234 cm. separately). Height 220 cm. supervision required. Bird Feeders Kew Burton Square Cake Hanging Square Feeding Table Orangery Peanut Feeder London Squirrel-resistant London Squirrel-resistant Feeder €12.00. Slate-roofed €18.00. Ideal for gardens with €20.00. Slate-roofed wooden Peanut Feeder €22.00. Seed Feeder €22.00. wooden FSC feeder, specially limited space or to keep out of FSC feeder with attractive, Metal cage denies access Metal cage denies access to designed to hold one square reach of pets. Stainless steel mesh rustic design. With self- to squirrels, Jackdaws. Click squirrels, Jackdaws. Click fat nut cake (300g). bottom allows water to drain cleaning mesh feeding area. and flick lid for easy filling. and flick lid for easy filling. easily, keeping food fresh. Attracts clinging bird species. Bird Food Sunflower Hearts Net-free Fat Balls 50-pack, Peanuts 1.89kg, €8.50, Energy Rich No Mess Mix Suet Treat Triple Pack Duck & Swan Sprinkle Food 1.63kg, €7.50, €12.00. Fat balls are a 12.75kg, €40.00. Top 2kg, €7.50, 12.75kg, €6.00. Pack of three 350g, €3.50. Contains the 12.75kg, €40.00. popular, affordable quality peanuts, rich €30.00. Seed mix, can be squares containing fat vitamins and minerals Plump sunflower favourite. They can be fed in oils, protein and fed from feeders or bird with seed, insects and needed by ducks and hearts rich in protein, from one of our dedicated fibre. Tested for tables. Free from husks. special Robin blend. For swans. Sprinkle on the bank bursting with energy feeders or chopped up and aflatoxin and sourced Popular with most garden use in a fat cake feeder. or in shallows. It floats, so and goodness. A fed from a table. from premium crops. birds. Great value buy! none will be missed! favourite with finches. Binoculars, Telescopes Hawke Nature Trek 16-48x65 Opticron Oregon 4 PC (new upgrade) Spotting Scope €250.00. Dielectric 8x32, €135.00, 8x42, €160.00. coatings to increase light reflectivity. New Frontier HD X 8×32 Binocular €290.00. Adventurer II WP 15-45x60/45 These nitrogen-purged waterproof Multi-coated optics to produce The Frontier series produce stunning colour Spotting Scope €140.00. Excellent bins offer the user a high standard of sharp images. Close focus to 5m. retention, crisp definition and excellent light starter fieldscope from Opticron. performance and functionality in a BAK-4 porro prisms for intense transmission. The HD X models benefit from Compact, lightweight, fully-coated highly durable and well-constructed colour. Dual-focus knob for fine extra-low dispersion glass and first-class 60mm lens with 15-45x zoom. body. Fully multi-coated BAK 4 focusing. Body rotation for viewing coatings. Controlled chromatic aberration Close focus to 5.5m. Waterproof, prisms. A great choice for all types in virtually any position. Pull-out eliminates colour fringing, allowing all detail with rotating tripod sleeve. of day-time wildlife observation. sunshade. Digi-scope compatible. to be clearly visible. Also in 8x42, €320.00. Great value buy! My First Book Where Are You, Puffling? The Great Big Book of Birds by A Skellig Adventure by Children’s Items of Irish Wildlife by Zöe Ingram, Gerry Daly & Erika Juanita Browne, €14.00, hdbk, McGann, €13.00, hdbk, Optic Wonder €8.00. €20.00, hdbk, 80pp. 53pp. 32pp. A puffling goes in A pocket-sized optical Explore nature in Beautifully search of adventure and instrument with multiple your back garden, illustrated her Puffin parents can’t functions: binoculars, monocular, in the mountains, spotter guide, find her. They talk to a magnifying glass, compass, rivers, forests and ideal introduction to garden birds, a seal, a Gannet, a rabbit, and they search the stereoscopic viewer, signal mirror, sea. Learn about perfect gift for young birdwatchers. cliffs and coves, but they just cannot find observation tray. phenomena such as the Packed with info and fun facts, with their fluffy black chick. Finally, they spot her. Perfect for metamorphosis from tadpole to detailed descriptions of each bird The puffling is too small to fly home, so the on-the-go frog, or a Starling flock in winter. and tips to help you spot them in animals of Skellig come up with something science fun. Overflowing with photos and your garden or local park. very clever.... cartoons. Will open children’s eyes to the natural world. Order online from www.birdwatchireland.ie or place your order by calling us on (01) 2819 878. Prices do not include P&P. Or drop in to our shop, open Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm, 2pm-5pm. BirdWatch Ireland, Unit 20, Bullford Business Campus, Kilcoole, Greystones, Co Wicklow A63 RW83 From Declan O’Sullivan New BirdWatch Ireland website launched Contents Page I am delighted to announce that a lot of hard When you log in to your account these back work over the past few months culminated at issues are ‘unlocked,’ and you can then view Letters ............................................................................. 4 the start of May in the launch of our brand-new them onscreen or download them in PDF Your comments and observations website. Completely redesigned and offering a format. We will continue to post printed copies News ................................................................................. 5, 14 host of new features, we hope that you will of each new issue to all members as normal. News from around the country enjoy using it as much as we have enjoyed Over the next few months we look forward to creating it for you. The website URL remains adding more online features for our members. Summer Diary .............................................................. 6 Birds to look out for this summer, by Dick Coombes www.birdwatchireland.ie. If we currently have an email address for you, Chief among these new features, you will be you will receive an email from us with all the BirdWatch Ireland history: glad to hear, is a vastly improved and necessary log-in details. If we do not have your the 1990s and 2000s ................................................ 8 By Oran O’Sullivan modernised membership portal, which greatly email address, please either give us a call on simplifies online membership renewal, as well as (01) 2819878 or email [email protected] Cape Clear Bird Observatory .......................... 11 a completely overhauled online shop. Every to request us to activate your account. Brian Caffrey on upcoming events on the island BirdWatch Ireland member can now access his I have one final request. Local and European Barn Owls ....................................................................... 12 or her own payment history, including Parliament elections will be taking place on the John Lusby on research into motorway owl mortality membership payments, donations and shop 24th of May. We would urge all BirdWatch Ireland purchases. You can also set up direct debit members to get out and vote for candidates Site Guide ........................................................................ 16 membership payments online, or else if you like who support action for the protection of birds, The east midland lakes, by Aidan G Kelly opt in to automatic annual membership renewal biodiversity and habitats. Please also ask any On Scotland’s lakes and fells .............................. 18 by credit/debit card. candidates who canvas for your vote about their Photo Gallery by Colin Rigney BirdWatch Ireland members will now also have commitments to Ireland’s natural heritage. free access to our online archive of past issues of Birding in Georgia .................................................... 20 Declan O’Sullivan, Darren Ellis pays a visit to Georgia in the Caucusus Wings, Bird Detectives and other publications. Interim CEO, BirdWatch Ireland Research .......................................................................... 24 Dublin Bay Birds Project news, by Helen Boland Reed Warbler ................................................................ 25 A recent colonist spreading slowly, by Mark Foley DICK COOMBES DICK Rare Bird News .......................................................... 26 Main finds from last winter, by Stephen McAvoy Summary of Accounts 2018 ............................... 28 Financial statements from BirdWatch Ireland for 2018 News ................................................................................. 29, 30 News from around the country Crossword .................................................................... 30 Win a great book in our latest competition Branching Out ...........................................................