Great Island Biodiversity

Great Island Biodiversity This group has been set up to record the flourishing biodiversity on the Great Island in Cork Harbour

Members of the Great Island Biodiversity Group have suspected for some time that we have Great Spotted Woodpeckers breed...
02/08/2024

Members of the Great Island Biodiversity Group have suspected for some time that we have Great Spotted Woodpeckers breeding 'locally'. These fabulous photos of the adult Peregrine carrying a Juvenile GSW by Michael Jones finally provide the proof.
The photos also catch a milestone in the development of the young peregrines as they learn to take prey from the parents in mid flight.

The beautiful weather in Cobh over the last few days has helped Michael Jones get these two incredible photographs of on...
01/08/2024

The beautiful weather in Cobh over the last few days has helped Michael Jones get these two incredible photographs of one of the Peregrine at St Colman's Cathedral returning with what looks like a Jackdaw to feed its young.
What occurred a day later was even more incredible....

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01/08/2024

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01/08/2024

o say that Swifts are a mysterious bird is an understatement.
We know so little about their lives even in the short few months that they grace us with their presence.
This nest box at Carrignafoy has seen many strange events since it was installed in 2019.
The first occupants of nest 1 (on the right) have successfully reared chicks most years despite squatting house sparrows and coup attempts by other swifts. This year the pair forsake their first egg in June and never produced an egg after that.
Despite this the pair have returned every night to the nest. hopefully they will have better luck next year.

The middle nest remains empty.

The new pair in the left nest are probably birds that were born in '19 or '20 in nest 1. They have successfully reared 2 chicks despite the nest being clogged with grass brought in by sparrows. The video shows both juveniles starting to get curious about the outside world. They will leave shortly to fly unaccompanied to The Congo Basin and not touch land again for three years until they hopefully return to breed in Cobh.

14/07/2024

An emerging Herald Moth at Ballinacrusha.
Herald Moth feed at night on flowers and over-ripe fruit. They often overwinter in groups in Garden sheds and outhouses.

14/07/2024

One O' Clock, and I'm hungry!

The St. Colmans Cathedral peregrines are centre stage at the moment but other raptors are succesfully breeding on the Gr...
14/07/2024

The St. Colmans Cathedral peregrines are centre stage at the moment but other raptors are succesfully breeding on the Great Island this year.
the Cork Branch of Birdwatch Ireland and local volunteers have recently ringed a pair of Barn Owls as part of a breeding programme which involves the installation of nest boxes with the co-operation of local farmers.
Long-eared Owls have successfully bred in Keefe's' Wood again this year as have a pair of Sparrow hawks.

05/07/2024

St. Colman's Cathedral Peregrines.
Feeding time can get messy when you have hungry mouths to feed.

Here's a sample of the many species of Hoverfly we have on the Great Island.According to the National Biodiversity Data ...
28/06/2024

Here's a sample of the many species of Hoverfly we have on the Great Island.
According to the National Biodiversity Data Centre we have 180 species in the country. They are fascinating insects and if you want to learn more heres the link : https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/hoverflies/

18/06/2024

....one even going as far as the parapet.

18/06/2024

Young developing well and showing an interest in the world outside. ...

18/06/2024

Adult delivering what looks like a young Moorhen

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