BirdWatch Ireland Wicklow Branch

17/05/2026

At Arklow Ponds yesterday, May 16th, BirdWatch Ireland Wicklow combined with NPWS Knocksink Wood to provide a Birding for Beginners outdoor workshop. It was jointly led by Joe Lennon from BWI Wicklow and Laura Rosa Regalado Rocha of the NPWS. ID tips were provided as we scanned the pond and walked through surrounding woodland.

It’s that time of year when the waterbirds have their young - Swans with their cygnets, Greylag Geese with their goslings, and Moorhen and Little Grebes have their chicks. There was also plenty of activity from the summer visitors, including speed merchants like Swallows, House Martins, Sand Martins. and Swifts, not to mention a range of warblers. Amongst the warblers, there were the familiar Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff together with Common Whitethroat and Blackcap. We also enjoyed the noisy singing of Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers, which we saw fleeting between reeds and trees.

We saw or heard a total of 39 species, including a Red Kite soaring above us. A very enjoyable morning was had by all!

Bird photos by Charlie Cowan, group photos by Clodagh Duffy and Joe Lennon.

16/04/2026

Last Tuesday, 14th April at the Ashford Community & Heritage Centre we were treated to a fascinating talk by renowned filmmaker and presenter Colin Stafford-Johnson.

The central theme of the talk was Colin’s Native Garden. He described how he dug a pond, sowed a meadow with only native plant species, and added hedgerows to create a haven of biodiversity in Co. Wicklow. There was no use of fertilisers, pesticides, or herbicides - all that was required was careful management by Colin to help the natural restoration process.

Colin also entertained us with memories from his career ranging from experiences with bower birds in Australia, encounters with pine martens back in Ireland, and filming of tigers in India.

Incidentally, there’s a run of the “The Wild Gardener” TV series starting next Wednesday 22nd April on the Together channel (Sky 170).

Our next talk is on Tuesday May 12th at 19:30: and will feature a bird song workshop led by the branch committee. Then at 20:00 a talk entitled “Biodiversity and climate change” will be delivered by Declan Murphy. As usual, details will be shared to our mailing list and via social media

In the meantime, why not enjoy some twilight tweeting by joining us for our dusk chorus walk on Saturday 18th April at 19:00: This is a joint event with the NPWS at Tomnafinnoge Wood, Co. Wicklow. Meet at Tomanfinnogue Wood carpark at 19:00. https://maps.app.goo.gl/mWhHSseLHpbhe1aX6

24/03/2026

On Saturday 21st March we were blessed with glorious sunny weather on our outing to Kilcoole, the latest instalment in our “Kilcoole Through the Seasons” series. We were joined by Wendy and Mark from the National Parks and Wildlife Service who do sterling work at Knocksink Nature Reserve. And, of course, we also had BWI stalwarts like Joe Lennon and Con Hogan on hand with their trusty scopes and extensive knowledge.

It’s the time of year when the Winter visitors are still around while some of the summer visitors are starting to arrive. So as expected, we saw plenty of wildfowl - Brent Geese from the high Arctic, Widgeon, and Teal galore, and our resident Shelduck. Sadly though, there weren’t any Whooper swans around on this occasion.

As we walked along the coastal path, Stonechats both male and female kept popping up on fences and bushes, as did Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings. Spring was definitely in the air as there was a constant backdrop of Skylark singing from upon high. The local Lapwings were also in high spirits as they treated us to their aerial displays.

Kilcoole is a great place for waders, and we saw a good variety of the larger and smaller species including Black-tailed Godwit, Redshanks, Greenshank, Snipe, Ringed Plover, and Dunlin. A particular treat was a large flock of several hundred Golden Plover, who will soon be making their way to breeding grounds in Iceland.

The sea was very calm and looking out towards the waves we could see Cormorants and Shags fishing, with quite a number of Red-throated Divers and even a Great Norther Diver.

We did see one early summer arrival, a Sand Martin, and back at the station carpark we could hear another harbinger of spring, the Chiffchaff as well as a number of other songbirds. In all we managed to see about 50 species on the day.

Keep your diary open for our next visit to Kilcoole on Saturday 20th June and in the meantime enjoy these photos (taken by Charlie Cowan and Joe Lennon).

04/03/2026

On Saturday 21st February, we enjoyed an outing to Avoca village in an area that has seen a very successful re-introduction of the Red Kite, a magnificent raptor for too long extinct in Ireland.

We walked from the church carpark along the lower path of the Red Kite trail serenaded by songbirds such as Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, and Song Thrush, their tunes punctuated by the calls of Blue T**s, Great T**s, and the occasional Goldcrest. As a bonus we were treated to the spectacle of a Red Squirrel leaping between branches and scurrying up and down trees!

Returning to the village, we sadly did not see either Dippers or Grey Wagtails from the Bridge as the high water levels had covered the rocks in the river. We were certainly not disappointed by the aerial display put on by the Red Kites though!

We saw At least 25 and maybe up to 30 of the beautiful russet kites as they returned to their roosting places near the village. They were not necessarily made welcome by the local corvids, but we were delighted to see them soaring and gliding around the village, swooping occasionally into nearby gardens.

It had been a damp afternoon but our spirits were lifted by the wonderful sight of so many kites and the 20 or so other species we encountered on the outing. Thanks to everyone who joined us on the outing.

30/01/2026

On Saturday 17th January we made a most enjoyable visit to the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.

We had distant but no less impressive views of wildfowl from the observation tower. There were hundreds of Greater White Fronted Geese - a Winter visitor from Greenland, Whooper Swans from Iceland, and a small number of Pink-Footed Geese, a scarce bird in Ireland. We also had great views of waders like Curlew, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, and Oystercatcher.

Looking out to sea we saw Little Egret and Grey Heron waiting patiently to catch their prey. Great Crested Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers were diving for fish against the backdrop of a large flock of Brent Geese. Another highlight was the beautiful Goldeneye duck. In total we saw 45 birds species during what was a memorable visit.

Photos taken by Charlie Cowan and Clodagh Duffy

11/01/2026

Happy new year from the Wicklow Branch! Here are some events we'll be running in January:

Tuesday 13th January at 19:30. A talk by Charlie Cowan, a local birding enthusiast, on the wonderful variety of birds you can see on the Murrough and around the Co. Wicklow coast. Charlie will discuss the best places and times to see different species and provide a lavish photographic tour of common and not so common bird species you can see through the seasons. The talk will be suitable for beginning birdwatchers and more experienced birders alike.

Venue: Ashford Community & Heritage Centre (Eircode A67 DH34). For public transport options see, TFI Journey Planner. Admission is free, a voluntary contribution to cover the cost of room hire would be appreciated.



Saturday 17th January: An outing to Wexford Wildfowl Reserve. Meet at 10:30 in the main carpark. Bad Weather Protocol: If a Met Eireann Orange or Red warning is in force at the location where and when a branch outing is due to take place then members should assume that the outing is cancelled.

09/10/2025

October Events at BWI Wicklow Branch:

This Saturday, 11th October, we will be heading to North Bull Island, Co. Dublin. Meet at 10:00 on the middle of the causeway on Causeway Road, North Bull Island.
Bad Weather Protocol: If a Met Eireann Orange or Red warning is in force at the location where and when a branch outing is due to take place then members should assume that the outing is cancelled.

Then on Tuesday October 14th. “Chasing the Griffon - an Andalucían Birding Odyssey” a talk by Joe Lennon in Ashford Community & Heritage Centre (Eircode A67 DH34). For public transport options see www.transportforireland.ie Admission is free, a voluntary contribution to cover the cost of room hire would be appreciated

Sunday October 19th: The Freshwater Habitats of BirdWatch Ireland's East Coast Nature Reserve, a Joint Outing with East Wicklow Rivers Trust, the Newcastle Biodiversity Group and the Birdwatch Ireland Wicklow Branch. Pre-booking is required via the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-freshwater-habitats-of-birdwatch-irelands-east-coast-nature-reserve-tickets-1776966888799?aff=oddtdtcreator

13/09/2025

03/09/2025

Join us in launching The Living and the Dead- all welcome! 🐝🌿