BirdWatch Ireland

It feels like yesterday that we were welcoming back our summer breeding birds. Before you know it, eggs are hatched, chicks are fledged, and our feathered friends are off again, leaving our shores. Late summer welcomes a new crowd, such as the Sooty Shearwater, Great Shearwater and the occasional Wilson’s Storm-petrel; it won’t be until autumn when we see the...

We have long called dogs a man’s best friend, but for some, their friendship and companionship run deeper. That is certainly the case for Declan Murphy and his beautiful Dalmatian, Lucy. Together, the two of them forged through rural habitats and camped in tents and lodges, travelling on a quest to see all of Ireland’s wild orchid species in a single summer.<...

The following story is written by Rhys Gadd for the 2025 winter issue of Bird Detectives, our junior magazine. Become a member today for full access to Bird Detectives and Wings.

We have lived side-by-side with birds for millennia. They were probably some of the first animal species to return to Ireland after the Ice Age a...