Birdwatching in Ireland

Birding contacts and birdwatching information



Local Birdingpal Contacts

Local Birdwatchers Using the Birdingpal resources you must agree to the following: If you contact a local Birdingpal and make arrangement to go birding, you should note it is common courtesy to make sure you show up for the appointment. If for any reason you are unable to do this, the least you must do is contacting the local Pal right away. Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club.
		Initial	Last Name	Area	Available	Language
		O	Foley	Cork, County Cork	Weekend	English
		H	Hussey	Cork, County Cork	Weekend	English
		S	Cronin	Cork, County Cork	Anytime	English
		I've been birding now for about 6 years. I mostly bird along the Cork coast which is by far one of the most productive areas in Ireland, especially during migration. There are also many great inland sites worth visiting. Where possible I try to add new species to both my Irish and world lists, neither of which are very long at the moment. I also do a lot of photography and try to get shots of as many species as possible.
		S	Gibson	Cork, County Cork	Anytime	English
		Back birding after many years away from it, into my thrid year now. Also took up photography last year.
		C	Ingram	Stranorlar/Ballybofey, County Donegal	Anytime	English
		I am retired and have lived in Donegal for almost 4 years. I have been birding for over 50 years. Donegal is a great area for birding especially during Autumn and Winter.
		D	McCabe	Dublin, County Dublin	Anytime	English
		I am a birder in my sixties living in Dublin. Our area is rich in bird interest, breeding seabirds in Spring and Summer and Wintering shorebirds, geese and ducks are the highlights.
		C	Smyth	Dublin, County Dublin	Anytime	English
		P	Doyle	Dublin, County Dublin	Weekend	English
		I mostly bird locally here in south County Dublin, County Wicklow & Wexford. Traffic is too bad in Dublin to go north side except when there’s a rare bird on offer and anywhere else in the country when the bird is either an Irish tick, a lifer or something special like a Bee-eater etc.
		T	Cooney	Dublin, County Dublin	Anytime	English
		40 years birding. I have a particularly good knowledge of my local birding sites at North Bull Island (waterfowl) and Howth Head (seabirds) on the north coast of Dublin Bay. Visit my web site
		S	Keilthy	Dublin, County Dublin	Anytime	English, French, German, Chinese
		I live beside the bird sanctuary Bull Island, so am surrounded by Brent geese all winter, as well as other waterfowl like Shelduck, Wigeon, Little Egret, etc. There is a large heronry in the park. And there are places within an hour's drive with red kite, hen harrier, lapwing, etc.
		M	Adamson	Bangor/Belfast, County Down	Anytime	English
		I have become an enthusiastic bird watcher since retiring very early. I live in Bangor, Co Down where we have Black Guillemots nesting on our pier and they are often sitting just feet away from you. Bangor is only 25 minutes from Belfast where there is a wonderful inside RSPB reserve observatoryand 2 other outside hides. Strangford Lough is 20 minutes away where, in the winter there are 30.000 Light-bellied Brent Geese along with other waders and Pintail ducks. There is a WWT within 30 minutes. I have taken people as far as Rathlin Island which is off Ballycastle, Co Antrim, where between May and July you can see thousands of breeding Auks, Kittiwakes and Fulmars along with breeding Chough, Ravens and Peregrines. Visit my blog
		R	Guthrie	Cahirsiveen, County Kerry	Anytime	English, German, Italian, Spanish
		G	O'Neill	Dundalk, County Louth	Weekend	English
		J	Cahill	Dungarvan, County Waterford	Weekend	English
		S	Collins	Enniscorthy, County Wexford	Weekend	English, some Spanish
		Originally from Britain, I've lived and been birding for the last 10 years in the Wexford area of Ireland. Wexford is one of the best counties in Ireland for birding. Winter is great for geese and wildfowl on the wetlands around the coast. Spring and autumn bring surprises in both passerines and waders, with Tacumshin Lake a great area for American waders in the autumn. Summer is the best time to see the auk and gannet colonies on the Saltee Islands.
		E	Rolston	Lisburn, County Antrim	Anytime	English
		G	Wilkinson	Lisburn, County Antrim	Weekend	English, some French
		Birder for 40+ years. Nearest city is Belfast and wildlife areas of interest would be, Strangford Lough, Belfast Lough, Antrim Plateau, Lough Foyle all within an hour of my house. Organise Yellowhammer & Tree Sparrow winter feeding. Barn Owl recorder for nine years. Can show Hen Harrier & Merlin in April. Extensive knowledge of where to birdwatch in Northern Ireland. Have sites for Peregrine, Long-eared Owl, Chough, Twite, Lesser Redpoll, Little Egret, Pale-bellied Brent, Wood Warbler, Garden Warbler and Skuas in September. Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Sept/Oct.
		C	Cassidy	Londonderry	Anytime	English
		I live in Londonderry, I am a 47 year old passionate birder and wildlide photographer. I do most of my birdwatching in Inch Island, Inishowen and Donegal. I also Bird Myroe in County Londonderry.
		P	McHaffie	Belfast, County Antrim	Weekend	English
		R	Smith	Londonderry, County Derry	Anytime	English
		D	McKay	Athlone, County Westmeath	Weekend	English
		Athlone in the heart of Ireland where the R Shannon flows bringing Corncrake in summer and rafts of waders, ducks and geese in winter.
Professional Guides If you contact a professional Birdingpal guide you must be prepared to pay a fee for guiding services.
		Initial	Last Name	Area	Available	Language
Local Information
		Service			Information
		Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia			Ireland
		Local weather			Yahoo
		Electronic maps			Google Maps
		Bird check list			Printable
		Irish Wildbird Conservancy			Club
		BWI South Dublin Branch			Club
		BWI Fingal branch			Club
		BWI Galway City and County branch			Club
		BWI Mayo branch			Club
		BWI County Sligo branch			Club
		BWI Tipperary branch			Club
		BWI Tolka Branch(North Dublin) branch			Club
		Birdingpal Margaret Adamson's Birding for Pleasure			Blog
		Birding Hotspots around the world			Sites

Last update 09/05/2013