Birdwatching in Ireland
Ireland is properly best known for its North American strays, but it also has some of the best seabird watching in Europe.
With about 400 species recorded you will also find Corncrake, Coal Tit, Dipper and Jay to name a few. At the western and
southern coast large seabird colonies are found and the largest Storm Petrel breeding ground in the world.
You will find Birdingpals in Ireland as well as Northern Ireland willing to help a visiting birder.
Local Birdingpal Contacts
|
Local Birdwatchers 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 | Weekend | English |
|
| M | Reimann | Clonakilty, Cork | Anytime | German/English |
| I'm an EVS-volunteer from Germany. I stay in Clonakilty until June 2009. Concerning interesting spots nearby I only have few experience, but I hope they will get more. | ||||||
|
| F | O'Connor | Clare/Mayo | Weekend | |
|
| 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 | |
|
| S | King | Dublin, County Dublin | Weekend | |
|
| 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 theres 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. | ||||||
|
| G | O'Neill | Dundalk | Weekend | |
|
| J | Cahill | Dungarvan | Weekend | |
|
| M | Adamson | Bangor/Belfast, County Down | Anytime | English |
|
| P | McHaffie | Belfast, Antrim | Weekend | |
|
| H | Hussey | Cork | Weekend | |
|
| R | Guthrie | Cahirsiveen, County Kerry | Anytime | English/German Italian/Spanish |
|
| A | Sandoval | Maynooth, County Kildare | Weekend | English/Spanish |
| IŽm almost 36 years old, and living in Maynooth, a small town near Dublin city. IŽll be here for another year and a half, and probably IŽll stay longer. Because I donŽt have a car, I depend on public transport to visit the country. But I know the coast near Dublin quite well and where to watch seabirds (Fulmars, Auks, Kittiwakes, Gannets) and geese (Brent and Barnacle). I guess these are the birds that people coming here want to see. | ||||||
|
| T | Davis | Ballyclare, County Antrim | Anytime | English |
| I am 54, been interested in birds since childhood, interested in bird conversation and meeting other birders. I live in a country area (Kilbride) with a good variety of habitat (hills, woodlands, hedge farm and, marshland etc.). | ||||||
|
| E | Rolston | Lisburn, County Antrim | Anytime | |
|
| CG | Wilkinson | Lisburn, 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. | ||||||
|
|
| R | Smith | Londonderry | Anytime | |
|
| S | Collins | Enniscorthy, 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. | ||||||
|
Professional Guides | ||||||
|
|
| Initial | Last Name | Area | Available | Language |
|
| M | Cobley | Bantry, Cork | Anytime | English |
|
|
| E | Dempsey | Dublin | Anytime | English |
Local Information
|
| Name | Description
|
| 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 |
|
| Birding Hotspots around the world | Sites |
|
| The Birds of Ireland | Photos |
|
| Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | Ireland |
|
| Local weather | Yahoo |
|
| Electronic maps | MapQuest |
|
| Find lowest prices for field guides, books, maps etc. | |
|
| Field guides recommended by Birdingpals | |
|
| Printable bird check list | |
|
| Trip Reports from Ireland | |
|
| Simon Collins's guide to County Wexford |
Last update 03/07/2009