BirdWatch Sligo

Site last updated Monday 20th May 2013

Welcome to the website of

the Sligo branch of BirdWatch Ireland.

On this website you will find information about Sligo and its bird life.
This site is run by the local BirdWatch Ireland Branch,
which holds monthly meetings in Sligo during the winter
and outings around County Sligo.

For more information about BirdWatch Ireland, click here.

Remember that BirdWatch Sligo is now on Twitter

and we also have a Facebook page.

Depending on your mobile phone provider and package, you may be able to get our tweets as free text
messages (e.g. click here to see how to access them from a Vodafone mobile phone)

Current BirdWatch Sligo News & Events........
	Sunday 19 May: Dawn Chorus. Venue: Lissadell. Time: 5 am (yes, that is correct - am!). Meet up at Lissadell, enter the first gate and continue on to the green area beside the shore. Tune up - you can prepare for the Dawn Chorus outing with some great information on the Dawn Chorus & the common bird songs on the RTE Mooney Show website here.
	Sunday 16 June: Family Nature Challenge. All children to be accompanied by their parents. Meet Half Moon Bay, Hazelwood at I pm Leader: Michael Bell.
	Ireland’s BioBlitz 2013 The National Biodiversity Data Centre, in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Coillte and the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording is organising Ireland’s BioBlitz event on 24 & 25 May 2013. The event will be held at four locations;Wicklow Mountains National Park, Co. Wicklow, Burren National Park, Co. Clare, Lough Key Forest Park, Co. Roscommon and Colebrooke Estate, Co. Fermanagh. The four sites will compete to record the most species of wildlife over a 24-hour period. There will also be a programme of activities at each site running in conjunction with BioBlitz for anyone interested in wildlife to attend and join in the recording activity. More information here.
	'Wild Sligo' launches Event Programme Stephen Brightwood of Sligo Co. Council has shared the list of forthcoming Sligo Wild events here. Sligo's Natura 2000 Network Network: Did you know .............Natura 2000 is a network of legally protected European wide wildlife areas noted for their important landscape value and their rare habitats & species. It comprises of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special protection Areas (SPAs). Sligo is richly endowed with Natura 2000 sites which is a reflection of its European importance for wildlife and its widely varying habitats,ranging from coastal estuaries, upland bogs, freshwater rivers and loughs, and ancient woodlands. Sligo County Council has invited a range of local experts to deliver a series of talks to raise awareness of these important natural assets, and the issues facing them. Wild Sligo Events Programme : Next Event The Nature Value of Farmland in Co Sligo - Can CAP Reform Support this Valuable Resource? By James Moran , IT Sligo Venue: Dromard Community Centre - opposite "Fiddlers Elbow" Pub, Beltra, Co Sligo - on the main Sligo-Ballina Road Date: Tuesday 14th May 2013. Time: 2.00pm Duration: 1 hour
Contacts regarding events and outings : Gerard Scott: 087 907 6486, gerardscott@eircom.net. Sandie McCanny: 086 804 6468, sandiemccanny@gmail,com. Website:http://www.sligobirding.com You can also keep in touch with sightings and branch events on Facebook and Twitter. Upcoming Events: Sunday 5 May: Boat Trip to Innismurray.. (Restricted to members of Birdwatch for insurance reasons). We have almost filled one boat, (Max. 12), but would consider a second boat if enough people are interested. Details to be confirmed,closer to the date. Cost approx. 35 euro per person. Sunday 12th May: . Outing to the cliffs at Aughris Head to see seabird nest sites. Meet at 12 noon at Aughris Peir. This trip is not suitable for small children. Sunday 19 May: Dawn Chorus. Venue: Lissadell. Time: 5 am. Meet up at Lisadell, enter the first gate and continue on to the green area beside the shore. Leader: Trevor Hunter. Sunday 16 June: Family Nature Challenge. All children to be accompanied by their parents. Meet Half Moon Bay, Hazelwood at I pm Leader: Michael Bell. Wild Sligo (Co-ordinated by Stephen Brightwood of Sligo County Council) also offers events of interest to BirdWatch Ireland Members - Saturday 22nd June: "A Changing Landscape: Streedagh Point Dunes" A discussion followed by a short walk. Led by Michael Bell. Meet at Streedagh Beach Car park at 2.00 pm. (duration 2 hours) - Saturday 20th July: "An Evening Wildlife Walk" by Will Woodrow. Walking from Collooney to Union Wood, looking at wildlife and invasive species. Meet outside Teeling Centre, Collooney, Sligo at 8.30 pm. Duration 2 1/2 hours.(Bring a torch) - Tuesday 27th August: "Bats about the Garavogue." By Barbara McInerney. Walk along the garavogue River, identify some of our bat species using a bat detector. Meet at Stephen's Street car park, Sligo. at 8.00pm Duration 1-2 hours (Bring a torch). Saturday 21st September: " A Woodland in Autumn - Union Wood". Led by National Parks and Wildlife Service. Meet at Teeling Centre, Coolooney at 2,00pm. Duration 2 hours.

02 June 2012: Irene O'Brien of the NPWS abseiling to a Co Sligo Peregrine Falcon nest to ring chicks under licence during the 2012 Peregrine Falcon Breeding survey.

APPEAL FOR SLIGO & LEITRIM PEREGRINE FALCON BREEDING RECORDS

The 2012 North-West Peregrine Falcon Breeding Survey was the first year of a long-term study that aims to monitor the breeding success of this charismatic bird of prey, by careful and responsible monitoring of nest sites, recording of breeding data and the ringing of chicks where possible. While Peregrines are no longer rare, they are believed to be subject to ongoing low-level persecution, but there may also be climatic and food availability factors in the uplands impacting on their productivity. This study aims to identify as many as possible of their lofty breeding sites, using historical data, surveying by the survey team, and crucially with the help historical records from members of the public. These sites will be monitored for success, productivitiy, and any evidence of persecution.

If you are aware of sites that have held breeding Peregrine Falcons in the past, please send the survey team, in strictest confidence, the details you have. Ideally a grid reference would help pinpoint the location, but any information on active and especially, vocal, Peregrine Falcons in the breeding season would be extremely welcome. Please email any data you may have to birdwatchsligo@gmail.com

The Survey team are extremely grateful for the information received in 2012 from birders, hill-walkers, anglers and emergency services (mountain rescue). Feedback has been provided to each person reporting a nest site in respect of "their" site/sites and this will also be provided in 2013. On behalf of Irene O'Brien (National Parks & Wildlife Service Ranger & Survey Co-Ordinator), we would like to express our appreciation for the information passed on in 2012, and we look forward to more in 2013. We are also interested in Raven nest sites, so we can study the effect of any potential interaction between the proximity of Raven nests and Peregrine Falcon nest success & productivity - again please email any data you may have to birdwatchsligo@gmail.com

Peregrine Falcon hunting over Sligo Harbour in February