Mooney Goes Wild

As mentioned above, as part of his work for BirdWatch Ireland, our very own Niall Hatch recently gave a talk all about Ireland’s Garden Birds to the members of the Bray Active Retirement Association in Co. Wicklow. We are pleased to bring you a portion of Niall’s talk

Margaret Tallot, co author of An Bhumbóg Mór Bhuí dicusses her new book which is all about the Great Yellow Bumblebee.

Derek and Richard came upon a rather untidy nest, high on an electricity pylon. It was the nest of a pair of Hooded Crows, we learn all about the nesting habits of these widespread and familiar Irish birds.

Our researcher Michele Browne brings us a selection of the natural history questions that you have posed to our expert panellists. Including a sick Greenfinch.

Niall tells us about a talk on the topic of Irish Garden Birds that he gave to Bray Active Retirement Association in Co. Wicklow.

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Éanna Ní Lamhna Niall Hatch, Michele Browne and Margaret Tallot. Topics up for discussion inclube birds, quiries from listeners, Dawn Chorus and the Great Yellow Bumblebee.

Terry travelled down to meet with owner Ger Kirwan and general manager Stephen Murphy-O’Sullivan under a very well-known bridge in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, where they explained the processes involved in the rearing Rainbow Trout Caviar and also the harvesting of the eggs.

Mooney Goes Wild Researcher Michele Browne met with Louise Overy, a shark expert and lecturer at MTU Kerry, they speak about the importance of Tralee Bay as a nursery ground for the above-mentioned cartilaginous fish species, about Angel Sharks, in particular, and about the hunt for Mermaid’s purses.

In Co. Kerry, fishermen are leading the way in the protection of vital sea nurseries in Tralee Bay. Denis O’Shea is Manager of the Tralee Oyster Fisheries Society, and he joins us on tonight’s programme to tell us more.

Niall Hatch tells us on tonight’s programme, the Kestrel is sadly declining in Ireland, to such an extent that it now finds itself on the Red-list of Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland, it is nonetheless still to be found in all 32 counties on this island and is not yet a rarity here.

Brilliant though it is, Merlin still makes mistakes, as we learn courtesy of an erroneous report we received of a Creamy-bellied Thrush, a species usually confined to South America. As our panellists explain on tonight’s programme, we can be absolutely certain that it is impossible for one of these New World songbirds to turn up in Ireland.

Eric Dempsey recently had the good fortune of seeing and hearing one a Cetti's Warbler at BirdWatch Ireland’s East Coast Nature Reserve in Newcastle, Co. Wicklow.

Last week, Richard Collins took a trip to the Italian Alps with no fewer than seven of his grandchildren. The main purpose of their visit was to see the remains of Ötzi the Iceman, the oldest-known naturally preserved mummy in Europe.

Derek was filming for Bank from the Brink at the The Gearagh in Co. Cork during the week. While there, producer and director of the programme, our good friend Rory Cobbe, took the opportunity to speak to local resident Una Keating about the area, when what should fly overhead but their first Swallow of the year?

Despite the inclement weather, the past weekend saw an influx of migrant birds into Ireland, and leading the charge were some of our first Sand Martins and Swallows of the season.

we discuss the impact of storms on animals and check in with our panellists to see whether they survived the meteorological onslaught.

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Eric Dempsey, Niall Hatch, Terry Flanagan, Michele Browne and Denis O'Shea. Topics up discusion include, storms, birds, Ötzi the Iceman and marine life.

Authorities in Mount Everest have announced that visitors to Everest are now required to carry their poo back to base camp, rather than simply leave it where it falls.

Ornithologist, author and nature tour guide Jim Wilson and Photographer Mark Carmody chat about their new book Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide – 2nd Edition.

We sent Biologist and Roving Reporter Terry Flanagan to go out and about in search of aquatic plants with one of the book’s authors, Prof. Joe Caffrey.