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MALIN HEAD
So let us start
with the top, and Ireland's most Northerly point, Malin Head. This is a rugged
often barren area, it is one of the windiest places in the British Isles, but is
also the sunniest place in Ireland!
This area first
came to light between the years of 1961 and 1966 when a bird watching
observatory was set up. It was established to study the passage of seabirds and
to study the movements of other birds off the North coast. It was not just, the
huge movements of birds that were discovered, but a number of either new or rare
species of bird were found to be frequenting the area of Malin Head at certain
times of the year. Imagine the experience of these birdwatchers sitting at
Banba's' Crown when they first sighted the magnificent Black Browed Albatross,
only the second time this species had been recorded in Ireland, especially when
the first was recorded on Cape Clear Island two days previously. It was during
this time that a number of species thought to be rare in Irish waters were found
to be more common than previously thought. Influxes of seabirds such as Sooty
Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Cory's Shearwater and Leaches petrel were found to
be regular in suitable weather conditions. Sea watching activities at this time
showed that Great, Arctic, Pomarine and Long tailed Skua occurred more
frequently than previously recorded. These are just a few examples of the types
of seabird you could expect to see from the vicinity of Banbas Crown.
Malin Head is
designated a Special area of conservation and it holds other species of bird
that are of international or national importance. The Eider duck first bred in
Ireland in 1912 on the Island of Inishtrahull were there are approximately 100
pairs now breeding. This accounts for 15% of the total Irish population.
In a survey
carried out in 1992 it suggested that 906 pairs of Chough bred in Ireland of
which 25 pairs breed on the Malin Peninsula alone, and flocks in excess of 100
birds have been recorded on at least two occasions. As the decline of the
Corncrake is a well known and well documented event, this bird is still holding
its own with a possible 7 male birds heard calling during the summer of 2002.
The Buzzard is also a regular visitor and breeder. In 1961 there was only one
pair breeding on Rathlin Island it has now increased to over two hundred pairs
of which the Inishowen peninsula can account for 33 pairs, which is probably the
highest densely populated area in the Republic of Ireland. There are only 350
pairs of Peregrine Falcon in Ireland and this species has been long established
as a breeding bird on the Malin Peninsula. In winter Malin Head is perhaps one
of the best sites in the country for observing the following species.
Barnacle Geese,
Long tailed duck, Great Northern Diver, Snow Bunting, Twite and Lapland Bunting
are all recorded here in winter.
In total
approximately 250 species of bird have been recorded in the Malin area. The
following is a list that will interest most birdwatchers of the rarer species
recorded in Malin Head.
1. Black browed
Albatross
2. Balearic shearwater
3. Great shearwater
4. Sooty shearwater
5. Cory's shearwater
6. Grey and Red Phalarope
7. Little auk
8. Spoonbill
9. Hoopoe
10. Yellow browed warbler
11. Great, Pomarine, Arctic and Long tailed Skua
12. Shore Lark
13. Short-toed lark
14. Red breasted flycatcher
15. Common Rosefinch
16. Semi palmated Sandpiper
TRAWBREAGA LOUGH
Situated to the
south of Malin Head is Trawbreaga Lough. It is an almost landlocked tidal bay,
which virtually dries at low water. With one main river and a number of smaller
streams draining into it.
Relatively small
numbers of birds appear at all times, however the species variety is excellent
and two species appear in the area in International important numbers.
The Barnacle
Geese flock, which frequents the area, can often be found on the North shore of
the Lough feeding the fields around Malin Hall. This species has been recorded
in increasing numbers in recent years, with a winter population of approximately
560 birds. However this flock does fragment from time to time and is often
highly mobile, feeding in areas as far apart Inishtrahull and Glashedy Islands.
The Pale bellied
Brent Goose arrives in Inishowen from west Greenland and Eastern Canada, and
Trawbreaga holds on average 350 of these birds, this is an increase of 100%
since the 1970's probably due to the fact that Trawbreaga is a Wildfowl
sanctuary and the Brent goose has been protected since the 1960's when the
species was endanger of becoming extinct.
Trawbreaga also
holds species of bird which are of National or local importance, these species
are to include, Ringed Plover, Shelduck, Teal, Wigeon, Lapwing and Dunlin. It is
also an important staging point for wildfowl and waders that are stopping of on
there migration southwards. Other species recorded regularly here include,
Greenland white fronted goose, Pink footed goose, Greylag goose, Bewick and
whooper swan Black tailed and Bar tailed Godwits.
Other interesting or rare species to have appeared here include, American
Wigeon, Wood and Green Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff,
Little Stint and Avocet.
LOUGH SWILLY
This large fjord
beginning at Letterkenny and ending at Fanad Head is rich with a wide variety of
habitats and bird species. Due to its size it is often treated as a number of
smaller sites, e.g. Inch Is, Blanket Nook thus degraded the areas overall value
of bird species and habitats. The Lough itself, holds international important
numbers of Whooper Swans, White fronted geese and Brent Geese.
The mouth of the Lough around Dunree Head is also an excellent vantage point for
seabird watching, and with a Northwest wind large number of Auks, Shearwaters
and Skua can be blown onshore. During the summer months Red throated Diver can
be found feeding in the small bays that indent into the west coast of the
peninsula.
(Here we will
concentrate on the two most important sites within Lough Swilly).
INCH ISLAND
and BLANKET NOOK
Situated on the
Southwest corner of Inishowen lies Inch Island and Blanket Nook. Between Inch
Island and the mainland lies and area of drained polder land which has an area
of 1,200 hectares. Here Whooper Swans are of International importance with on
average 300 birds spending the winter. However Whooper swans are highly mobile
species with individuals or flocks moving to feed or roost in the Port Lough,
Blanket Nook area or Lough Foyle so number can fluctuate greatly. The highest
number are usually in the Spring or the Autumn when the Inch Levels are used as
a staging point as the birds are heading for or returning from there breeding
grounds in Iceland and Greenland. Quail can be heard occasionally during the
summer on the Polder land.
Blanket Nook is
just a little further to the Southwest and is almost like a small Inch Lough.
For many years this area suffered from the use of shotguns but since been
declared a wildfowl sanctuary both numbers and varieties of species have
increased. Large numbers of birds commute to and from the Nook, Greylag and
White fronted geese are regular, and other species such as Shoveler, and Gadwall
are frequently seen.
Other species
such as Scaup, Goldeneye, Great Crested grebe, Pintail and Red breasted
Merganser are recorded in good numbers. Other rare birds recorded here include
Slavonian Grebe, Goosander, Smew, Surf Scoter and Lesser Scaup.
LOUGH FOYLE
Situated to the
East of the peninsula lies Lough Foyle. This is a vast estuarine area and the
vast areas of mud to the south hold the majority of birds. However the Inishowen
side is an important area for species such as Teal, Knot and Brent Geese. The
Lough itself has Internationally important numbers of Bewick's Swan, Whooper
Swan, Brent Geese Wigeon and Bar-tailed Godwit, and upwards of 100,00 birds can
be found in and around the Lough during the winter. Up to 17,00 Wigeon can be
found here.
On the Inishowen side large number of birds can be found feeding on the fields
that are adjacent to the Lough. Here large numbers of Bar tailed Godwit, curlew
other species of wader and the different varieties of Swan and Geese can be
found. Also in the fields adjacent to the Lough one can find large flocks of all
the thrush species to include, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle and Song thrush.
Between Muff and Quigley's point species such as Red breasted Merganser, Common
Gulls, Great Northern Divers and Carrion Crows are regularly recorded throughout
the year.
Between
Greencastle and Dunagree point is perhaps the finest bird watching area on the
west shore of Lough Foyle. During the autumn and winter months many species can
be observed flying between Magilligan Point and the Inishowen Peninsula.
Seabirds flying or migrating along the North coast often find themselves
entering Lough Foyle. Species recorded here include Razorbill, Guillemots, Black
Guillemots and Puffins, Arctic Skua are regularly recorded here in the autumn.
The rare and
exotic birds to be recorded on Lough Foyle are to include White Stork, Greater
Flamingo.
With its wide
ranging habitats and the size of the peninsula alone there is a wide variety of
habitats and bird species to be discovered. Approximately 250 species of bird
can be seen on the Inishowen peninsula throughout the year, so as one may guess
I have only skimmed across, what is a wide-ranging and very interesting pursuit.
There are five areas dealt with here yet there are over fifty locations
throughout the Inishowen peninsula that would be of interest to any birdwatcher
visiting the area. Other areas of note include, Inishtrahull, the Garvan Isles,
Culdaff estuary, Rockstown and Tullagh bay, Kinnagoe, the Mintiaghs lakes,
Slieve Snaght and Loughs Inn and Fad to name a few.
So what of the
future for birds in Inishowen, well a number of species have become extinct,
these are the Corn Bunting and the Grey Partridge. The Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel,
Yellowhammer and Corncrake are much reduced. Though species such as the Coal
tit, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin and Blackcap are all increasing, Inishowen appears
to be in a time of transition, with some species disappearing and other species
taking their place.
With increasing
numbers of Tree pipit, Wood Warbler, Reed Warbler and Little Egret been recorded
throughout Ireland and the reintroduction of the Golden Eagle into Glenveagh
National Park it is a matter of time before these species find a home on the
Inishowen peninsula.
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