A Wild Year on the Northside – Ep 4 –

In our final episode we look at the winter. The shorter, colder days means the natural world goes into self preservation mode to survive until the brighter, warmer days of Spring. Our summer migrants have left but they’re replaced by a multitude of birds who seek refuge from arctic climates to spend our comparatively mild winters here.

This leads to one of the loveliest wildlife spectacles of the year where thousands upon thousands of seabirds, waders, ducks and geese spend the winter months in Dublin Bay. The Bull Island is one of the best locations to witness wheeling flocks of thousands of birds just a couple of miles from the centre of Dublin City. We went along to meet Niamh Fitzgerald who coordinates the Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS), which has monitored these populations for over 20 years to find out why Dublin Bay and it’s surrounding areas are so important to these birds who have often taken incredible journeys to winter here on our shores.

Another gem in North County Dublin is Turvey nature reserve. Reclaimed and now managed for wildlife it provides an amazing space for nature to thrive. In the winter months it’s a sanctuary for thousands of waterbirds and it’s a wonderful location to see some of our mammal species like foxes and badgers and is a stronghold for the Irish hare which unfortunately we have lost from many locations

The management of the site means that in the winter some of the fields of seed rich plants and flowers sown earlier in year serve as a feeding table for mice and small birds which in turn means it’s a fantastic place to see most of Ireland’s raptors, including one of my favourites, the beautiful barn owl.

I went on out on a crisp winter evening in search of owls and later spoke to Hans Visser of Fingal County Council about the site and how it has been managed to create a wonderful haven for wildlife.

About the series

A Wild Year on the Northside takes a lyrical look at a year in nature on the Northside of Dublin City. Each of the four episodes will focus on a different season and give listeners a calendar of nature’s spectacles and the amazing proliferation of wildlife that we can encounter on our doorstep. The series will aim to educate and inform our listeners to where and when they can see these events and talk to some of the volunteers and organisations that attempt to promote and protect  the city’s wild animals and habitats.

With contributions from local conservation organisations including Birdwatch Ireland, The Irish Wildlife Trust and The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. The episodes will be recorded on location in some of Dublin’s richest locations for biodiversity… like the Bull Island, Howth, Ireland’s Eye and the Phoenix Park and will detail some of the fascinating natural events that occur during  “A Wild Year on the Northside”.

Produced, presented and sound design by Edd Kealy. The series is made with the support of Coimisiún Na Meán’s Sound and Vision scheme, with the Television License fee.