Monday-Friday, 3 - 4.30pm
We've got a pair of Blue Tits in our first nest of the year located at Derek's house in Dublin. The nest is almost complete, the female laid seven eggs, and those eggs have now hatched into nestlings!
A pair of Swallows have built a nest in a shed behind Áras an Uachtaráin, and now there are also Swallow chicks in the nest!.
Click here to listen back to Eric Dempsey’s documentary about the Swallow: From Egg To Africa
Spring is fast approaching and love is in the air – as reports come in of amorous animals across the country! We’ll hear about the fox in Co. Meath who sings along to music on the radio, and Katrina McFadden goes on the trail of the African birds migrating as far north as County Donegal!
During the week, we received this e-mail from one of our listeners, Roger:
Hi Derek, thought you might be interested in this photo. Its of a deciduous tree beside the Pav bar in Trinity College.
It seems that the spot light which is on all winter is keeping the leaves nearest to it from falling off. Unusual? Taken yesterday 18th Jan 2013
Roger Thomas, Kilkenny
So last night, Eanna ni Lamhna, who is also President of the Tree Council of Ireland, went out to take a look!
Last September, we covered the release of fifteen Red Squirrels on Killiney Hill, in south Dublin. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has made a concerted effort to reintroduce this beautiful native species to the parks in the area. The native Irish red squirrel has suffered hugely since the grey squirrel was introduced to Ireland, just over 100 years ago. So it really needs a helping hand, if it's to re-establish itself back into its rightful place. We said we'd keep track of this project, and we are true to our word! So today, Mary Toomey - who is Biodiversity Officer with Dun Laoghaire County Council - joins Derek and our wildlife panel in studio! Mary wants the locals to carry out a garden squirrel survey at the moment until the end of February to record what squirrels visit their gardens and what they are doing there. Many of you are carrying out garden bird surveys anyway so this could be done at the same time. If you visit http://www.dlrcoco.ie/parks/redsquirrel.html, then you'll be able to report your squirrel sightings. The survey will be carried out in January/ February, then again in May/ June, then also in October/ November.
Donegal, as we know, is a stunning county with beautiful scenery and rugged coastline. But, it seems, it has recently attracted two visitors from far-flung places who love the place so much they are refusing to leave!
They are the Bittern and the Cattle Egret. Both are members of the Heron family. It's not the first time Ireland has seen either of these unusual visitors - but it is almost unheard of to see them so far north.
Because of this birdwatchers have been 'flocking' (if you'll pardon the pun) to Donegal to see the two birds, who are 15 miles (or about 24 kilometres) apart.
Proud Donegal woman Katriona McFadden went to see them this morning. She first visited Inch Island Wildfowl reserve and met Andrew Speer, Conservation Ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service...
Bittern
Last September, we covered the release of fifteen Red Squirrels on Killiney Hill, in south Dublin. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has made a concerted effort to reintroduce this beautiful native species to the parks in the area. The native Irish red squirrel has suffered hugely since the grey squirrel was introduced to Ireland, just over 100 years ago. So it really needs a helping hand, if it's to re-establish itself back into its rightful place.
We said we'd keep track of this project, and we are true to our word! So today, Mary Toomey - who is Biodiversity Officer with Dun Laoghaire County Council - joins Derek and our wildlife panel in studio!
Mary wants the locals to carry out a garden squirrel survey at the moment until the end of February to record what squirrels visit their gardens and what they are doing there. Many of you are carrying out garden bird surveys anyway so this could be done at the same time.
If you visit http://www.dlrcoco.ie/parks/redsquirrel.html, then you'll be able to report your squirrel sightings. The survey will be carried out in January/ February, then again in May/ June, then also in October/ November.
Donegal, as we know, is a stunning county with beautiful scenery and rugged coastline. But, it seems, it has recently attracted two visitors from far-flung places who love the place so much they are refusing to leave! They are the Bittern and the Cattle Egret. Both are members of the Heron family. It's not the first time Ireland has seen either of these unusual visitors - but it is almost unheard of to see them so far north. Because of this birdwatchers have been 'flocking' (if you'll pardon the pun) to Donegal to see the two birds, who are 15 miles (or about 24 kilometres) apart. Proud Donegal woman Katriona McFadden went to see them this morning. She first visited Inch Island Wildfowl reserve and met Andrew Speer, Conservation Ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service...
Our five daily Mooney's Money winners from all this week play for a chance to win a fabulous 12-night Mediterranean cruise, with thanks to www.celebritycruises.com!
Last September, we covered the release of fifteen Red Squirrels on Killiney Hill, in south Dublin. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has made a concerted effort to reintroduce this beautiful native species to the parks in the area. The native Irish red squirrel has suffered hugely since the grey squirrel was introduced to Ireland, just over 100 years ago. So it really needs a helping hand, if it's to re-establish itself back into its rightful place. We said we'd keep track of this project, and we are true to our word! So today, Mary Toomey - who is Biodiversity Officer with Dun Laoghaire County Council - joins Derek and our wildlife panel in studio! Mary wants the locals to carry out a garden squirrel survey at the moment until the end of February to record what squirrels visit their gardens and what they are doing there. Many of you are carrying out garden bird surveys anyway so this could be done at the same time. If you visit http://www.dlrcoco.ie/parks/redsquirrel.html, then you'll be able to report your squirrel sightings. The survey will be carried out in January/ February, then again in May/ June, then also in October/ November.
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