NestWatch 2014 - The Herring Gull
The Herring Gull's nest is located on a roof at the RTÉ Campus. There are three eggs in the nest, and on Tuesday, June 3rd, two of those eggs hatched! Click here to watch.
Derek Mooney with his unique mix of conversation, information, advice and entertainment
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On Mooney Goes Wild today...
Dr. Barry O'Donoghue, from the National Parks & Wildlife Service, tracks the story of Heather and Sally, two sister hen harriers, born in Kerry, and named by local schoolchildren.
Mooney Goes Wild reporter Terry Flannagan discovers why some Dublin residents have become infuriated by the capital's gull population.
And the triggerfish, one of the most striking fish in the oceans, has been strangely absent from Irish waters this summer. Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium director Kevin Flannery wants to find out why!
The great Irish poet Seamus Heaney died earlier today, and our panel remember his work and his poetry on the show today.
The RTÉ Radio 1 programme Arena will broadcast a special extended programme at 7pm this evening to remember the life and work of Seamus Heaney. For more information visit www.rte.ie/radio1/arena.
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Freshwater Jellyfish Discovered In Lough Derg
We have spoken at length about jellyfish on this programme over the years. During the summer, especially, they are often visible in large numbers around the coast of Ireland.
In the Sea.
But, here is a first for Ireland...
This week jellyfish were discovered in FRESHWATER!
In Lough Derg on the River Shannon!
And it’s baffling the experts because these jellyfish originate in the Yangtze River – in China!
Dr Joe Caffrey is a Senior Research Officer with Inland Fisheries Ireland and he joins Derek on the phone today to explain more...
We read a little report in The Kerryman newspaper recently about a small cargo of clams that had been seized by customs, having been brought from Vietnam, of all places.
When we think of clams, we think of tiny little shellfish, around the size of your thumb, which you regularly find in the likes of seafood chowder, and other seafood dishes.
These clams, however, were absolute giants, in relative terms, growing to about five or six inches in length.
The Giant Clams in Dingle
The cargo that was seized included up to 20 of these guys. They were very much alive, as they are prized among collectors, and they were transferred to Dingle Ocean world for safekeeping.
Kevin Flannery is the director of Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium, and he joins us today from our Radio na Gaeltachta studio in Dingle.
The Giant Clams in Dingle
Kevin also talks to us today about the absence of a particular fish from Irish waters this summer, called the triggerfish...
Clown Triggerfish in East Africa
Clown Triggerfish
Picasso Triggerfish
Queen Triggerfish
Stone Triggerfish
Triggerfish Teeth
Triggerfish
Yellow Spotted Triggerfish
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Dublin Gull Problem
The Mooney Goes Wild programme is celebrated for many different things, like NestWatch and the Dawn Chorus, to mention but two.
The Dawn Chorus is a six-hour marathon, broadcast every May, where listeners get a chance to appreciate the wonderful cacophony of sound just before and after dawn.
But everybody appreciates listening to the birds. Recently, a number of listeners have been in touch to complain about the racket that is going on, for hours at a time, in their localities. We sent our reporter, Terry Flanagan off to investigate. He first headed off to Beaumont where he met up with Anne Marie Winick...
Now you might remember earlier this month we told you about a controversial remark which a politician in Limerick made about Hen Harriers.
The councillor in question, John Sheahan, Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council, said that if nothing was done about the restrictions placed on landowners in special protection areas – SPAs – "open season should be declared on the hen harrier".
Basically, Cllr Sheahan was bemoaning the fact that farmers were struggling and in areas where the Hen Harrier was offered some protection the farmers couldn’t consider other options like wind farms, forestry or reclaiming land.
The poor hen harrier - a spectacular and rare bird of prey - was being blamed.
Now we talked about that particular controversial remark at the time so we’re not going to rehash that issue. But we decided we’d find out a little more about the bird at the centre of the controversy, the hen harrier.
With Derek today is Barry O’Donoghue, Assistant Principal Officer with the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
Sally, Millstreet 2013
Cordal Nest satellite tagging in mature forestry adjacent to nest on July 13th 2013. This is Heather (younger bird) and Sally
Cordal Nest satellite tagging in mature forestry adjacent to nest on July 13th 2013 - this is Sally
Cordal Nest Visit on June 27th 2013, four of five chicks showing, two eldest in this photo were sat tagged July 13th 2013
A bit of breaking news today, as Dr. Joe Caffrey, Senior Research Officer with Inland Fisheries Ireland, tells us about the freshwater jellyfish discovered in Ireland this week for the very first time...
Mooney Goes Wild reporter Terry Flanagan goes out to Beaumont and Leeson Street to meet two listeners concerned with the proliferation of gulls in those areas...
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Hedgerows and the Law
Hedgerows in Ireland form important features in maintaining wildlife diversity and in establishing wildlife "corridors", particularly for birds. The commonest nesting birds found in hedgerows such as wrens, dunnocks, robin and willow warblers depend entirely on insects during the Summer months. In general untrimmed, thorned hedgerows containing species such as blackthorn, whitethorn and holly are favoured by birds as they provide ample food and also serve as a protection against predators.
Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, as amended by Section 46 of the 2000 Act, provides protection for hedgerows by providing that it shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy hedgerows on uncultivated land during the nesting season from 1 March to 31 August, subject to certain exceptions. It is important that, where possible, necessary work to hedgerows is carried out outside this period.
It is possible in most cases to schedule and carry out necessary work to hedgerows outside this period. The legislation makes provision for works (other than road or other construction works) to be carried out for reasons of public health and safety under the authority of any Minister or a body established by statute that lead to the destruction of vegetation. There is also a provision to enable the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government to request from the relevant Minister or body details of any such works together with a statement of the public health and safety factors involved.
It shall not be an offence to destroy vegetation in the ordinary course of agriculture or forestry. Also it shall not be illegal to destroy vegetation while preparing or clearing a site for lawful building or construction works.
It is the policy of the Minister to prosecute for offences under section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000 and successful prosecutions have been taken under this section in recent years. Members of the public are encouraged to contact their local wildlife ranger and report instances where hedgerows are being destroyed during the prohibited period.
To contact your local wildlife ranger, click here for contact details. To read the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, click here.
To follow us on Twitter, use the handle @MooneyShow.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Please DO NOT send any live, dead or skeletal remains of any creature whatsoever to Mooney Goes Wild.
If you find an injured animal or bird, please contact the National Parks & Wildlife Service on 1890 20 20 21, or BirdWatch Ireland, on 01 281-9878, or visit www.irishwildlifematters.ie
If you require a CD copy of this programme please e-mail tapes@rte.ie or click here for RTÉ Archives sales form. Transfer fees and terms and conditions apply.
Hedgerows in Ireland form important features in maintaining wildlife diversity and in establishing wildlife "corridors", particularly for birds. The commonest nesting birds found in hedgerows such as wrens, dunnocks, robin and willow warblers depend entirely on insects during the Summer months. In general untrimmed, thorned hedgerows containing species such as blackthorn, whitethorn and holly are favoured by birds as they provide ample food and also serve as a protection against predators.
ou require a CD copy of this programme please e-mail tapes@rte.ie or click here for RTÉ Archives sales form. Transfer fees and terms and conditions apply.
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