Panel: Éanna Ní Lamhna, Richard Collins, Niall Hatch and Ken Whelan
Reporter: Terry Flanagan
In addition to listening to us on RTÉ Radio 1 at 22:00 every Monday night, don't forget that you can also listen back to each of our programmes any time you like at www.rte.ie/mooney. There, you will find an extensive archive of past broadcasts, conveniently split into different topics and segments.
Our Marvel-ous New Sig Tune!
All across RTÉ Radio 1, the opening music for each programme has been refreshed as part of "a new on-air audio identity across the station, with updated signature tunes, news themes and continuity imaging" (for more on this, see https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2026/0413/1567905-rte-radio-1-rolls-out-new-on-air-sound-identity/). Eanna references an article by Ed Power in last Saturday's Irish Times, in which he comments that the new Mooney Goes Wild sig "sounds as if it's been scored by the people who brought you the latest Marvel blockbuster". Well we do try to bring you the most epic stories from the natural world! To read Ed's full article, click here.
A Chorus Of French Frogs
Niall Hatch chats to Derek, Eanna, Richard and Ken Whelan about his recent visit to the Camargue region of France, and some of the wildlife that can be found there, including the fabled horses, lesser flamingos, Chetty's warblers, and 'edible' frogs. Terry Flanagan recently made a Nature On One documentary about the Common Frog, Rana temporaria - to listen back to it, click here.
The Cork Crow Conundrum
Last Tuesday, Derek and Jim Wilson appeared on the RTÉ Today show on RTÉ One, to chat about birdboxes and nesting season (to watch back, visit https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/mooney/2026/0331/1566181-wildlife-on-rte-today/). Whilst in the make-up chair, Derek spoke to make-up artist Kate about a rather aggressive crow that is attacking her window, and waking her each morning! She asks our panel what can be done to get the bird to stop this...
Farmer Moth Monitoring Scheme
From the Heart & Dart, and True Lover's Knot, to the Setaceous Hebrew Character and Mother Shipton, the moths that can be found all across Ireland have the most lovely and fascinating names. But how do we know so much about the 1500 different species that can be found here? Well a lot of that information is the result of a citizen science project, called the Farmer Moth Monitoring Scheme. It's run by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, and to tell us more, we are joined by Dr. Tim Butter, who is Farmer Moth Monitoring Scheme Officer. To find out more about the scheme, visit https://biodiversityireland.ie/projects/farmer-moth-monitoring-project/.
Greenland Shark Washes Up On Irish Coast For First Time
News of the stranding of a Greenland Shark in Finisklin, Co. Sligo, was widely broadcast in the media over the past week - both here in Ireland and around the world. These remarkable creatures can have a lifespan of over 500 years, and this is the first recorded stranding of the species on the Irish coast. It was first reported to the Irish Whale and Dolphin group by Leaving Cert students Hammad Chaudhry and James Winters O'Donnell, from Sligo Grammar School. They join us to chat about what they discovered, and for further analysis we talk to Emilie de Loose, Project Officer and Data Scientist with Atlantic Whale Deal...
Counting Rooks
At this time of year, people become more aware of nature, not just seeing more but also hearing more. The Dawn Chorus is just upon us, but another common sound, especially in the country, is the sound of rooks in a rookery.
Reporter Terry Flanagan is in Kildare this week to talk to Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh, who works with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The NPWS is undertaking a survey monitoring rookery numbers throughout the country, to compare with a similar survey conducted in 2017. Fionn has two study areas in Co. Kildare, each a square of 5km x 5km, and Terry recently met up with Fionn as he undertook a count at one of his study sites.
As well as monitoring rooks, Fionn is also author of Encounters With Corvids. It's published by Natural World Publishing and more details about the book can be found at https://naturalworldpublishing.ie/products/encounters-with-corvids.
***Competition Time!***
Natural World Publishing have kindly given us two copies of Fionn's book Encounters With Corvids to be won! All you have to do is e-mail with us with your name, address and the answer to this question:
The Rook is a member of the crow family found in Ireland. Name any three other members of the crow family resident in Ireland.
Send in your details to mooney@rte.ie with the subject line Rook Book Competition; close of entries is Sunday, April 26th at 23:59. Good luck!
Wild Dublin Art Exhibition At Rathmines Library
Wild Dublin is a week-long exhibition running at Rathmines Library from today, curated by artist Fiona Phelan. It brings together her own work and paintings by her primary school students, and aims to shine a light on the wildlife living all around us in the varying habitats that can be found across Dublin. Mooney Goes Wild researcher Michèle Browne went along to view the exhibition, and to talk to Fiona and some of her students... This free exhibition is running at Rathmines Library (157 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6; https://www.dublincity.ie/libraries/find-library/rathmines-library) until April 27th; for further details, click here.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Collins
And finally... we couldn't let this day pass without saying a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our own dear Dr. Richard Collins! He's a fountain of knowledge, a source of fascinating facts, and a thoroughly charming gentleman, and we are proud to call him our friend and colleague - so on behalf of Derek, all the Mooney Goes Wild team, and all our listeners, may we wish you many happy returns Richard! (note the special swans on his birthday cake!)