Events

Date: February 1, 2026
Time: 8:30 am
Location: Starts at Scally's Supervalu carpark, Clonakilty
This year's West Cork Bird Race is taking place on Sunday 1st February starting at Supervalu in Clonakilty and finishes at O'Donovans Hotel Clonakilty at 6pm sharp! To register your team of four please contact Nicholas Mitchell (treasurer) 087 121 5256 – treasurer@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie Registration fee is €10.00 pp, which includes finger food at O'Donovans after the race. Any surplus monies will be donated to Cape Clear Bird Observatory. **** The West Cork Bird Race is an annual dawn-to-dusk event held by BirdWatch Ireland West Cork where teams compete to see and record as many bird species as possible within a designated area of West Cork. Objective: Teams of four compete to find and identify the most bird species within the designated time and area **** For further details contact; Fiona O’Neill – 086 813 0650 – secretary@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie Nicholas Mitchell – 087 121 5256 – treasurer@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie

Date: January 31, 2026
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Meet at entrance to marsh
Our Kilkenny branch invite you to join them for an outing to Newpark Marsh, Kilkenny. Newpark Marsh Eco-Park in Kilkenny is an important habitat for numerous bird species, with examples including the Grey Heron, Moorhen, Mallard, Reed Bunting, Goldfinch, Kestrel, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, and Blackbird. This award-winning site is a well-maintained game and bird sanctuary, offering a unique environment for birdwatching and a variety of other fauna. Branch contacts: birdwatchkilkenny@gmail.com

Date: January 25, 2026
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Meet at reserve P51 WF82
Join our West Cork branch for an outing to observe in Kilcolman Wildfowl reserve in Doneraile / Buttevant Kilcolman Bog was legally protected as a national nature reserve by the Irish government in 1993, There are bird hides and boardwalks on the reserve. This is a full day outing so bring a picnic. Meet at 11am (Car-park inside gate on left) then there will be car pooling to the reserve. For further details contact; Fiona O’Neill – 086 813 0650 – secretary@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie Nicholas Mitchell – 087 121 5256 – treasurer@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie

Date: January 25, 2026
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Meet at the gates of Birr Castle
Join our Tipperary branch for an Outing to The Little Brosna Callows The River Little Brosna Callows is located 5 km south-west of Banagher, Co. Offaly. Winter is the best time of year to view this site. Large flocks (1,000+) of Black-tailed Godwit and over 100 Whooper Swans and Greenland White-fronted Geese are regularly seen, as are thousands of Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing and Golden Plover and significant flocks of Pintal and Shoveler. ****** Make sure to bring your wellies and rain gear ****** For further details contact the branch; Kevin Collins – 087 237 3090 – kevincollins062@gmail.com Aine Clancy – 085 241 7303 – tippbwi@gmail.com

Date: January 22, 2026
Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Riverside Hotel, Sligo
Join our Sligo branch for an evening with Sligo County Councils Biodiversity Officer Ruth Hanniffy to discuss - Bats: Natures Hidden Heroes by Ruth Hanniffy. For further details contact the branch Thelma Hunter (Sec) – 086 795 3349 sligobirdwatch@gmail.com Michael Bell (Chair) – 085 175 1000 nature.learn1@gmail.com

Date: January 18, 2026
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Meet at Woodenbridge on the River Erkina
Our Laois branch invite you to join them for the International Swan census 2026. This census will cover a wide area of Laois. For Contact: Find us on Facebook Des Finnamore (sec) 086 229 1637, birdwatchlaois@gmail.com John Maher (chair) 086 601 3483

Date: January 17, 2026
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Meet at Kilkenny Castle gates
Join our Kilkenny branch for an outing to Saleens, Tramore Sallens Tramore has Waterford’s newest bird hide The location of the bird hide is of particular significance as Tramore’s back strand is an important habitat for a variety of birds, in particular little egrets, oystercatchers, herons, snipes and sanderlings. Branch contacts: birdwatchkilkenny@gmail.com

Date: January 17, 2026
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Meet at Drumlane Abbey carpark
Our Cavan branch invite you to join them for an outing to Milltown lake and to take part in International Swan census that weekend. For more details please contact Tom Broe (sec) cavanbirdwatching@gmail.com or Michael McKiernan 086 885 4989.

Date: January 17, 2026
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Meet at the carpark beyond the airport
Our Donegal branch invite you to join them for a visit to Carrickfinn and Inishfree Bay Carrickfinn and Inishfree Bay are home to a variety of birds, including waders, waterfowl, and seabirds. Key species to look for include the Red-breasted Merganser, European Golden Plover, and Common Ringed Plover at Carrickfinn, while areas like Lough Swilly (near Inishfree Bay) have notable populations of Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese. Seabirds like Fulmars, Kittiwakes, and Eider are also common in coastal areas. For contact: Chris Ingram (sec) 086 370 0243, chrisingram43@hotmail.com Tony Gallagher (chair) 087 383 2935, tgmeenbanad28@gmail.com