Wings

BirdWatch Ireland’s magazine for members, Wings, is published three times a year and is packed full of news and information including regular features such as:

• Latest News
• Site Guides
• Species Features
• Photo Galleries
• Events and Branch Information
• Reviews
• Rare Bird News

In the current issue

• Sparkbirds: we ask people to tell us about the bird that first sparked their interest in wild birds and nature.
• Winter Diary: Dick Coombes highlights some of the key birds to watch out for over the coming months.
• Swifts nesting at OPW heritage sites: Tara Adcock, our Urban Birds Project Officer, reports on a decade of working with the Office of Public Works to provide nesting sites for these very special birds.
• Irish Garden Bird Survey: As we look forward to the start of our hugely popular citizen science survey on 1st December, Aisling Kinsella breaks down the results from last winter’s survey season for us.
• Connected by Oystercatchers: Did you know that many of the Oystercatchers which spend the winter in Ireland breed in Scotland and Iceland? Helen Boland, manager of our Dublin Bay Birds Project, tells us more.
• Shellfish farming harming Lough Foyle: we report on how a political impasse on the regulation and licencing of aquaculture in Lough Foyle is leading to a collapse in waterbird numbers on the Co. Donegal side.
• Tara Adcock reports on BirdWatch Ireland’s key survey work in parks and along rivers thoughout Dublin, in partnership with Dublin City Council.
• A centre-page spread featuring the stunning work of wildlife artist Gordon D’Arcy.
• Wild Waterways: We take a look at this fantastic new book by Robert O’Leary, which is a superb photographic record of wildlife along the River Dodder.
• A year of highs and lows at tern colonies: Brian Burke tells us about what transpired to be a busy and unpredictable summer for BirdWatch Ireland’s seabird conservation team.
• Floating the idea of tern conservation in Galway: We tell you about a fantastic initiative to provide nesting rafts for vulnerable Common Terns in the City of the Tribes.
• Branching Out: our regular round-up of the activities of BirdWatch Ireland’s volunteer-led branches around the country.
• Stephen McAvoy on the Rare Bird News from last winter.
• From Cape of Good Hope to Cape Clear: John Horton, our Cape Clear Bird Observatory Warden, brings us the story of a very long-lived and well-travelled European Storm-petrel.
• Lapwings stage recovery at Mayo reserve: Breeding numbers of these nationally endangered waders have risen steeply at our Annagh Marsh nature reserve, as Reserves Manager Dave Suddaby reports.
• Win a copy of Wild Waterways by Robert O’Leary in our crossword competition.
• Plus lots, lots more!