Monday, November 27, 2006

Benchmarking Ireland's birds


Ireland and Britain share many bird species (Ireland has even fostered some of Scotland's Golden Eagles) so it is fitting that we share a bird atlas. Bird atlases are the main source of information on the distribution and abundance of birds. Usually revised every 15 to 20 years, they are a benchmark that allow us to monitor bird populations over time. Fieldwork for an updated bird atlas for Ireland and Britain is due to begin in 2007.

The project will review winter and summer distributions of birds, thus providing valuable evidence of how birds are faring in their fast-changing urban and rural landscape. Meanwhile, you can:



  • use previously completed atlases to view and compare the distribution of breeding birds species in Ireland in 1968-72 and 1988-91 or to view the winter distribution of bird species in Ireland during the winters of 1981-82 and 1983-84

  • take a training session in spring 2007 so you can volunteer to help with atlas fieldwork. Contact Birdwatch Ireland on tel: 01-2819878 or email info@birdwatchireland.ie.



The new atlas is being developed by Birdwatch Ireland, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Scottish Ornithologists Club with support from Ireland's Heritage Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Northern Ireland's Environment and Heritage Services.

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The island of ireland

Once upon a time, and for 15000 years, ice a mile high blanketed Ireland. When the lingering Ice Age finally released and the Irish ice departed it left a landscape scoured. Across land bridges linking Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe plants and animals arrived to colonise the new lowlands, mountains and valleys. The world’s ice continued to melt, the sea levels to rise, and some 8000 years ago Ireland became the island we now know, accounting for just 0.01% of the world's total land area and the most westerly point of Europe.

Though at Alaskan latitudes, the country's climate is tempered, due partly to the neighbouring waters of the Gulf Stream and partly the prevailing southwesterlies that veering and backing make landfall on our sodden coast. These offerings from the Atlantic mean it is never too hot, never too cold. But without doubt it is wet. Rain lingers year round, never far away, though is most frequent in winter, the western counties and, inevitably, on the day of your parade.