Saturday, December 02, 2006

Icelandic whooper swans winter in Ireland


Three species of swan occur in Ireland the Whooper, Mute and Bewick. Of the five breeding populations of whooper swan (found from the Mediterranean to Asia) those that choose to overwinter in Ireland hail from Icelandic stock.

Starting early November, they make landfall in such places as Loughs Swilly and Foyle in Counties Donegal and Derry. From these northern regions, they disperse south along the coast, and to inland freshwater lakes, marshes and farmland.

In January 1995, Ireland's seasonal population of whooper swans was estimated at 16000 birds. It is said that 5 per cent of the world's whooper swan overwinter in Upper Lough Earne in County Fermanagh and 6 per cent at Lough Neagh, in County Tyrone. Open fields, meadows and bogs near Newgrange in County Meath also provide wintering grounds for a flock of between 30 and 230 swans. In spring they turn tail again, leaving Ireland for Iceland.


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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.