Ireland
Ireland is a green, oceanic island on Europe's Atlantic fringe, characterised by rolling farmland, peat bogs, lakes, wetlands and rugged coastlines. Mountains are concentrated mainly around the margins, while the central interior consists largely of low plains and river basins. The west has particularly dramatic scenery, with sea cliffs, rocky islands, blanket bog and deeply indented bays. Extensive limestone landscapes occur in the Burren, while major river and lake systems include the Shannon and Lough Corrib. Ireland's maritime climate is mild, wet and often windy, with relatively small seasonal temperature differences.
Overview
Ireland is particularly rewarding for seabirds, wintering waterfowl and transatlantic vagrants. Major seabird colonies such as the Cliffs of Moher and Great Saltee support Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Guillemot, Northern Fulmar and Northern Gannet. Estuaries and coastal wetlands host internationally important numbers of wintering geese, ducks and shorebirds, including Light-bellied Brent Goose. The west and southwest are famous among rarity hunters for North American vagrants carried across the Atlantic, especially in autumn. Cape Clear Island is a particularly renowned migration and rarity hotspot. Ireland has good roads and extensive tourism infrastructure, making independent birding straightforward, though many productive coastal locations are remote and exposed to rapidly changing weather.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooded Crow Corvus cornix | 55.1% | 59.2% | 60.4% | 59.6% | 55.2% | 51.0% | 45.9% | 46.3% | 47.5% | 51.6% | 58.5% | 63.2% | 62.5% |
| European Herring Gull Larus argentatus | 53.8% | 55.6% | 55.9% | 54.3% | 50.6% | 44.5% | 48.4% | 53.4% | 57.6% | 54.6% | 56.2% | 56.1% | 58.6% |
| European Robin Erithacus rubecula | 48.6% | 54.1% | 53.8% | 55.2% | 54.8% | 49.4% | 35.3% | 31.1% | 35.2% | 48.7% | 54.2% | 54.6% | 57.1% |
| Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus | 45.4% | 44.1% | 45.5% | 51.8% | 55.2% | 48.2% | 47.1% | 45.8% | 43.8% | 39.3% | 36.1% | 41.2% | 46.2% |
| Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula | 42.2% | 47.8% | 46.8% | 50.1% | 56.9% | 57.0% | 45.5% | 29.5% | 20.8% | 23.5% | 33.1% | 44.9% | 50.9% |
| Eurasian Magpie Pica pica | 41.4% | 46.6% | 44.9% | 46.0% | 41.2% | 37.3% | 35.8% | 32.0% | 30.8% | 35.9% | 44.1% | 50.3% | 51.4% |
| Eurasian Jackdaw Coloeus monedula | 40.8% | 41.2% | 42.7% | 42.6% | 42.9% | 44.0% | 40.3% | 32.6% | 32.9% | 39.4% | 42.0% | 44.5% | 44.4% |
| Rook Corvus frugilegus | 38.6% | 40.8% | 40.7% | 37.6% | 37.3% | 33.2% | 33.7% | 34.0% | 35.6% | 38.4% | 41.7% | 45.2% | 45.2% |
| Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes | 38.6% | 32.3% | 35.3% | 43.9% | 50.9% | 47.2% | 44.6% | 33.4% | 27.6% | 28.3% | 39.5% | 41.1% | 38.7% |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | 37.9% | 38.1% | 38.4% | 37.8% | 40.8% | 41.0% | 33.5% | 31.6% | 32.8% | 35.2% | 40.8% | 41.1% | 43.0% |