Ireland | www.crossbillguides.org

CROSSBILL GUIDES

Ireland

CROSSBILL GUIDES

Ireland

Crossbill Guides: Ireland First print: 2022 Initiative, text and research: Carsten Krieger Editing: Dirk Hilbers, John Cantelo, Sean McKay, Kim Lotterman Illustrations: Horst Wolter Maps: Alex Tabak, Dirk Hilbers Type and image setting: Oscar Lourens Print: Trento, Italië ISBN 978-94-91648-205 This book is printed on paper of FSC and PEFC certified sources.

© 2022 Crossbill Guides Foundation, Arnhem, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by print, photocopy, microfilm or any other means without the written permission of the Crossbill Guides Foundation.

The Crossbill Guides Foundation and its authors have done their utmost to provide accurate and current information and describe only routes, trails and tracks that are safe to explore. However, neither the Crossbill Guides Foundation nor its authors or publishers can accept responsibillity for any loss, injury or inconveniences sustained by readers as a result of the information provided in this guide.

This book is published in association with KNNV Publishing. www.crossbillguides.org www.knnvpublishing.nl

CROSSBILL GUIDES FOUNDATION This guidebook is a product of the non-profit foundation Crossbill Guides. By publishing these books we want to introduce more people to the joys of Europe’s beautiful natural heritage and to increase the understanding of the ecological values that underlie conservation efforts. Most of this heritage is protected for ecological reasons and we want to provide insight into these reasons to the public at large. By doing so we hope that more people support the ideas behind nature conservation.

For more information about us and our guides you can visit our website at: WWW.CROSSBILLGUIDES.ORG

highlights of ireland

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Highlights of Ireland

1

The Burren. A karst landscape on the west coast.

Unexpected, strangely beautiful and renowned worldwide for its flora.

2

Atlantic Blanket Bogs.

Ireland holds 8% of the world’s blanket bogs, a unique habitat which in Ireland stretches from the coast to the mountaintops.

3

Whale and Dolphin watching. Ireland’s coastal waters are the feeding ground for Humpback Whales, Fin Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphins and other cetaceans (as well as Basking Sharks).

4

The Shannon Dolphins. Over 100 Bottlenose Dolphins are permanent residents in the estuary of the river Shannon and can be observed from land as well as from boat.

highlights of ireland

5

Machair. A rare calcareous grassland endemic to the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland, rich in wildflowers including orchids.

6

Bird watching. No matter the time of year, Ireland is birdwatching heaven: Breeding seabirds in summer, waders and waterfowl in winter and residents from songbirds to birds of prey all year round and features rarities like Red Grouse and Chough.

7

The Great Saltee. A small island of the south coast which was given to the birds by its owner: Puffin, Razorbill, Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake and others breed here over the summer and can be observed close-up.

8

The Shannon Callows.

One of Europe’s last undisturbed floodplains, a haven for birds and wildflowers.

5

about this guide

About this guide

6 boat trip or ferry crossing car route

bicycle route

walking route

beautiful scenery interesting history interesting geology

This guide is meant for all those who enjoy being in and learning about nature, whether you already know all about it or not. It is set up a little differently from most guides. We focus on explaining the natural and ecological features of an area rather than merely describing the site. We choose this approach because the nature of an area is more interesting, enjoyable and valuable when seen in the context of its complex relationships. The interplay of different species with each other and with their environment is astonishing. The clever tricks and gimmicks that are put to use to beat life’s challenges are as fascinating as they are countless.

Take our namesake the Crossbill: at first glance it’s just a big finch with an awkward bill. But there is more to the Crossbill than meets the eye.

This bill is beautifully adapted for life in coniferous forests. It is used like scissors to cut open pinecones and eat the seeds that are unobtainable for other birds. In the Scandinavian countries where Pine and Spruce take up the greater part of the forests, several Crossbill species have each managed to answer two of life’s most pressing questions: how to get food and avoid direct competition. By evolving crossed bills, each differing subtly, they have secured a monopoly of the seeds produced by cones of varying sizes. So complex is this relationship that scientists are still debating exactly how many different species of Crossbill actually exist.

Now this should heighten the appreciation of what at first glance was merely a plump bird with a beak that doesn’t close properly. Once its interrelationships are seen, nature comes alive, wherever you are.

To some, impressed by the virtual familiarity that television has granted to the wilderness of the Amazon, the vastness of the Serengeti or the sublimity of Yellowstone, European nature may seem a puny surrogate, good merely for the casual stroll. In short, the argument seems to be that if you haven’t seen a Jaguar, Lion or Grizzly Bear, then you haven’t seen the “real thing”. Nonsense, of course.

But where to go? And how? What is there to see? That is where this guide comes in. We describe the how, the why, the when, the where and the how come of Europe’s most beautiful areas. In clear and accessible language, we explain the nature of Ireland and refer extensively to routes where the area’s features can be observed best. We try to make Ireland come alive. We hope that we succeed.

how to use this guide

How to use this guide This guidebook contains a descriptive and a practical section. The descriptive part comes first and gives you insight into the most striking and interesting natural features of the area. It provides an understanding of what you will see when you go out exploring. The descriptive part consists of a landscape section (marked with a red bar), describing the habitats, the history and the landscape in general, and of a flora and fauna section (marked with a green bar), which discusses the plants and animals that occur in the region.

The second part offers the practical information (marked with a purple bar). A series of sites and routes (walks and car drives) are carefully selected to give you a good flavour of all the habitats, flora and fauna that Ireland has to offer. At the start of each route description, a number of icons give a quick overview of the characteristics of each route. These icons are explained in the margin of this page. The final part of the book (marked with blue squares) provides some basic tourist information and some tips on finding plants, birds and other animals.

There is no need to read the book from cover to cover. Instead, each small chapter stands on its own and refers to the routes most suitable for viewing the particular features described in it. Conversely, descriptions of each route refer to the chapters that explain more in depth the most typical features that can be seen along the way.

In the back of the guide we have included a list of all the mentioned plant and animal species, with their scientific names and translations into German and Dutch. Some species names have an asterix (*) following them. This indicates that there is no official English name for this species and that we have taken the liberty of coining one. We realise this will meet with some reservations by those who are familiar with scientific names. For the sake of readability however, we have decided to translate the scientific name, or, when this made no sense, we gave a name that best describes the species’ appearance or distribution. Please note that we do not want to claim these as the official names. We merely want to make the text easier to follow for those not familiar with scientific names. An overview of the area described in this book is given on the map on page 15.

For your convenience we have also turned the inner side of the back flap into a map of the area indicating all the described routes. Descriptions in the explanatory text refer to these routes.

7 interesting flora interesting ­invertebrate life interesting reptile and amphibian life interesting mammals interesting birdlife site for snorkelling interesting for whales and dolphins visualising the ­ecological contexts ­described in this guide

table of contents

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Table of contents Landscape Geographical overview Geology Habitats The Coast Rivers and Lakes Peatlands Forests Stone walls and Hedgerows Mountains Limestone Karst – The Burren History Nature conservation

11 12 14 24 25 38 46 54 61 69 76 84 90

Flora and Fauna Flora Mammals Birds Other vertebrates Insects and other invertebrates

95 96 111 1 15 124 125

Practical Part Routes in the Midslands, south and south-east Route 1: Glendalough Route 2: The Central Peatlands Route 3: Shannon Callows Route 4: Around Wexford Harbour Route 5: The Great Saltee Route 6: The Copper Coast Additional sites in the Midlands, south and south-east Routes in the South-west Route 7: Beara Peninsula Route 8: Killarney National Park Route 9: Muckross Lake Walk Route 10: The Skelligs Route 11: The Dingle Peninsula Additional routes and sites in the South-west Routes in the West

129 130 131 134 139 143 147 151 157 160 162 168 173 176 179 185 191

table of contents

Route 12: Loop Head Peninsula Route 13: The Burren National Park Route 14: Lough Bunny and Eagle’s Rock Route 15: The western Burren Route 16: Connemara Route 17: Connemara – Diamond Hill Walk Route 18: North Mayo Route 19: Glenveagh National Park Additional routes and sites in the West Routes Northern Ireland Route 20: Around County Derry Route 21: Causeway Coast Route 22: Rathlin Island Route 23: Strangford Lough Additional sites in Northern Ireland Tourist information and observation tips Acknowledgements Picture and illustration credits Birdwatching list Species list and translation List of text boxes Rock Types The Ceide Fields Lough Hyne Seaweeds Rock Pooling Caves – portals to the Irish past Caher Valley nature reserve Neolithic tombs The Pride of the Burren: The Spring Gentian The Red Deer Bird Migration Geology of the Copper Coast

193 199 202 206 209 215 218 222 225 228 229 235 240 243 247 251 269 269 270 272 17 20 30 34 36 80 82 85 104 112 118 152

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LANDSCAPE Ireland, long nicknamed the Emerald Isle, is the mythical island at the edge of Europe. Green fields rise from a picturesque coastline that is relentlessly beaten by the Atlantic Ocean. Once Ireland was the land of saints and scholars that attracted pilgrims and students from all over Europe, today its forty shades of green attract visitors from around the world. Ireland is a country where factual history and legend are hard to distinguish. It is the place of a 100,000 welcomes, where fairies and leprechauns roam. Ireland is as much a country of clichés as it is of mesmerizing and unexpected beauty.

While Ireland as a country has changed significantly over the past decades from a romantic backwater to a modern state, its landscape remains, at least visually, unchanged. Despite its nickname, Ireland is much more than just green fields and hedgerows.

What makes this country so special is its variety of landscapes, from peaceful lakes and vast peatlands to towering mountain ranges. The coast is varied too, with long, sandy beaches, rocky shores, cliffs, wide mudflats and salt marshes. In between sit the famous farming landscapes with pastures separated by hedgerows and stone walls and the few remaining woodlands of the country. On top of these varied sceneries you have the ever-changing weather. This doesn’t mean only a quick succession of sunshine and showers. Gale force winds can abate within the hour and be replaced by completely calm conditions. Torrential rain can be followed by a glorious sunset, and early morning mist can be burned away in the blink of an eye to allow for a blue sky day. This weather also shapes the light: sunbeams make their way through the clouds to dance on the mountainside. Ever-changing weather makes the eerie twilight before or after a passing storm and the incredible colour spectacles that are possible at dawn and dusk. Little wonder that artists of all kinds have been drawn to Ireland and even today many visitors arrive with the only goal to paint, photograph or write.

The fact that with this wonderful landscape also comes unique wildlife is not very widely known. It comes as a surprise to many that Ireland is one of the best places in Europe for whale and dolphin watching, or is one of the last strongholds of endangered birds. It is also little known that Ireland is home to plant communities that cannot be found anywhere else on this planet. This book will show you the landscape and the wild wonders Ireland has to offer.

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The ‘typical’ Ireland: rocky cliffs on the west coast at Loop Head, County Clare (Route 12).

geographical overview

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Geographical overview

The island of Ireland measures 84.421 square kilometres and sits at the north-western edge of Europe. It is separated from its neighbouring island of Great Britain by the North Channel and the Irish Sea. To the south of Ireland the Celtic Sea forms a natural border 22 The west; map on page 191 21 to France and continen20 19 tal Europe. To the west londonderry and north lies the Atlantic Ocean. belfast Ireland’s topography is sligo 23 often compared to a saucer. All the major mountain ranges are located 18 in the coastal regions Northern Ireland; map on page 228 while the interior is for the most part a flat low16-17 land plain. The highest dublin galway of these mountains can 2 3 be found in the south1 13-15 west where they form the backbones of a numlimerick ber of narrow peninsu12 las.

4 The western part of 11 the country is without 5 6 8-9 a doubt the visually cork most enticing, hosting 10 7 not only five of the six Midlands and southeast; map on page 130 national parks, but also some of the most The south-west; map on page 160 unique landscapes on the island, including the limestone karst of the Burren and the bleak and All roads lead to Dublin. Most of the beautiful blanket bog and mountain landscape of Connemara. In addimajor roads connect tion, the west is home to the last surviving native oak forests, and unique the capital Dublin plant communities. with ‘the rest of the The eastern half of the country is very different, with an almost continencountry’. tal flair. This is where most of the Irish live and the landscape is more domesticated, showing off the green checkerboard of fields, pastures and

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hedgerows one expects from Ireland. Even the coast appears more gentle, with long sandy beaches and the occasional headland fortified with sheer cliffs. The only true wilderness area in the east of Ireland is the Wicklow Mountains National Park, a vast area of granite peaks and glacial valleys. However, this doesn’t mean that Ireland’s east is devoid of natural areas. On the contrary, even the bustling centre of Dublin has its nature reserves, one of which is an accidental man-made marvel, and some of the extensive dune systems all along the eastern seaboard are havens for wildflowers (see site A on page 157).

West of the capital lies the area known as the Midlands, the inner part of the ‘saucer’. This plain once was covered by vast areas of raised bog.

Today the Midlands have a predominately farming landscape, with fields and hedgerows stretching into the distance. The majority of the peatlands have been converted into farmland or harvested for fuel and garden products, so only a few pockets of intact raised bog have survived. Through the centre of this tranquil landscape flows Ireland’s longest river, the Shannon, opening into three large lakes along its course. The north-eastern corner of the midlands is dominated by a collection of lakes, known as the Fermanagh Lakelands, which cover most of County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland and parts of County Leitrim, County Cavan and County Monaghan in the Republic. The only noteworthy elevations in the midlands area are the Slieve Bloom Mountains, one of Ireland’s oldest mountain ranges, that have been ground down to a series of rolling hills that overlook the vast central plain.

Politically Ireland is divided into 4 provinces (Leinster - the east, Munster - the south-west, Connaught - the west and Ulster - the north) and 32 counties. 26 of those are in the Republic of Ireland and six, all located in Ulster, make up Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom (three counties of Ulster, Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan belong to the Republic of Ireland). The two capital cities, Dublin for the Republic of Ireland and Belfast for Northern Ireland, are also the two biggest urban areas in the country. Cork in the south and Limerick and Galway in the west are further major cities and between them, these five metropolitan areas accommodate more than half of the entire population. The rest of the Irish residents live in small market towns, villages and, typical for the Irish countryside well-spaced single housing.

The road network that connects all these settlements has been greatly improved over the past few decades. A motorway network connects all of the major cities and even the most remote areas can be accessed via mostly decent roads.

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interference is today a refuge for many rare plant and animal species.

This unique connection between man, landscape and nature is however under considerable threat. The old ways are being replaced by large-scale commercial farming. This unsustainable way of working the land and the impacts of climate change paint a big question mark over the future of Ireland’s beautiful landscapes.

Climate and weather

Ireland’s climate is classified as temperate oceanic which means it is mild throughout the year, without any extreme temperatures. It is also humid with abundant rainfall in all seasons.

The dominant influence on Ireland’s climate is the Atlantic Ocean, which surrounds more than half of the island. In addition to the moderating effect of this huge body of water, the North Atlantic Drift, commonly known as the Gulf Stream, which flows right along Ireland’s west coast, brings warm water from the south. This keeps the temperature of the ocean around Ireland up and encourages evaporation. The winds that predominantly blow from the south, south-west and west then bring the mild and moist air onto land. Here the topography of the west coast comes into play. The mountain ranges of the south-west and west act as a moisture catcher and it is no surprise that the highest precipitation rates in Ireland are found here.

The importance of the gulf stream and the south-westerlies for Ireland’s climate is proven every time the wind direction changes. An easterly airflow always brings dry and settled weather, but also more extreme temperatures. In spring and summer, this means heat waves (in Ireland anything around the 20 degree mark classifies as a heatwave), in autumn and winter frost is likely, especially in the east, the Midlands and sheltered areas of the west. Even snow is a possibility.

Winters (November, December and January) in general are usually mild, wet and windy, with frequent gales and even stormy conditions with wind speeds up to 160km/h. At the time of writing, the stormiest winter on record occurred in 2013/2014 when a series of violent storms, many of which coincided with spring tides, destroyed a lot of the infrastructure all along the west coast. Temperatures stay well above freezing for most of the time but windchill often makes it feel colder.

Statistically, January and February are the coldest months with an average of 4-7 °C. The warmest are July and August with 14-16 °C on average. The east and the Midlands experience generally a wider temperature range; it gets hotter in summer and colder in winter but these temperatures do

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not compare with the extremes on the continent. Ground frost appears on around 100 days/year, but frost days have been steadily declining over the past decade. The sunniest months are May and June and the south-east gets most of the sunshine and also the least of the rain.

How climate change will affect Ireland remains to be seen, but the last few years have given some signs of a possible future. Long dry periods in spring, even droughts, have become an almost regular feature. A longer storm season with potentially damaging low-pressure systems reaching Ireland as early as August and lasting into May also seems to be a trend.

Some scientists believe that Ireland could face a more continental climate in the future especially if the North Atlantic Drift should weaken or disappear completely as a consequence of climate change.

Climate and weather, however, are two different things, a fact that becomes obvious very quickly in Ireland. The Irish weather can change instantly as proven every day by the often modified and equally often wrong forecasts. A day can start with a persistent deluge driven by strong winds and within an hour the clouds can part and suddenly it will be calm and sunny. While this is the best-case scenario it often also goes the other way and many have been caught in shorts and T-shirts by a sudden change in the weather to spend the remainder of a hike wet and shivering. In other words, you have to be prepared for all eventualities if you plan to spend a longer amount of time in Ireland’s outdoors.

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Sunshine and showers on the Dingle Peninsula (Route 11).

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Habitats

Schematic crosssection of the habitats of Ireland.

Some naturalists have described Ireland as a miniature Europe and there is some truth in this. Most of the major habitats that cover vast areas on the continent exist in a smaller version in Ireland.

Ireland’s interior is mainly a cultural landscape. The unlikely main habitat here are the hedgerows that have replaced the forests as a home for plants and animals. These hedgerows together with old stone walls and roadsides have become one of the most important and speciesrich habitats in Ireland. Remains of intact raised and blanket bogs and a few native forests can also be found but the space these occupy is rather small.

The coast alongside some lonely mountaintops is probably the only truly wild habitat in Ireland. This coast is a mix if various habitats.

Rocky shores and cliffs, river estuaries with mudflats and saltmarshes, sandy beaches and dunes make this the most exciting habitat in Ireland to explore. mountains (p. 69)

rocky shores (p. 31) forests (p. 54)

estuaries (p. 37)

rivers and lakes (p. 38)

blanket bog (p. 48)

sandy shores (p. 35) machair (p. 27)

burren (p. 76)

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raised bogs and fens (p. 46)

the coast

The Coast

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Routes 5, 6, 7, 10 11, 12, 15, 21 and 22 are great for exploring cliff and rocky coasts, as are sites B, C on page 180, C and H on page 196, B, E on page 201 and E on page 214.

Routes 4, 15, 16 and 21 are featuring dunes and sandy coasts, as are sites A, B on page 180 and C on page 201.

Routes 4, 11, 12, 20, 22, 23 are good to see mudflats and coastal marshes.

If there is one truly wild place left in Ireland it is its coast. Ireland boasts over 3,000 kilometres of coastline and almost double of that if you include all the offshore islands. The landscape of this coastline is diverse and ever-changing; its wildlife is astonishing and rich. Here we’ll take you on a clockwise journey, starting in the south-west, along the various coastlands of Ireland.

The South-west

Ireland’s south-west features five distinctive peninsulas: Mizen, Sheep’s Head, Beara, Iveragh (which is better known as the Ring of Kerry) and Dingle, all separated from each other by narrow sea inlets. These inlets are former river valleys, carved out during the ice ages and subsequently flooded when sea levels rose at the end of the last glaciation. The coast

Glengarriff Bay and the Beara Peninsula beyond (Route 7).

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name suggests blanket bog spreads out over the landscape like a blanket, unlike the raised bogs that have a typical dome shape. Blanket bogs only reach a depth of 2 – 6 metres.

Blanket bogs are the allegory for the west of Ireland. They emit a wild and desolate spirit and especially the seemingly endless undulating carpets of the Roundstone Bog Complex in Connemara and the menacing landscape of Erris and Ballycroy in County Mayo with stark mountain ranges in the distance are the epitaphs of loneliness.

Fens

Fly Orchid

Fens are different from both raised and blanket bogs. While raised and blanket bogs get their water supply from precipitation, fens have a constant water supply from an underground well or nearby river. Unlike rainwater, this water supply delivers a range of minerals and nutrients that support a wide variety of plant life.

Fens come in different forms. Some form within basins in the landscape where water fluctuates in a vertical direction and accumulates on account of the topography. Others are formed where sloping terrain provides a continuous supply of groundwater.

Another differentiation is based on their chemical balance. Rich fens (alkaline fens) are fed by water that is base-rich or calcareous which also makes the peat substrate alkaline. These are mainly found in areas overlying limestone.

Poor fens (acidic fens) are fed by water that is base poor or acid, but not as acidic as raised bogs. Between these extremes are transition or quaking fens.

In Ireland, poor fens are mainly located in the coastal fringes, especially in the west where they often form part of the dominating blanket bog or make up the edges of lakes. Rich fens can be found predominantly in the limestone regions of the Midlands. They are one of the most species-rich habitats in Ireland.

Numerous wildflowers thrive, with Marsh Cinquefoil, Devil’s bit Scabious, and Common Valerian among the typical species. Several orchids occur here too, among which the

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small but beautiful Fly Orchid is perhaps the most remarkable, as it is on the continent a species of very dry and poor limestone.

This flora in turn supports a variety of other wildlife. Insects and other invertebrates can be found in large numbers. Snails are attracted to the fen because of its calcium-rich water, wasps like the overwintering accommodation in bulrush stems and beetles welcome the diverse food supply for both themselves and their offspring. In the fen lakes lives one of Ireland’s very few amphibians, the Smooth Newt.

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From fen to raised bog

It is thought that most of Ireland’s raised bogs have gone through a fen stage in their development. When left undisturbed, fens often gradually develop raised bogs in their core areas. Sphagnum mosses colonise the areas where rainwater stagnates on top of the groundwater layer and gradually build their tussock from there. When the climate became wet and Atlantic some 4,000 years ago this process was triggered. Eventually the sphagnum layer reached a thickness that cut off other plants from the nutrient-rich groundwater and the fen effectively transformed to a bog.

Vice versa, floods, rivers that change their course, periods of drought or fire may reset this process of bog building and in a natural situation, fens form a slowly changing mosaic with bogs, with the fens always occurring near rivers and in the places where mineral-rich groundwater wells up, and bogs taking over where such influences are minimal. In Ireland the harvesting of the raised bogs and the recent abandonment of the harvesting sites has also resulted in a reformation of fens in some places.

landscape

Atlantic blanket bog, County Galway (top).

Round-leaved Sundew and Sphagnum mosses (bottom).

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Bog Asphodel with Early Marsh Orchid in the background (top) and Irish Hare (bottom).

Flora and fauna of the peatlands

Besides the bog mosses, the peatlands support few but typical plants rarely found outside peatlands. Brown and White Beak-sedge, Ling and Cross-Leaved Heath, all of which are perfectly adapted to the wet, acidic and open conditions of this landscape. They are joined by Common Cottongrass, Bog Asphodel, Bog Rosemary and Cranberry. The most interesting bog plants are probably the carnivorous species that have found a unique way to obtain vital nitrogen and phosphorus. Round-leaved and Oblong-leaved Sundew, Common Butterwort, Bladderwort and the Pitcherplant, introduced from Canada into Co. Roscommon in 1906, have all found ways to catch insects to fulfil their nutritional needs.

Blanket bogs dominantly feature grasses and sedges like Purple Moor Grass, Deer Sedge and cotton grasses. Wildflowers like Milkwort, Tormentil, Lousewort and various heather species are also widespread.

The animal life on raised as well as blanket bogs is a mix of only a few permanently resident species and more numerous visitors. The Common Frog is one of the more common species that calls the bog its home. Frogs come out of hibernation around March, although in mild winters they can be out and about as early as January, which makes them and their offspring vulnerable to possible cold spells. As soon as the animals are warmed up mating takes place and soon after the bog pools are filled with balls of frog spawn. The Common or Viviparous Lizard, Ireland’s only native reptile, also rises from hibernation around March.

The Red Grouse is very much at home in the bog. This reddish-brown

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coloured bird with characteristic red combs over its eyes can mainly be found on ling-covered hummocks. Ling provides food, nesting material and shelter for this quintessential peatland bird. Due to the destruction of boglands as well as continuous hunting, the breeding population of the Red Grouse is in decline and has halved over the past 50 years. The status of the other iconic bird of the bogs is even grimmer. Over the past few decades, the resident Curlew population has been reduced to only 3% of its original size. The raised bogs of the midlands, together with mountain bogs and the Shannon Callows, were once a stronghold for these birds, but only a few breeding pairs can be found today. The main reasons for this development are habitat loss and habitat fragmentation.

The same reasons also drove out a gregarious and much liked wintering bird. The Greenland White-fronted Goose was once common on all peatlands, where it fed on the bulblike rhizomes of White Beak-sedge.

Because of its chosen wintering site, the bird was also known as the Bog Goose. Today the majority of Greenland white-fronted geese spend the winter on the Wexford Slobs, an area of reclaimed, low lying grassland, and change their diet to grass and certain seaweeds. Other resident peatland birds are the snipe, meadow pipit and the skylark, that all share similar cryptically-coloured plumage.

Two of Ireland’s mammals are also at home on the peatlands. The Irish hare, a subspecies of the mountain hare that no longer changes its colour from brown to white for the winter, is a common sight on blanket bogs.

Ireland’s most iconic mammal, the red deer, roams the boglands and forests around Killarney and other mountainous regions.

Two unique spiders are also at home in the pools and ditches of the bog.

The water or diving bell spider spends most of its life under water by creating doomed webs and filling them with air bubbles, the diving bells that gave the spider its name. The other spider, the raft spider, is Ireland’s largest arachnid and is also known as the Jesus Spider because of its ability to walk on water. It can easily be identified by its broad white-yellow stripes that run along each side of its body.

Butterflies and moths are also a regular sight in the peatlands; in total some 150 species can be encountered. Most of them however are not limited to peatlands and can also be found elsewhere. One of the bog specialists is the Large Heath. This butterfly comes in a range of peaty colours and has chosen cottongrasses as its main diet, so is therefore dependent on intact peatlands. The beautifully chequered marsh fritillary is one of the most endangered butterflies in Ireland; its caterpillars feed only on Devil’s-bit Scabious and Purple moor-grass.

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Forests Routes 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 19 are perfect to explore forests, as are B and D on pages 247-248.

Semi-natural woodland in autumn colour, County Antrim.

Ireland had a notorious reputation for its lack of tree cover and even today is the least forested country in Europe. In the early 19th century forests had almost completely disappeared from Ireland. Back then only 1% of the country was covered in trees and only a small part of this percentage consisted of old-growth woodland. The ancient forests that had once covered some 80% of Ireland’s landmass was all but gone.

How it had come to this almost complete deforestation is hard to understand, especially if the role that trees had played in early Irish history is taken into account.

Trees were protected by the Brehon Laws, an ancient law system that was in use for centuries and only got replaced by the Early Middle Ages. Trees were often the spiritual centre for communities, where rituals were held and judgement passed. Trees were believed to have a deep connection to the Otherworld, the realm of spirits, fairies and other magical beings and some superstitions remain alive even today.

A history of the Irish forests

After the ice sheets of the last glaciation had disappeared the tundra-like landscape was soon colonised by the first trees: Birch, Willow, Yew and Hazel. Birch especially laid the groundwork for the future forests. The golden leaves that the trees scattered every autumn were vital to the build up of the soil. In addition, birch trees and some of their relatives like the common alder, which is also native to Ireland, form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, that create a soil that is attractive to other plants.

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A glimpse of what these early forests must have looked like can today be found in the Burren (see page 76). The Burren woodlands consist mainly of hazel with the occasional Hawthorn, Holly, Ash and Willow. Because these species don’t form a thick canopy, the Burren forests support a rich and varied herb layer. Primrose, Wood Anemone, Bluebell, Wild Garlic and other wildflowers thrive here.

After the ground was prepared the giants of the forest appeared on the scene. Scots Pine, Elm and Oak became the dominant species and the pioneer trees were demoted to the shrub layer in the new forest hierarchy, or disappeared completely. Birch forests only managed to survive in some damp corners on poor soil, or as an early succession stage after fire.

Oak and Elm dominated the valley forest while Scots Pine took over the mountain slopes. Other species like Rowan, Whitebeam, Holly, Ivy and Honeysuckle thrived in clearings and along lakes and rivers. These primeval forests covered much of Ireland except for the highest mountain tops and extreme coastal fringes.

The decline of the ancient Irish woodlands occurred in a series of unfortunate events. The first-known human settlers arrived in Ireland around 9,000 years ago but their impact on the forest was most likely minimal and involved felling single trees for firewood and the little building material they needed. The first noteworthy forest clearances happened in the

landscape

Hazel forest at Eagle’s Rock in the Burren with a groundcover of Ramsons (Route 14).

FLORA AND FAUNA

For a country its size and location, Ireland is home to a surprising number of plants and animals. There are around 50 species of mammals on land and in the sea, 400 species of birds, 12,000 varieties of insect and 4,000 plant species (including mosses, liverworts and lichens).

While Ireland’s wildlife, in general, is very similar to that of its neighbour Britain there are some species missing. First and foremost there are no snakes in Ireland. According to legend, snakes were banished from the island by Ireland’s national saint St. Patrick. There is only one native reptile, the Viviparous Lizard. The only other reptile that can be found is the Slow Worm, which was introduced to the Burren region in 1970 and became established there but only in small numbers. Mammals like the mole, the wildcat and the weasel as well as a number of mouse, shrew, vole and bat species are also absent from Ireland.

The explanation for this paucity is found in the aftermath of the last glaciation some 10,000 years ago. When the climate improved, plants and animals started to recolonise northern Europe. However, as the climate warmed, the melting of the glacial ice triggered a massive rise in sea levels, which cut off England and Ireland from the mainland. So the time in which plants and animals could colonise what would become the islands of Britain and Ireland was limited. Ireland being furthest away from the continent was subsequently the last piece of land any plant and animal would reach. After St. George’s Channel, the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea had flooded, any land bridge between Britain and Ireland on which plants and animals could travel was severed.

After Ireland had become an island the number of species that could still reach Ireland was severely reduced. Birds and other animals able to fly obviously could make the journey (and still do) but it is also considered that certain plant species arrived in Ireland in the form of seeds via ocean currents. Another species that reached Ireland via the sea was Homo sapiens and over the following millennia this species shaped the make-up and distribution of Ireland’s flora and fauna considerably and keeps doing so to this very day.

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Puffin on the Great Saltee (Route 5).

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Flora Routes 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 and 22 are the best to discover wildflowers and other plants, as are sites A and C on pages 157-159, site A on page 185, site F on page 227 and sites C and D on page 248.

Large-flowered Butterwort, one of Ireland’s carnivorous plants.

For the first-time visitor the abundance of wildflowers that Ireland has to offer might come as a surprise. Wildflowers are everywhere from the coastal fringes to the mountain tops and the variety of plants with a very different habitat background is mesmerizing.

Orchids are fairly widespread in Ireland, as are wildflowers with an Arctic and Alpine background. In Ireland plants don’t necessarily stick to their assigned habitat, for example Thrift, a typical coastal flower, has been seen blooming on top of Ireland’s highest mountain some 1,000 meters above sea level. The reasons for this unusual flora are the mild climate, lingering influences from the last glaciation and human interference.

Ireland’s flora underwent a number of transformations since the last ice age. The first big change was one from tundra to woodland which happened during the time the land bridges between the continent, Britain and Ireland were still intact. At the height of Ireland’s forestation Sessile Oak, Alder and Scots Pine were the dominating trees with an undergrowth of Ivy, Hazel and other shrubs. A consequence of this thick cover was that herbaceous plants were restricted to the coast, natural forest clearings and remaining grassland areas, the edges of rivers and lakes and other wetlands. With increased farming activity and the rise of the peatlands the tables turned, and wildflowers could conquer the now open countryside.

While industrial farming knocked back the numbers and variety of wildflowers considerably over the past decades, Ireland is still a little heaven for botanists. Especially the roadsides, ditches and hedgerows along rural roads and the coast show a mesmerizing display of shapes and colours during the spring and summer months.

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Wildflowers of the coast

The wildflowers of Ireland’s coast are some of the most highly adapted and toughest plants you can find. Many grow in the splash zone (also known as spray zone) and some even thrive on the upper shore that at times gets fully immersed in saltwater. The most common of these flowers is Thrift, also known as Sea Pink, and this delicate looking plant can form vast mats and grow in the most inhospitable places. They are a typical sight on clifftops and around rocky shores in spring. The flowers are mainly pink, as the name suggests, but the colour can vary from pure white to an almost crimson red.

Flowers that often grow in close vicinity to Thrift are Scurvy Grass, Sea Campion, Kidney Vetch, Sea Plantain, Bird’s-foot-trefoil and White Clover. A surprising sight for the first time visitor might be Primroses, which are usually associated with woodlands, clinging onto soft cliffs or flowering in the shelter of old stone walls along coastal drives. Common summer flowers on the exposed coasts are Wild Thyme, Sheep’s-bit, English Stonecrop, Rock Samphire, Sea Aster and Rock Sea-spurrey.

Along estuaries, bays and inlets the plant communities look a bit different. The dominating plant in saltmarshes today is often Common Cord-grass, an introduced species. Typical native wildflowers in this habitat include Greater and Lesser Sea-spurrey, Sea-lavender, Sea-milkwort, Sea Mayweed, Scurvy Grass and Annual Glasswort, an edible plant that can withstand prolonged exposure to saltwater. On the edges of the saltmarsh Yellow

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97 One of Ireland’s most common coastal plants, Thrift or Sea Pink (top).

This unusual location of a Primrose on a clifftop hints at the fact that Ireland was once densely forested (bottom).

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Every October, the Red Deer rut in Killarney brings people and beasts together.

rural as well as urban settings. A side effect of their wide distribution is that fox hunting is still allowed and practised in Ireland, under strict controls.

The other Irish predators, not as common and more elusive, are Stoat, Pine Marten, Otter and the invasive American Mink that escaped from fur farms and feels very comfortable in the Irish countryside where it poses a threat to ground-nesting birds.

The Red Deer Red deer were once common all over Ireland which is reflected in numerous place names. For example ceim an fiadh is ‘the pass of the deer’ and cluain fiadh translates to ‘the meadow of the deer’. Overhunting wiped out the species in all parts of Ireland but the Killarney area and even here the red deer came very close to extinction.

In the 1960s efforts were undertaken to save the Killarney herd and as part of this plan a group of animals was exiled to Inishvickillane, a small island off the Kerry coast where they still roam today as a genetic time capsule in the wild Atlantic. Another group was introduced into the Connemara National Park in the 1980s where they thrived and eventually roamed past the national park boundaries. Another herd of wanderers, these being of English origin, escaped from an enclosure near Maum Cross at the eastern border of Connemara and these two parties are by now well established in the Connemara mountain wilderness. Further north in County Donegal Scottish Red Deer were re-introduced into Glenveagh National Park and these animals have also spread across both the National Park and county boundaries.

The other two deer species living in Ireland, the sika deer and fallow deer, are not native to the country and have been introduced as game animals into the big estates and subsequently escaped into the wild. Both are known to hybridize with red deer which is an ongoing concern for conservationists.

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A speciality among Ireland’s mammals is the Irish Hare, a subspecies of the Mountain Hare that has lost its ability to change its fur from brown to white in the winter months. Because of the mild and mostly snowfree winters in Ireland, this ability is no longer needed. Other native land mammals are the Red Squirrel, Wood Mouse, Pygmy Shrew, Hedgehog, Badger and nine bat species including the rare Lesser Horseshoe Bat.

Marine mammals

The most common marine mammals in Ireland are Common (Harbour) Seal and Grey Seal. Both are protected and have recovered well from very low numbers a few decades ago. They are widespread all around Ireland’s coast and can be observed in the water on coastal walks and with some luck resting on rocky shores and beaches.

Autumn is pupping season for the Grey Seal and youngsters show up on beaches around the country, especially after bad weather. Volunteers keep an eye out for these animals. Malnourished or injured individuals are nursed back to health at the Seal Rescue Ireland centre in County Wexford which is also open for visitors (www.sealrescueireland.org). Common Seals are born in summer. Unlike their Grey cousins, they are able to swim shortly after birth and are therefore less likely to get into trouble.

Seals are not the only marine mammals on Ireland’s coast. It is still a remarkably well-kept secret that Ireland is one of Europe’s best places for

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The Grey Seal population has recovered well over the past decades and the animals are now common all around Ireland’s coast.

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The ‘Shannon Dolphins’ are a resident group of Bottlenose Dolphins (Route 12).

whale watching, both from land and boat. The Shannon Estuary between County Clare and County Kerry hosts one of Europe’s very few resident groups of Bottlenose Dolphins, locally known as the Shannon Dolphins.

These animals travel in small groups (around 5-20 individuals) and can easily be observed from Loop Head (route 193) or up close during boat trips that run during spring and summer (see A on page 225). Other cetaceans are also seasonally common around Ireland, especially in the waters off the south and west coast. These include smaller species like Common and Risso’s Dolphin, Minke Whale and Harbour Porpoises, as well as the big ones like Humpback Whale, Orca and the world’s second largest animal, the Fin Whale. Many years of research conducted by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group have shown that individual animals, Humpback Whales, in particular, return every year to feed off the Irish coast. The most famous among those recurring visitors is the orca known as John Coe who is part of Scotland’s West Coast Group and has been observed travelling along Ireland’s west coast every year in late summer.

The website of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (www.iwdg.ie) offers extensive information on cetaceans in Irish waters as well as updates on sightings and strandings.

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Birds

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Routes 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 22 and 23 are best for bird watching, as are sites B and C on pages 157-159., site H on page 190, sites B and C on pages 225-226 and sites A and B on page 157-158.

Ireland is a birdwatcher’s paradise.

From the lakes and peatlands at the centre of the country to the coastal fringes, birds are the most obvious and easy to observe wildlife. Over 450 species have been recorded, from common resident natives like Wren, Raven and Peregrine to summer visitors like Wheatear and Fulmar and winter guests like Brent Goose and Whooper Swan.

In addition, Ireland is a popular stopover for many birds on their spring and autumn migrations.

A complete list of Ireland’s birds is available on the Birdwatch Ireland website (www.birdwatchireland.ie).

Birds of the coast

In spring and summer the sheer cliffs and offshore islands host a wide variety of migrants that come to Ireland to breed. The first to arrive each year are the Fulmars and they can start their cackling courtship as early as late January. The bulk of the breeding coastal birds arrive from late March onward: Gannet, Kittiwake, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Manx Shearwater and a number of tern species.

Gannets like to stick to themselves and form big colonies on the offshore islands Great Saltee, Bull Rock and Little Skellig, but can be observed from the mainland when they are on their fishing trips. The terns also

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The Herring Gull is a very common and resident coastal bird (top). Black Guillemots are summer visitors and breed at a number of colonies around Ireland’s coast (bottom).

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Fulmar (top) and Razorbill (bottom) come to Ireland to breed in summer (Route 5, 10, 12 and 22).

don’t intermingle with other species but sometimes form mixed colonies with other tern species. The Common Tern is the most widespread and breeds not only in coastal locations but also on inland lakes. Arctic and Sandwich Terns are not strictly maritime birds (some breed on inland lakes of the west coast like Lough Corrib, Lough Mask and Lough Conn), but have a good distribution around Ireland’s coast. The rarest of the terns is the Roseate Tern, which is confined to a few locations on the east and south coast.

Kittiwake, Fulmar, Razorbill and Guillemot can often be found together in mixed colonies on sheer cliffs. Their breeding habit however is very different. Kittiwakes build proper nests, Guillemots lay their eggs on the bare rock, often close to the edge, and Fulmar and Razorbill seek the more sheltered parts and make makeshift nests with the main goal to keep the eggs from rolling off. Puffin and Manx Shearwater frequently share the same area which is down to the way they breed. Both lay their eggs underground in old rabbit burrows but while puffins come and go throughout the day, Manx Shearwaters only return to their nests under the cover of darkness to avoid predators.

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birds

Birds of the Coast Residents Cormorant (also on some inland lakes), Shag, Eider (mainly on northern coast), Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Snipe (also at rivers and wetlands), Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull (additional winter visiting birds), Black-headed Gull, Black Guillemot, Rock Dove, Rock Pipit, Twite, Chough, Raven (also in mountains and expanding into other habitats) Summer visitors/breeding Gannet, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, European Storm-petrel, Leach’s Storm-petrel, Common Sandpiper (also rare winter visitor), Kittiwake, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Roseate Tern, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin Spring and autumn visitors/migrants Great Sheerwater, Sooty Sheerwater, Ruff (rare), Pectoral Sandpiper (rare), Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Wood Sandpiper (rare), Green Sandpiper, Grey Phalarope, Arctic Skua, Pomarine Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Great Skua, Sabine’s Gull, Black Tern Winter visitors Great Northern Diver, Red Throated Diver (small resident breeding population in north west), Grey Plover, Golden Plover (also rare resident), Sanderling, Dunlin (also rare resident), Knot, Purple Sandpiper (rare), Turnstone, Curlew (also declining resident), Bar-tailed Godwit, Black Tailed Godwit, Redshank (also rare resident), Greenshank, Jack Snipe (rare), Woodcock (also rare resident), Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Little Gull

Resident birds like Cormorant, Shag and Herring, Greater Black-backed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls breed at the same time as the migrant shorebirds. But like the terns, they stick to members of their own family.

Other resident birds that can be encountered at the coast are the Raven and the Chough. Both choose solitary nesting sites away from other birds. Raven nests are easy to recognise because the birds use the same nest every year and after several years of repairs and improvements they can reach a considerable size. Rock pipit and Rock Dove are also common coastal birds.

The summer visitors leave between late July and early September and a few weeks later the winter visitors start to arrive. Among them are many waders that have spent the summer raising their offspring in the far north. Sanderling, Dunlin, Knot, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Blacktailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Greenshank, Oystercatcher and Curlew are the common species (the latter two are also represented by a resident population). A number of swans, ducks and geese also use Ireland as their winter residence, such as Whooper and Bewick’s Swan, and Greylag, Brent (mostly Pale-bellied) and Barnacle Geese. Half of Greenland’s

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PRACTICAL PART

In this part of the guidebook, we recommend routes and other sites that are particularly well suited for seeing the specialities of the island of Ireland. In addition, from page 251 we provide information and observation tips for visitors.

We have divided this part of the book into four geographical sections which also represent four different faces of Ireland.

The first section (pages 130-159) covers central Ireland (known as the Midlands) and the east and south of the country. This part of Ireland has a more continental feel than the rest of the country and is, for most parts, less rugged. The highlights here are the central peatlands which represent the remains of the once vast areas of raised bog, the bird sanctuary of the Great Saltee island and the nearby tern colonies on the mainland and Ireland’s oldest national park, the Wicklow Mountains National Park.

The south-west (pages 160-190) and west (pages 191-227) represent what most visitors would expect from Ireland: a rugged coast, dramatic mountains and a flair of untouched wilderness. The highlights here are the vast blanket bogs that stretch from the coast into the mountains, the Atlantic Rainforest, seabird colonies and the strange karst landscape of the Burren.

Northern Ireland (pages 228-247) is altogether different. Politically this area belongs to the United Kingdom and is denser populated than the rest of the island. A big part of Northern Ireland is also geologically very different and displays rock types that can be found nowhere else in Ireland. The routes in this section are particularly interesting for winter birdwatchers as Northern Ireland’s sea loughs and river estuaries host vast numbers of wintering waders and waterfowl.

Before you start exploring we would like to wish you safe travels and ask you to treat the places you visit with the care and respect they deserve.

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The Burren offers a variety of walking routes (e.g. route 13 and 14).

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Routes in the Midlands, south and south-east The landscape of Ireland’s Midlands, east and south-east is mostly a tamed – a gentle farming scenery of fields, pastures and hedgerows. The only exception are the blanket bog covered hills of the Wicklow Mountains just south of Ireland’s capital city. In these uplands or in one of the lake studded valleys it is hard to imagine that Dublin with its 1.5 million inhabitants is only a short car ride away.

Despite the anything but wild appearance, the Midlands are home to some of the country’s most important wildlife areas: the river Shannon. The peatlands and the flood lands along the river (known as the Shannon Callows), c were never tamed by engineers, and so navan drogheda have remained a haven for wildlife. Unfortunately, the fate of the great raised b Lough M1 M3 Re e bogs in this part of the country was very athlone M4 much different and not much remains dublin a today of these once vast peatlands. Today however, they are the staging ground of 3 Wicklow 2 M7 the biggest rewilding effort Ireland has Mountains portlaoise NP ever seen. The first big success of these d 1 rewetting and restoration efforts was the return of a breeding pair of Cranes in 2021, a bird that had been declared extinct in Ireland in the 18th century.

M9 M11 The southeast corner of Ireland is one of the prime destinations for birdwatchers. In winter the Wexford Slobs house one of the largest numbers of waterfowl 4 in Ireland and in summer the Great wexford waterford e Saltee island is home to a variety of sea6 5 bird colonies.

Highlights • The Shannon Callows – one of Europe’s last natural floodplains, traditionally farmed and home to a rich flora and varied bird life.

• Clara Bog – one of the finest examples of a raised bog in Ireland.

• The Great Saltee – a small island off Ireland’s south coast and one of the best places to get close seabird colonies.

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route 1: glendalough

Route 1: Glendalough

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3-4 HOURS, 9 KM STRENUOUS The most picturesque part of the Wicklow Mountains National Park.

Habitats: Lake and River, Forest, Mountain Blanket Bog/Upland Heath, Scree Selected species:Ring Ouzel, Long Eared Owl, Red Squirrel, Small White Orchid

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Wicklow Mountains National Park is the only national park on Ireland’s east coast and covers large parts of the Wicklow chain. The dominating habitat is mountain blanket bog and upland grassland and heath. The valleys feature deciduous forest with pockets of native oak, and coniferous woodlands that include one of Ireland’s very few Scot’s Pine woodlands.

Lakes and rivers are also important habitats in the park. Exposed rocky areas and scree in the higher elevations are home to rare plants like Small White Orchid, Alpine Lady’s Mantle and Starry and Mossy Saxifrage (all of which are rare even here). Peregrine and Raven are common in the mountains and the park is also one of the last places in Ireland where the Ring Ouzel can be found. This black and white relative of the blackbird is known to breed on scree fields on the upper mountain slopes.

This walk takes in the most picturesque areas of the park, Glendalough, which translates into the Valley of 2 Lakes. This route is famous for its monastic city founded in the 6th century, an abandoned miner’s village and its unrivalled scenery. The walk circumnavigates Glendalough’s Upper Lake and leads through the main habitats of the Wicklow Mountain National Park.

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There is a visitors’ centre in Glendalough village, which you’ll pass on your way to the car park where the walk starts.

Starting point Starting Point: Glendalough Upper Lake car park (GPS:

53.007176, -6.345074; parking fee applies).

This is one of two parking areas at Glendalough and the closest to the starting point of the route. The other parking area lies further down at the entrance to the valley and you should use this if you want to visit the monastic city. A trail through woodland and past the Lower Lake leads from this parking area to the Upper Lake car park and would add 1.5km (3km return) to the route.

1 The Red Squirrel has made a comeback over the past years.

The trail starts at the south eastern end of the lake and is marked as the White Route. The first part of the trail is a steep ascent through coniferous woodland and leads past Poulanass Waterfall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the National Park. These woodlands are one of the strongholds of the Red Squirrel which came close to extinction due to the introduction of the Grey Squirrel, a bigger and more aggressive species originating from America. The Red Squirrel however has made a comeback over the past years, most likely thanks to the Pine Marten whose population has also grown in numbers and who mainly preyed on the Grey Squirrel which was not used to this particular predator.

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The trail ascends further via a series of steps before it joins a boardwalk which runs along the Spinc, a narrow ridge that runs along the southern side of the Upper Lake. The landscape here is a mixture of mountain blanket bog and upland heath with conifer plantations to the south and the kind of habitat the Small White Orchid favours. This part of the walk offers some of the best views in the national park, over the Upper Lake, Glenealo Valley to the west, Glendalough to the east and the Wicklow Uplands to the north. The native Red Deer, the introduced Sika Deer and hybrids of the two species are common around Glendalough. Peregrine Falcon, the re-introduced Red Kite and Raven can often be seen circling over the lake. Red Grouse is an inhabitant of the heath and relatively common in the area.

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The Upper Lake at Glendalough is the starting point of this walk.

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The path eventually descends into the valley, crosses the river and then turns eastward back towards the lake, crossing some scree fields in the process. This is Ring Ouzel habitat. In Ireland, the bird likes to nest in scree fields and forage on the wet ground near rivers and lakeshores.

Unfortunately, the Ring Ouzel is a rather secretive bird and has become one of the rarest summer visitors to Ireland. Biting Stonecrop and St. Patrick’s Cabbage are some of the few flowers growing in the scree fields.

In the valley, you will also pass the remains of small cabins belonging to an old miners’ village. Glendalough and the next adjacent valley, Glendasan, hosted a considerable mining industry, harvesting mainly lead, zinc and silver and employing around 2,000 people. It lasted from the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century.

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The path now runs along the northern side of the Upper Lake through coniferous woodland made of Scot’s Pine and European Larch, the only conifer that loses its needles in autumn. The Larch is not a native tree to Ireland but unlike other introduced species it had a positive effect on its habitat. The shed needles release nutrients into the ground and create a more open forest which allows a more varied ground flora to develop. The trees here were planted in the 19th century to provide wood for the miners but over time have become an important habitat in the park. Red Squirrels can be seen here and Long-Eared Owls are also known to live and breed in this forest.

The path ends at the north eastern end of the lake, near the parking area.

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route 2: the central peatlands

Route 2: The Central Peatlands

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FULL DAY, 100 KM

A tour to the last remaining raised bogs and Ireland’s finest spring fed fen.

Habitats: Raised bog, fen Selected species: Lapwing, Grey Partridge, Smooth Newt, Viviparous Lizard, Butterwort, Round-leaved Sundew, Olblong-leaved Sundew, Marsh Helleborine, Fly Orchid

Ireland’s heartlands are a farming landscape. The once extensive peatlands that dominated this landscape, mainly raised bogs, have mostly disappeared or are just a shadow of their former selves, harvested away for fuel and other commercial applications like peat compost. A limited number of small areas however have remained intact, and others are in the process of restoration, slowly regaining their rich plant life (see page 46 and 99). They have become a haven for birds, especially wintering waterfowl.

This route visits four of these peatlands – a raised bog, a wetland area in the process of restoration and a spring-fed fen. Two are nearby just west

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route 2: the central peatlands

of Tullamore and the other two are further east, near Newbridge. Each of them is accessible via a short and easy walk.

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Starting point Tullamore.

Leave Tullamore in a northwestern direction on the R420, following the signs for Clara. After 10km in Clara village, keep left and follow the signs for Clara Bog Nature Reserve. The reserve is 2km south of the village and can be explored via a 1km long looped boardwalk. A parking area is provided (GPS: 53.323359, -7.626041).

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Clara Bog (www.clarabognaturereserve.ie) is one of the finest remaining examples of a raised bog in Ireland. Sphagnum (or bog) mosses dominate the vegetation like they do in all raised bogs and Clara Bog features 13 of the 24 species of bog moss known in Ireland. It is in this soggy world that carnivorous plants are most at home.

Round-leaved and Oblong-leaved Sundews, Greater Bladderwort and Common Butterwort. Other plants that can be spotted from the boardwalk are Cranberry, Bog Rosemary, Heath Milkwort, Bogbean and Bog Asphodel. Clara Bog is home to an impressive variety of orchids. Besides Lesser Butterfly, Heath Spotted and Common Spotted Orchid, there are also Common Twayblade and Marsh Helleborine, two species that indicate a less acidic environment than the average raised bog.

A variety of invertebrates can also be found here. Dragonflies and damselflies are represented

by Blue-Tail, Keeled Skimmer and more common species like Four-Spotted Chaser, Common

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Clara Bog in winter.

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Routes in the South-west Some of the most popular destinations of Ireland are found in the southwest. A look at the map reveals a serrated southern coast with countless bays, inlets and coves and five distinctive peninsulas stretching into the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The water bodies that separate these peninsulas are former river valleys, carved out by glaciers and eventually flooded when sea levels rose at the end of the last glaciation period. The peninsulas are from south to north Mizen, Sheep’s Head (the smallest of the lot), Beara, Iveragh (which is the largest and better known as ‘Ring of Kerry’) and Dingle. They all have a mountainous interior.

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The North Atlantic Drift (Gulf Stream) runs close to the coast and brings warm water from the south. The combination of topography and warming conveyor belt creates its own mild and wet microclimate (see page 22). The result is a unique landscape with lush vegetation, stark mountain peaks, sandy beaches and dramatic rocky shores. The southwest is also famous for Ireland’s last remaining native oak forests, also known as Atlantic Rain Forests, the largest of which covers the valleys and mountains of the Beara and Iveragh Peninsulas.

The routes and sites described here cover mainly Beara, Iveragh and Dingle and focus on the most interesting flora and fauna, but visually alone all of the peninsulas deserve a visit: The western end of the Miz-

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routes in the south-west

en peninsula is home to some of Ireland’s most intricate and mesmerizing sandstone cliffs, Sheep’s Head carries a beautifully desolate atmosphere and has a high reputation among hikers. Beara is considered to be the most visually attractive, Iveragh – the Ring of Kerry – has a reputation to be one of the most stunning driving routes. Dingle is a spellbinding combination of beaches, cliffs and mountains, but sadly lost one of its main attractions in 2020: the solitary Bottlenose Dolphin named Fungie, that acquired international fame and lived in Dingle Bay for decades. Fungi was known to come close to tour boats and put himself on show. It is thought that the dolphin simply succumbed to old age.

On all the routes, but particularly in Killarney National Park, you will notice large Rhododendron shrubs. This is an invasive species, planted for its beautiful flowers in gardens and estates, which escaped and thrived in the mild climate. Today the Rhododendron is a major threat to native species, it grows fast and outcompetes any other species.

Highlights • Killarney National Park is home to the largest areas of Ireland’s native oak forests as well as the only truly native herd of Red Deer, not to mention the enchanting landscape.

• Ireland’s south-west is one of Europe’s top destinations for whale- and dolphin watching: Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Humpback Whale, Fin Whale, Orca and other species make regular appearances in these waters.

• Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage site and featured in the Star Wars films, sits off the Kerry coast in some of the roughest coastal waters Ireland has to offer. It hosts an early Christian monastery and is home to a variety of breeding seabirds.

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Killarney National Park is one of the highlights of Ireland’s southwest.

route 7: beara peninsula

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Route 7: Beara Peninsula FULL DAY, 70 KM A tour through the unique habitats of southwestern Ireland.

A special flora and a rich geological past.

Habitats: Blanket bog, native oak forest, corrie lakes (or Tarns) Geology: Devonian sandstone, glacial striation Selected species: Large-flowered Butterwort, Kerry Slug, Narrow-Leaved Helleborine, Round-leaved and Oblong-leaved Sundew, Bog Asphodel, Redbilled Chough, Raven

The Beara Peninsula is one of the five promontories that dominate the topography of the south-west of Irer Rive land. While the area has the reputaa re R571 m n Ke tion of being visually the most stunN71 ning of the great peninsulas, it has 5-8 escaped mass tourism for the most 10 part and exudes a tranquil and semap on p. 165 cluded atmosphere even at the height lauragh 1 of the tourism season.

2 Caha Mountains R574 glengarriff The Caha Mountains in the east and 4 3 the Slieve Miskish Mountains in the west are Beara’s backbone and form a natural border between the northR572 adrigole ern and southern half of the narrow bantry Bantry Bay landmass. Together with the north 0 10 km Atlantic current they dictate the mild and humid, almost subtropical, climate all year round. The result is a rich and diverse flora, especially in the south-eastern part of the Beara Peninsula around sheltered Glengarriff Bay. This tour gives you an oversight of Beara Peninsula in a single day, starting in the ancient oak forests of Glengarriff Nature Reserve and up to the blanket bogs on the high mountain slope. This is a short car route over beautiful, quiet country roads, with two short walks (1-2 hours per 9

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The Atlantic Rainforest at Glengarriff Nature Reserve.

walk) that explore the habitats in more detail. Note that there are various longer walking routes available for you as well. To do this area justice, it is well worth exploring some of those.

Starting point Glengarriff Nature Reserve, Main Carpark (GPS: 51.753633, -9.564185).

Glengarriff Nature Reserve is located just off the N71 between Kenmare and Bantry about 1km north of the village of Glengarriff. Note that the entrance lies on a sharp bend and can easily be missed especially if you are coming from the Kenmare side.

Glengarriff Nature Reserve offers 5 signposted walks in total with various levels of difficulty and length. Here we describe the easy and short (3.5km) Big Meadow Walk, which in our view is the most interesting one.

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The walk starts at the main carpark where the bridge crosses the river. The signposted route follows the 2 Canrooska River through native woodland. Sessile Oak is the main tree species here. Ferns and holly dominate below the canopy and the damp climate allows various species of lichens, mosses and liverworts to flourish. With some luck ,the distinctively coloured Kerry Slug (dark grey or brown with bright spots), a member of the Lusitanian fauna (see page 106), can be discovered here.

In early summer the rare Narrow-leaved Helleborine also flowers here.

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(14km). Then follow the road south (Shore Road / A2) towards Ardglass along the Narrows.

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The Cloghy Rocks are about 1.8km down the road and offer a good chance to watch Grey and Common Seals basking on the rocks.

The area is known as a breeding site for Common Seals and between June and August youngsters can also be spotted. Waders like Redshank and Oystercatcher are also common and can be seen feeding with the falling tide or roosting on the rocks.

6 Spring Squill at Killard Nature Reserve.

Another 5km further south along the A2, turn left onto a side road (towards Ballyhornan) and follow the signs to Killard Nature Reserve.

Killard Nature Reserve is a small headland sits at the mouth of Strangford Lough and is most attractive in spring and summer. The coastal grassland here features numerous interesting wildflowers like Spring Squill, Bluebell, Wild Pansy, Restharrow, Centaury, Pyramidal Orchid, Field Scabious and Common and Greater Knapweed.

Out of sight, but nonetheless special is the unusually rich underwater flora and fauna. Seaweeds, sponges, sea anemones, starfish and many other species take advantage of the nutrients being delivered by the strong tidal flows.

The tides create strong differences in water height between the sea and the lough, creating a flow that has to squeeze through the Narrows.

The average tidal flow in the Narrows is 3.5m/s and speeds up to 4.8m/s have been reported.

From here you can retrace your steps back north the way you came or take the car ferry in Strangford which will bring you to Portaferry on the eastern side of the Lough. The A20 will lead along Strangford Lough back to the starting point Newtownards. The opportunities for birdwatching along this road are less than on the other shore but the mudflats just south of Greyabbey and a viewing point south of the entrance of Mount Stewart House can bring some good results for Brent Geese and waders.

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Additional sites in Northern Ireland

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A – Oxford Island Nature Reserve

GPS: 54.495565, -6.384002. Oxford Island Nature Reserve lies off the M1 north of Lurgan at the shores of Ireland’s largest freshwater lake, Lough Neagh. Oxford Island isn’t a proper island but a peninsula that protrudes into a sheltered corner of the lake. It is very popular among wintering birds. Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Teal, Mallard and Scaup are common species. Whooper and Bewick’s swan can often be seen in the nearby fields. The area also attracts rare species.

Red-crested Pochard, Smew, Ring-necked Duck and Goosander have all been recorded. In summer Great Crested and Little Grebe can be seen, while Willow, Sedge and Grasshopper Warblers and Reed Bunting breed in the woods and reedbeds of the peninsula.

The reserve also features hay meadows with a rich flora that in turn attracts numerous insects. Butterflies, in particular, are plentiful, albeit mostly the more common species like Common Blue, Red Admiral, Orangetip, Small Copper, Ringlet and Speckled Wood.

The reserve features a network of paths and five bird hides spread out along the shore of the peninsula (www.oxfordisland.com).

B – Marble Arch Caves Geopark

GPS: 54.258020, -7.813294. The Marble Arch Caves Geopark is part of the limestone area that also includes the Cuilcagh Mountains and the Cavan Burren and spans across the border from County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland to County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The caves can be reached via the Marlbank Road east of the A509.

The caves can be explored through guided tours by boat and on foot, and

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offer a unique glimpse into the underground world of limestone. Stalactites and stalagmites, still pools and flowing rivers are all part of this mesmerizing cave system.

Close to the Marble Arch visitor centre lies the Cladagh Glen Nature Reserve, a narrow limestone gorge formed by one of the rivers that also shaped the Marble Arch Caves. The gorge is covered by an ancient ash woodland that features a variety of wildflowers including Bluebell and Wild Garlic and a profusion of ferns and mosses.

Other nearby places worth visiting are Cavan Burren Park, a limestone karst area similar to the Burren in County Clare). The Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail leads through the blanket bogs of Cuilcagh Mountains (www. marblearchvaves.co.uk; www.cavanburrenpark.ie).

C – Murlough Nature Reserve

GPS: 54.233483, -5.863755. The Murlough National Nature Reserve off the A2 near Dundrum covers one of Ireland’s largest and oldest dune systems that formed an estimated 6,000 years ago. It features a prolific flora and fauna that includes 23 species of butterfly including the endangered Marsh Fritillary, rare moths like Black Rustic and Pink Barred Sallow and Ireland’s smallest mammal, the Pygmy Shrew.

Birds like Stonechat, Brent Goose, Little Egret and Dunlin are also common in the area. The real gems of the place are however the wildflowers: Early Forget-me-not, Shepherd’s Cress, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Primrose, Bluebell, Bell Heather, Ling and many other species.

The dunes can be explored via a network of boardwalks and because of the fragile and sensitive nature of the area, it is advised not to venture off-road.

D – The Glens of Antrim

GPS: 55.018255, -6.098037. The second part of the Causeway Coastal Route leads along County Antrim’s eastern coast and provides access to the Nine Glens of Antrim: Glenarm, Glencloy, Glenarriff, Glencorp, Glenballyemon, Glenaan, Glendun, Glenshesk and Glentaisie. Glens are glacial valleys and each of these has its own characteristics and atmosphere.

Some are narrow, others wide; some are forested, others are covered in blanket bog or have been transformed into farmland.

The most famous and rewarding to visit is Glenariff also known as the Queen of the Glens, which is well signposted just before you enter the

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village of Waterfoot, where the A43 winds its way up into the glen.

After around 7km Glenariff Forest Park is signposted on the left.

The Inver and Glenariff rivers have carved out a narrow gorge at the top of the glen and tumble over a series of waterfalls towards the coast. A series of boardwalks make this wonderful place accessible and form a network of 4 trails (named Viewpoint, Waterfall, Scenic and Rainbow). They lead along the rivers and through mature semi-natural and plantation woodland. The damp microclimate makes these woodlands particularly rich in mosses and ferns. Typical woodland flora like Wood Avens, Primrose, Bluebell and Red Campion are widespread and common.

The main attractions here are however, the waterfalls which are most impressive after a few days of rain.

This location can be combined with Route 21.

E – Gobbins Cliff Path

GPS: 54.780591, -5.707414. The Gobbins is a unique cliff path that runs on the eastern side of Islandmagee. It first opened in 1902 but due to maintenance problems the path, although a huge success, closed in 1954. In 2016 the Gobbins Cliff Path reopened, reimagined and reconstructed. Today the path is a series of bridges, tunnels and pathways that cling to a sheer cliff face.

The path which is only accessible through guided tours offers a unique viewpoint of a beautiful cliff scenery and the area’s geology (www.thegobbinscliffpath.com).

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Ess Na Larach waterfall at Glenariff Forest Park.

TOURIST INFORMATION & OBSERVATION TIPS

Travelling to Ireland

Airport websites www.dublinairport.com www.corkairport.com www.shannonairport.ie www.belfastairport.com www.belfastcityairport.com www.kerryairport.ie www.irelandwestairport.com

Ireland has four major airports, Dublin (east coast), Cork (south coast) and Shannon (west coast) in the republic and Belfast International in Northern Ireland. Dublin and Belfast are serviced from most countries, Cork and Shannon offer a smaller selection of routes.

In addition to the main airports, there are also a number of local airports. Kerry Airport has been Ferry Companies growing steadily over the past years and is a good www.irishferries.com alternative to the established big airports, espewww.stenaline.ie cially if you want to tour the south west. Knock www.directferries.co.uk Airport in County Mayo was initially founded to www.poferries.com accommodate pilgrims that wanted to visit the www.directferries.ie Knock Shrine but is being more and more used www.brittany-ferries.ie by other travellers as well. Belfast City Airport is Belfast’s second airport and services mainly the Port websites UK. www.dublinport.ie Ireland’s biggest airlines are the former state airwww.rosslareeuroport.ie line Aer Lingus which offers international flights www.portofcork.ie and the well-known Ryanair which offers cheap www.belfast-harbour.co.uk flights to various European destinations. www.portoflarne.co.uk Ireland can also be reached by ferry (car and passenger) from the UK (Liverpool Birkenhead, Cairnryan, Douglas, Holyhead and Pembroke), France (Cherbourg and Rosscoff) and Spain (Bilbao). The ports in the Republic of Ireland are in Rosslare (southeast), Cork (south) and Dublin (east) and in Northern Ireland in Belfast and Larne.

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Selection of birds and where to find them

The numbers in the below list refer to the routes in this guidebook.

Great Northern Diver (winter, scarce, 1, 3, 4) Red-throated Diver (winter, scarce, 20, 23) Slavonian Grebe (winter, scarce, 4, 11, 23) Gannet (breeding, locally common, 5,10, 22) Fulmar (breeding, locally common, 5, 10, 12, 22) Great Shearwater (passage, scarce, 11, 12, 18) Sooty Shearwater (passage, scarce, 11, 12, 18) Manx Shearwater (breeding, scarce, 5, 10) Storm Petrel (breeding, local and scarce, Skerries, 11, 18) Arctic Skua (passage, scarce, 11, 12, 18, 22) Pomarine Skua (passage, scarce, 11, 12, 18, 22) Great Skua (winter, scarce; breeding, rare, 11, 12, 18, 22) Glaucous Gull (winter, rare, 11, 12, 18) Iceland Gull (winter, rare, 11, 12, 18) Mediterranean Gull (winter, rare, 4 and east coast sites, breeding, rare at Our Lady’s Island) Little Gull (winter, rare, 11, east coast sites) Kittiwake (breeding, locally common, 5, 10, 12, 22) Black Tern (passage, scarce, 18) Arctic Tern (breeding, local and scarce, 16, 18, Our Lady’s Island) Roseate Tern (breeding, local and scarce,

Our Lady’s island, Skerries) Sandwich Tern (breeding, locally common, 23, Our Lady’s island) Little Tern (breeding, locally common,

Our Lady’s Island) Guillemot (breeding, locally common, 5, 10, 12, 22) Razorbill (breeding, locally common,

5, 10, 12, 22) Black Guillemot (breeding, local and scarce, 6, 22, 23)

Puffin

(breeding, locally common, 5, 10, Cliffs of Moher) Shag (breeding, frequent, 5, 6, 10, 12, 18, 22) Little Egret (breeding, frequent, 4, 11, 12, 18, 20, 23) Oystercatcher (breeding, locally common, 4, 11, 12, 18, 20, 23) Ringed Plover (breeding, locally common, 11, 12, 18, 20, 23) Lapwing (year-round, fairly common, 2 & 3 (breeding & wintering), 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 18, 20, 23

(wintering) Golden Plover (winter & summer breeding, local, scarce, 16, 18, 19) Grey Plover (winter, local, 4, east coast sites) Ruff (passage and winter, local, scarce, 23, east coast sites) Pectoral Sandpiper (passage, scarce, 11, 12) Little Stint (passage, scarce, 11, 12, 20, 23) Curlew Sandpiper (passage and winter, local, scarce, 11, 23) Knot (winter, locally abundant, 11, 12, 20, 23, east coast sites) Purple Sandpiper (winter, locally common, 11, 18, 23, east coast sites) Whimbrel (passage, 4, 11, 12, 15, 18, 20, 23) Bar-tailed Godwit (winter, common, 4, 6, 11, 12, 23) Black-tailed Godwit (winter, common, 4, 6, 11, 12, 23) Jack Snipe (winter, scarce, 4, 11, 23) Grey Phalarope (passage, common, 11, 12, 18, 20) Bewick’s Swan (winter, locally common, 4, 20, 23) Whooper Swan (winter, locally common, 4, 11, 20, 23)

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Brent Goose Barnacle Goose Greenland Whitefronted Goose

(winter, locally common, 4, 11, 12, 18, 20, 23) (winter, locally common, 4, 11, 12, 18, 20, 23)

(winter, locally common, 4, 12, 18, 23) Pink Footed Goose (winter, scarce, 4) Goldeneye (winter, common, 4, 6, 11, 18, 20, 23) Scaup ( winter, common, 4, 6, 11, 18, 20, 23) Pintail (winter, scarce, 4, 6, 11, 23) Common Scoter (winter, common, 4, 11, 18) Velvet Scoter (winter, scarce, 4, 11, 18, 23, east coast sites) Eider (resident, common on

northern coast, 20, 21, 23) Long-tailed Duck (winter, scarce, 4, 11, 23, east coast sites) Red-breasted Merganser (resident, common, 4, 11, 18, 20, 23) Water Rail (resident and winter,

common, 2, 3, 11, 19) Hen Harrier (resident, scarce, 1, 2, 3, 20) Golden Eagle (resident – reintroduced, rare, 19) White-tailed Eagle (resident – reintroduced, rare, 8, Mountshannon/Lough Derg) Merlin (resident, scarce, 1, 7, 8) Peregrine (resident, locally common, 1, 4, 7, 8, 21, 23) Barn Owl (resident, scarce, 2, 3, 8, 21, 23) Long Eared Owl (resident, scarce, 1, 4, 9) Short Eared Owl (winter and passage, scarce, 4, 6) Red Grouse (rare) (resident, rare, 1, 2, 3, 8) Grey Partridge (rare) (resident, rare, 2) Quail (rare) (summer and passage, rare, 4, 6) Corncrake (rare) (summer, rare, 18) Rock Dove (resident, scarce, 11, 12) Turtle Dove (rare) (passage, rare, 4, 6) Raven (resident, common, 1, 4, 6, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19)

Chough

(resident, locally common, 11, 12, 15, 16,) Kingfisher (resident, locally common, 3, 4, 8, 9) Rock Pipit (resident, common, 4, 6,

11, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21) Grey Wagtail (resident, common, 1, 7,

8, 9, 16, 19, 21) Pied Wagtail (resident, common, all routes) Black Redstart (passage, rare, 4, 6, east coast sites) Redstart (passage, scarce, 4, 6) Whinchat (passage and summer, 2, 3, 4, 6, 18) Stonechat (resident, common, all routes) Wheatear (summer, common, 1, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23) Ring Ouzel (rare) (resident, rare, 1) Fieldfare (winter, common, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 13, 16, 21, 23) Redwing (winter, common, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 13, 16, 21, 23) Dipper (resident, scarce, 1, 9, 17) Grasshopper Warbler (summer, common, 2, 3, 4, 11, 13, 18) Wood Warbler (rare) (passage and summer, rare, 1) Yellow-browed Warbler

(passage, rare, 4, 6) Spotted Flycatcher (summer, common, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 21) Treecreeper (resident, locally common, 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 19) Siskin (resident, locally common, 7, 8, 9, 16, 18, 21) Twite (rare) (resident, rare, 11, 16, 20) Lesser Redpoll (resident, locally common, 11, 16, 18, 19, 20) Bullfinch (resident, locally common, 1, 4, 7, 8, 9) Tree Sparrow (resident, scarce, 4, 15, 23) Yellowhammer (rare) (resident, scarce, 2, 3, Irish Photography Hides) Snow Bunting (rare) (passage and winter, 4, 11, 20)

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SPECIES LIST & TRANSLATION The following list comprises all species mentioned in this guidebook and gives their scientific, German and Dutch names. Some have an asterisk (*) behind them, indicating an unofficial name. See page 7 for more details.

Plants

English Adder’s-tongue Alder Anemone, Wood Angelica, Wild Apple, Crab Arrowhead Ash Asphodel, Bog Aster, Sea Avens, Mountain Avens, Water Avens, Wood Balsam, Himalayan Beak-sedge, Brown Beak-sedge, White Bedstraw, Lady’s Bedstraw, Marsh Beech Beet, Sea Bellflower, Creeping Bellflower, Ivy-leaved Bilberry Bindweed, Sea Birch Bird’s-foot-trefoil Blackthorn Bladderwort Bluebell Bogbean Bracken Bramble Brooklime Broomrape, Ivy Broomrape, Thyme Buckthorn, Alder

Scientific Ophioglossum vulgatum Alnus glutinosa Anemone nemorosa Angelica sylvestris Malus sylvestris Sagittaria sagittifolia Fraxinus excelsior Narthecium ossifragum Aster tripolium Dryas octopetala Geum rivale Geum urbanum Impatiens glandulifera Rhynchospora fusca Rhynchospora alba Galium verum Galium palustre Fagus sylvatica Beta vulgaris maritima Campanula rapunculoides Wahlenbergia hederacea Vaccinium myrtillus Calystegia soldanella Betula sp.

Lotus sp.

Prunus spinosa Utricularia sp.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta Menyanthes trifoliata Pteridium aquilinum Rubus sp.

Veronica beccabunga Orobanche hederae Orobanche alba Frangula alnus

German Gewöhnliche Natternzunge Schwarz-Erle Busch-Windröschen Wilde Engelwurz Holzapfel Gewöhnliches Pfeilkraut Gemeine Esche Beinbrech Strand-Aster Silberwurz Bach-Nelckenwurz Echte Nelkenwurz Drüsiges Springkraut Braunes Schnabelried Weisses Schnabelried Echtes Labkraut Sumpf-Labkraut Buche Wilde Rübe Acker-Glockenblume Efeu-Moorglöckchen Blaubeere Strandwinde Birke Hornklee Schlehe Wasserschlauch Hasenglöckchen Fieberklee Adlerfarn Brombeere Bachbunge Efeu-Sommerwurz Quendel-Sommerwurz Faulbaum

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Dutch Addertong Zwarte els Bosanemoon Gewone engelwortel Wilde appel Pijlkruid Gewone es Beenbreek Zulte Achtster Knikkend nagelkruid Geel nagelkruid Reuzenbalsemien Bruine snavelbies Witte snavelbies Geel walstro Moeraswalstro Beuk Strandbiet Akkerklokje Klimopklokje Blauwe bosbes Zeewinde Berk Rolklaver Sleedoorn Blaasjeskruid Wilde hyacinth Waterdrieblad Adelaarsvaren Braam Beekpunge Klimopbremraap Tijmbremraap Sporkenhout

Bugle Ajuga reptans Bugle, Pyramidal Ajuga pyramidalis Buttercup, Goldilocks Ranunculus auricomus Butterwort, Common Pinguicula vulgaris Butterwort, Large Pinguicula grandiflora flowered Butterwort, Pale Pinguicula lusitanica Campion, Moss Silene acaulis Campion, Red Silene dioica Campion, Sea Silene uniflora Carrot, Sea Daucus carota gummifer Celandine, Lesser Ficaria verna Centaury, Lesser Centaurium pulchellum

Cherry, Wild Prunus avium Cinquefoil, Marsh Potentilla palustris Cinquefoil, Shrubby Dasiphora fruticosa Cleavers Galium aparine Clover, Hare’s-foot Trifolium arvense Clover, White Trifolium repens Cord-grass, Common Spartina anglica Cottongrass, Common Eriophorum angustifolium Cottongrass, Hare’s-tail Eriophorum vaginatum Cowslip Primula veris Cow-wheat, Common Melampyrum pratense Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus Crane’s-bill, Bloody Geranium sanguineum Crane’s-bill, Meadow Geranium pratense Cress, Shepherd’s Teesdalia nudicaulis Crowberry Empetrum nigrum Crowfoot Ranunculus spp.

Cuckoo Flower Cardamine pratensis Daisy, Ox-eye Leucanthemum vulgare Dandelion, Turlough Taraxacum palustre Dodder, Common Cuscuta epithymum Duckweed Lemna sp.

Dulse, Pepper Osmundea pinnatifida Elder Sambucus sp.

Elm Ulmus sp.

Eyebright Euphrasia sp.

Eyebright, Irish Euphrasia salisburgensis Fern, Brittle Bladder Cystopteris fragilis Fern, Broad Buckler Dryopteris dilatata Fern, Hard Blechnum spicant Fern, Hard Shield Polystichum aculeatum Fern, Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium Fern, Hay-Scented Dryopteris aemula

Kriechender Günsel Pyramiden-Günsel Gold-Hahnenfuss Gewöhnliches Fettkraut Grossblütiges Fettkraut

Kruipend zenegroen Piramidezenegroen Gulden boterbloem Gewoon vetblad Grootbloemig vetblad

Portugiesisches Fettkraut Stengelloses Leimkraut Rote Lichtnelke Klippen-Leimkraut Seekarotte Scharbockskraut Kleines Tausendgüldenkraut Vogel-Kirsche Sumpf-Blutauge Fingerstrauch Kletten-Labkraut Hasen-Klee Weissklee Salz-Schlickgras Schmalblättriges Wollgras Scheiden-Wollgras Wiesen-Schlüsselblume Wiesen-Wachtelweizen Gewöhnliche Moosbeere Blutroter Storchschnabel Wiesen-Storchschnabel Bauernsenf Krähenbeere Wasserhahnenfuss Wiesen-Schaumkraut Magerwiesen-Margerite Sumpf-Löwenzahn Quendel-Seide Wasserlinsen Bäumchen-Rotalge* Holunder Ulme Augentrost Salzburger Augentrost Zerbrechlicher Blasenfarn Breitblättriger Dornfarn Rippenfarn Gelappter Schildfarn Hirschzungenfarn Heufarn*

Bleek vetblad Stengelloze silene Dagkoekoeksbloem Zeesilene* Klifpeen Speenkruid Fraai duizendguldenkruid Zoete kers Wateraardbei Struikganzerik Kleefkruid Hazenpootje Witte klaver Engels slijkgras Veenpluis Eenarig wollegras Gulden sleutelbloem Hengel Kleine veenbes Bloedooievaarsbek Beemdooievaarsbek Klein tasjeskruid Kraaihei Waterranonkel Pinksterbloem Gewone margriet Moeraspaardenbloem Klein warkruid Kroos Boompjes-roodalg* Vlier Iep Ogentroost Spitse ogentroost* Blaasvaren Brede stekelvaren Dubbelloof Stijve naaldvaren Tongvaren Hooivaren*

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CROSSBILL GUIDES FOUNDATION

dublin

Ireland, the Emerald Isle, is famous for its checkerboard landscape of green fields and hedgerows. Its coast showcases sandy beaches, mudflats and saltmarshes, Atlantic Rainforests, rocky shores and cliffs, all home to a staggering variety of wildlife. Ireland’s coastal waters are among the best in Europe to see whales and dolphins and other rare marine animals.

The Crossbill Guide Ireland is the authoritative wildlife and nature travel guidebook to that island.

This guidebook provides background information on landscape, flora and fauna with 25 carefully selected hiking and driving routes and numerous sites to the most beautiful places to find wildlife.

• The guide that covers the wildflowers, birds and all other wildlife • Routes, where-to-watch-birds information and other observation tips • Insightful information on landscape and ecology

“Everything you need to turn up in the right place and at the right time to find some of the best wildlife in Europe ” Chris Packham – BBC Springwatch www . crossbillguides . org

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