We found 10 lapwing nests in the end and worked with the farmer to protect them.
It took him 2hrs longer to plough the field but he said it was worth the extra effort.
4 nests have hatched so far, the rest shouldn't be much longer.
#partnershipworking

Just left hosp after 8 days. 99% of the consultants, nurses, cleaners, & assistants were POC from Pakistan, India & Africa. Dread to think what these expert skilled professionals go through waiting for the bus to get into work & back home after a 12hr shift. #Newtownmountkennedy

I'm sharing this because there's more to #Newtownmountkennedy than the protestors, the racists who they invited into the town.
See you for coffee while we support this charity.
Declan Meehan

Arrival is very slow this year, after the colony was hit by #avianinfluenza two years in a row. As of this morning, we have 66 registered birds, vs 132 this day last year vs 337 this day in 2022. #phenology #ternscience #ornithology #H5N1

Great to see a national park announcement coming today.

But on #EarthDay2024 it's disgraceful to also witness scenes such as on this bog that continues to be pumped out continually ignored by Government.

A prime example of where the state should be concentrating rehabilitation.

An Irish curlew displaying over farmland at sunset this evening.

Without urgent change in the scale & intensity of support, the remaining pairs will be lost v soon. #WorldCurlewDay #lastcurlew

Pumps finally off!!!

But not for the good of nesting Lapwings.

This bog has now been completely pumped to a disgraceful, outdated & unnecessary level by BNM.

One of the largest biodiversity loss areas in the Country & Ministers don't want to know about it.

Disgraceful

The EU has lodged a complaint regarding the sandeel closure due to concerns regarding the impact to danish fishers. With 62% of seabird species in decline (likely higher since HPAI), this closure is much needed to protect prey (that were struggling) telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/1…

Pretty inspiring stuff in this podcast, all about the work being done in Finland to enhance wildfowl numbers. We're several steps behind this in Ireland at the moment but hopefully something that can be built towards sooner rather than later. No time to waste!

A highly successful and important conservation project in Kilcoole for Little Terns nesting along the beach - are looking for their conservation keeper for this year

**JOB VACANCY**

We are seeking a suitably experienced Conservation Keeper for predator management at the Kilcoole Little Tern colony this summer. This work has been vital to the success of the colony in recent years. See link below for more details:

birdwatchireland.ie/get-involved/j…

We're hiring! See a link here to a postdoc position based UCD School Ag & Food in collaboration with IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM)

'Supporting the recovery of bird species of Annex II of the Birds Directive in non-secure conservation status”

Hearing the vice president of the IFA on the radio this morning saying 'we need some help from mother nature'. I couldn't help but think Mother Nature nature feels similarly about the IFA...

If your house is on fire, you throw everything at it. You don't put some money away in a savings account to buy a fire extinguisher in 2 yrs.

There's no urgency in the Govt Climate and Nature fund proposal for 2026.

We are in crisis now

The similarities between Finland and Ireland - Veli-Matti Pekkarinen explains.
Check out the pinned tweet in my profile for the full episode. 🎧

Reasons for Waterfowl Declines in Finland.

We have prepared a helpful decision making tree for the upcoming 'Report a Corncrake' season:

Some snaps from this morning.

Another week has passed and nothing has changed for the good of these amber and red listed species on the bogs.

Lapwings preparing for nesting with their habitats being pumped and Ministers don't want to know about it. Unbelievable.

Probably as near to ideal wader breeding habitat as you will get.
Surely, it is not an impossibility to find an agri environmental scheme to protect this habitat.
🤞Next C.A.P.