Sightings needed of nesting birds during August and September

Above: Stonechat bird

BirdWatch Ireland is asking the public to submit sightings of nesting songbird species during the months of August and September.

Although the nesting season has already finished for many birds, a few species such as the Red-listed Yellowhammer are known to nest right into the autumn.

Birdwatchers are asked to visit the BirdWatch Ireland website at www.birdwatchireland.ie for instructions on how to send in sightings.

With funding from the Heritage Council and the support of the National Biodiversity Data Centre, BirdWatch Ireland is building on the Late Nester Survey of 2017 where members of the public submitted 442 records of birds breeding right into September.

Most records were of Yellowhammer, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Blackbird, but other species included Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler and Stonechat, which were all surprises.

These data are helping to fill a gap in knowledge on when birds finish breeding and will help is protect species especially in light of the passage of the Heritage Bill which will change the laws that govern hedge-cutting at some point in the future but not this summer.

Birdwatch Ireland is asking people to look out for bird behaviour that indicates breeding, such as singing male birds and birds carrying food.

We do not want people to interfere with or seek out nest locations, which can only be done with a license from the National Parks and Wildlife Service: it is otherwise illegal to disturb a bird on eggs or with chicks.

For more information please contact Michael Bell, [email protected], 085-1751000.