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Number 19 SUMMER 2019
tBird Det ect i veS BirdWatch Ireland
r M e m b e rs of
r Junio
The magazine fo
Spring
Alive!
The bird
trickster,
r
Ringed Plove
How to be
a good
birdwatcher
Sponsored by
Play colour
bingo
Welcome!
When you see or hear migrants, such as Swallow,
Welcome to our
Sand Martin, Swift and Cuckoo, go onto the
summer edition
Spring Alive website www.springalive.net to
of Bird Detectives!
enter this information. You can then track the
It has been a very strange year so movements of these birds as they travel from
far for all of us. The schools have been Africa, across Europe and to Ireland.
closed and you have had to spend a lot of
time at home because of Covid-19.
However, there are some positives, and because
people all across the country have been spending
more time at home, they have also been noticing
wildlife in their gardens and close to their homes
that they have never had time to appreciate
before. That is the beauty of watching wildlife,
you can do it anytime and anywhere and there
is always something exciting unfolding!
Sand Martins are
Michael O’Cl
one of the first
migrants to arrive
ery
each spring
As well as these usual suspects, I would like to
Ita Martin
introduce the newest member of the Spring Alive
family, which is the Ringed Plover. Learn all
about this clever trickster of the bird world on
pages 5 to 9. If you are lucky enough to see them,
Keep listening for a Cuckoo this summer
please don’t forget to enter them on the Spring
Alive website for me!
So, there has never been a better time to Finally, all of us at BirdWatch Ireland would like to
become familiar with the birds in your garden thank our friends at Verizon Media for sponsoring
and close to your home, and this issue is all about the publication of this issue of Bird Detectives.
using the time at home to learn more about the Their support is very much appreciated.
o lmes
birds and wildlife on your doorstep!
In this issue are some useful tips on ‘how to
S h el d u c k H
be a good birdwatcher’. You can practice your
birdwatching skills and try to identify the
different birds that live in your garden or close Editorial Address: Bird Detectives, Unit 20 , Block D, Bullford
Business Campus, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow, A63 RW83.
to your home, try and figure out where they are
nesting, and watch them raise their young. Edited by John Lusby and Niall Hatch, with special thanks to our
contributors this issue: Niamh Fitzgerald, Barbara Sullivan and
Summer holidays and trips abroad may be Ruth Hanniffy of the Vincent Wildlife Trust.
postponed, but nobody told this to our summer Design by Michael O’Clery.
migrants! These birds make the trip from Africa Cover pic: Ringed Plover by John Fox.
each spring, as they do every year, so keep a look
out for these... and you can put your Bird
Detective skills to good use by logging sightings
of my friends that migrate here for the summer.
2 Bird Detectives
Interview:
Henry Dalzell
Niamh Fitgerald interviews Henry Dalzell
All photos by Liam Dalzell
other things and it Henry on the beach
Henry Dalzell, aged 11, is a keen birdwatcher
and bird artist. helps me to relax.
I haven’t done much painting on canvas, but I do Birds are my
like the way the work looks when it is done. I begin favourite animals
with sketching on the canvas in pencil. This part because they have
isn’t easy, because if you mess up you can’t erase feathers and I am
the marks. It takes a lot of work to add all the paint, fascinated by
but when you finish it feels very solid and real. feathers. Birds are
Nesting Lesser Nighthawk
all around us, but
they do this
wonderful thing –
flying – that makes them
so different from us. Though, of course, not all
Galapagos Haw
birds fly. Feathers are what
k makes a bird a bird.
There is so much
variety in the
structures of
feathers and in the
jobs they do for the
bird. Plus there are
so many different
I also enjoy sketching with coloured pencils, and colours and shapes
using watercolours. of feathers.
I think the main thing to remember in drawing and Of all birds, I like
Snowy Egret
painting is not to immediately raptors the most. They are so fast and strong -
worry about it looking like they get their speed from their shape, and I love
the subject. Nothing you the shape of their wings. But most of all, I like
do is wrong, it is just a their eyes - they are so bright and piercing.
way of expressing
I want to be an ornithologist when I grow up. I
yourself, and everybody
want to do field-work and observe birds and
is different.
write about them in books which I illustrate. I
I enjoy making art, would like to convince people that we need to
especially about wildlife, take more care of our environment.
because I can create
The Nesting Lesser Nighthawk is acrylic on canvas.
something to be proud of.
The Snowy Egret and Galapagos Hawk are pencil and
Also, it takes my mind off watercolour on paper.
Bird Detectives 3
W indow sill How to:
1. Prepare your materials:
mini-garden
Find a suitable workspace,
and if it is indoors, make
sure you cover your table
ivan
By Barbara Sull with newspaper or a table-
cloth that’s easy to clean.
Have all your materials ready.
serrate
d edges Watch your mini garden grow 2. Decorate the outside of your
dish: if you choose to decorate
Hi everyone. What a strange spring it has been! the outside of your dish, do so before filling it. You could
paint it with acrylic paints if you have them, or you could
I hope everyone is well, and that watching the birds in
use stickers, or whatever you like best.
your garden has helped keep you connected with nature
around you when you weren’t able to go anywhere. Maybe 3. Fill with compost: once your decoration is dry, you’re
you even kept track of changes in your nature journals you ready to get going with the garden itself. Fill the container
made from instructions in the winter issue? with compost, spreading it out evenly and leaving a little
bit of space under the rim. You should always wear gloves
This issue I would like to introduce you to making a little when handling compost. If you can’t, make sure to wash
garden for inside your house. Like the activity I introduced your hands when you are finished handling it.
you to last time, this can be done any time of year, but early
summer is best. 4. Create your garden layout: do you want to include
paths? Do you want to plant in lines, or circles, or sections?
What is a mini-garden? Now is the time to decide what way you want your garden
to look. You can mark out the design using little stones, or
It’s a little tray or dish filled with potting compost that you sticks, or whatever you have available.
can design in any way that you like to make it look and feel
like a miniature garden. You can be as creative as you like, 5. Now it’s time to sow! Sprinkle your seeds in the different
and you can decide whether you would like to grow a sections you have planned and cover them lightly with a
lawn, some vegetables, or even flowers. little more compost (check seed packets for details on how
deep to sow, and if you don’t have a packet, don’t worry,
Our little garden has a mix of wildflowers we collected last just make sure they are covered).
year and some herbs. The little fence is woven from willow
we cut from our garden. You can use whatever you like to 6. Gently sprinkle some water over your new garden until
make your own design. the compost is moist. A water spray bottle is ideal, but if
you don’t have one, don’t worry.
You will need: 7. Make some labels: using some lollypop sticks, or
toothpicks, or little sticks, make some signage for
A shallow, wide, water- your garden. You can write the labels on paper and
tight dish, such as a cover them in sticky tape on both sides so they
garden pot saucer, an don’t get wet when you water your garden.
old, deep baking tray, or
a selection box container 8. Add some more decoration, if you wish.
(this is what we used). Everything nicely planted!
9. Place on a
Potting compost (peat free, if possible), gardening gloves. window sill and water
regularly. Now watch
Some seeds, for example cress, different types of salad your garden grow!
leaves, or you could collect some wildflower seeds if you
can find some that have already gone to seed. Perhaps
your parents have some leftover grass or flower seeds Some more ideas:
you could use. • You could keep a record of
how many days it took the Within just a few weeks
Optional extras, to decorate your little garden different species to germinate you will have a mini
and how fast they grow. jungle growing!
Gravel or some stones or shells you collected.
• If you planted salads, you could
Toothpicks, lollypop sticks, paper and sticky-tape harvest some leaves to add to your sandwich
for making signs. when they are big enough. They will regrow.
• If you planted grass, and it gets very high, give it a haircut!
A Lego person or other little inhabitant of your choice.
• If you planted peas or other climbers, you can make a little frame
for it to climb up.
Barbara Sullivan delivers forest school and nature connection programmes for
children, families and adults through her company “Reconnect with Nature”. • Why not include a little pond in your design? You could use a bottle
Barbara is also a member of the Heritage in Schools specialist panel and is available cap or jar lid, for example.
for school visits. Contact Barbara on reconnectwithnatureirl@gmail.com
or visit www.reconnectwithnatureirl.com for more details. Have fun!
4 Bird Detectives
L OO VV EERR
EED
D PPL Lusby
RRIING
NG By Jo
hn
The clever trickster of the bird world!
John Fox
FACT FILE Ringed Plover to this list... but first let’s learn
about this clever wader!
Irish name Irish breeding population
Ringed Plover c.500–1,000 pairs Description
The Ringed Plover is a small and rather plump
Latin name Food wading bird that lives along our coasts. The males
Charadrius hiaticula Insects, crustaceans and females look alike: they are sand-coloured on
and worms their upperparts and white underneath, with a
Irish Name short bill, which is bright orange with a black tip
Feadóg chladaigh Nest in the spring and
A shallow scrape on summer, and short
Wingspan undisturbed stony orange legs. They
35–41 cm beaches, occasionally have distinctive
inland
Rohan (BirdlLife)
No. of eggs black bands across
Usually 4, sometimes 3 Threats their necks and
Ground predators such foreheads, as well as
Incubation of eggs as Brown Rats & Mink, their eyes, which
21–27 days gulls, marine pollution makes it look like
they are wearing a black mask...
Fledgling period and gives them the appearance of a bandit!
About 24 days
Given this distinctive and colourful appearance
you would think that Ringed Plovers are very
obvious and easy to find, but they are
We would like to masters at blending into their
introduce the newest surroundings. They are perfectly
member of the Spring camouflaged on the rocky and
shingle shorelines where they
Alive family, the
live and can be very
Ringed Plover! difficult to spot!
Each year the Bird Detectives
Ringed Plover
look out for summer migrants
migration
as they arrive to Ireland in the
Throughout
spring and log their sightings
their range,
Michael O
on the Spring Alive website:
Ringed Plovers are
www.springalive.net. Until
mostly migratory
’Clery
now, we have asked you to look
and spend the
out and listen for four Irish
autumn and winter
species: the Swift, the Swallow,
in southern countries
the Cuckoo and the Sand
and then travel north
Martin. Now we are adding
in the spring and
Bird Detectives 5
Breeding and wintering
distribution
Ringed Plovers are found at coastal
sites all around Ireland (with just a
few at inland sites) and throughout the
year. However, while our nesting birds
remain in Ireland all year, they are joined
in autumn and winter by more Ringed
Plovers from as far away as Iceland,
Greenland and even Canada!
summer to breed. In Ireland however, ‘our’ Ringed Another method Ringed Plovers use to find and
Plovers stay here all-year round. These ‘Irish’ catch their food is called ‘foot-trembling’. This is
Ringed Plovers are joined by birds from Iceland, much less common and you have to be really
Scandinavia and Scotland, which spend the lucky to see them hunt this way. They lure
winter here. underground prey to the surface by trembling
or tapping their feet rapidly on the ground to
As well as these winter visitors, Ringed Plover that
mimic raindrops... which is pretty clever!
nest as far away as Canada and Greenland also
stop off in Ireland on their journey to and from
West Africa, where they spend the winter.
So, the Irish coastline is like a busy airport lounge
Curlew Ringed
for Ringed Plovers, with birds arriving and Plover
departing from all different countries at
different times of the year.
Illustrations: M.O’Clery
ed
Feeding Black-tail
G od wit
Ringed Plovers hunt by sight, and they have very
large eyes to help them locate their prey. They
What does a beak say about a bird?
feed mostly on polychaete worms, crustaceans
and other invertebrates among the stones and Wading birds like Black-tailed Godwits and
seaweed. They scan for their prey, and once they Curlews have long bills which they use for
spot movement, they make a quick dash to catch probing deep into the ground to find their food.
it, before stopping and scanning for their next Ringed Plovers have much shorter bills and they
meal. This foraging behaviour has been referred catch their insect prey above ground. So even
to as the ’run-stop-peck’ hunting method, though Ringed Plovers are waders, just like
which describes exactly how Ringed Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits, they have
Plovers hunt for their food. veryh different ways of finding their food,
and we can tell this because of the
size and shape of their bills!
Michael O’Clery
6 Bird Detectives
DetectiveS
Nesting enough away from the nest, they once again
Ringed Plovers mainly nest along the coast, on regain the power of flight and take off to safety!
the ground on exposed sand or shingle beaches. They also engage in ‘false brooding’, where they
Particularly in the west, they also nest inland and sit on an imaginary nest site, changing
sometimes use quarries or areas of ‘waste’ ground position sometimes as if real eggs
in former industrial estates or abandoned areas of were under them, which
building sites. These artificial waste ground areas confuses and distracts any
actually resemble their natural nesting sites on would-be predator away
shingle beaches and allow them to blend into from the real nest.
their surroundings in the stony gravel, just like on
Michael O’Clery
exposed beaches. A chick, only
two days old
Survival of the smartest,
not the strongest!
The places that Ringed Plovers decide to They grow fast!
nest may seem like a very bad choice. They This chick is
nest on the ground in the open and you would Born to run about a
think that they don’t stand a chance against the The chicks hatch after 21 week old
many much bigger predators that would happily to 27 days and are
snack on their eggs, such as foxes, rats, covered in down,
hedgehogs and many birds, including gulls but they are able to
and Hooded Crows. walk and run almost
straight away and
The Ringed Plover uses its brains against the
leave the nest the same
brawn though, and they have some really clever
day they are born! They
tricks to help them survive and protect their
forage for food on their
nests.
own but the adults keep
Michael O’Clery
If a potential predator approaches the nest, the a careful watch, and
adult Ringed Plover will pretend that they have a keep them warm at
broken wing, and walk pathetically away from the night or in bad weather.
nest. This attracts the predator, which thinks it has
stumbled upon an easy meal, and when the
Ringed Plover eggs have dark blotches
plover sees that the predator has been lead far
and blend in with the sand and pebbles.
How camouflage works
Can you see the Ringed Plover on its nest here?
The bold black and white colours of Ringed Plovers seem
bright and obvious, but when the adult sits on its nest
amongst stones and pebbles, the black and white
patterns break up the shape of the bird, making it
really difficult for predators to spot.
Michael O’Clery
Bird Detectives 7
Shoelmldesuck
Michael O’Clery
H
A handsome adult
RINGED
Young chicks are
d
wonderfully camouflage
PLOVERS
Michael O’Clery
r
Cle
O’
el
c ha
Mi Mi
ch
ae
lO
’Cl
er y
Where’s the nest?
eggs?
Can you see the four
R.T.M
ills
8 Bird Detectives
Powerful wings can carry these small
birds across the Atlantic
Clive Timm
Jo ons
hn
Lu
s by
Young birds in autumn
and winter look duller
John
Fox
Four eggs
y
lery
l O’C
h ae
M ic
Adults can get in a fla
p if
you approach their ne
st!
Young Ringed Plover
n!
chicks are born to ru
Bird Detectives 9
OUR BINGO!
COL zgerald
by Niamh Fit
Have some Bingo fun in your own back garden!
Photos by Niamh Fitzgerald,
unless otherwise indicated
Our adventures these days are somewhat re- My findings...
stricted, but this doesn’t mean we can’t ex- This activity proved to be a lot of fun. It gave me
plore the natural world right on our doorstep. the opportunity to explore parts of the garden
that otherwise I may not have ventured to, and to
For me, being outdoors brings an unrivalled sense take a closer look at even the most familiar things.
of calm, especially during times of stress. So, I As a bonus, taking record shots of the findings
wanted to find some alternative ways to connect allowed me to become more familiar with both
with nature while staying at home. my phone and digital camera (though the bird
photos accompanying this article were taken by
BirdWatch Ireland has so many wonderful others). Not to mention, I got to stretch some
resources for fun and games in the outdoors on plant identification muscles that hadn’t been
its website (visit www.birdwatchireland.ie/our- used in a while!
work/fun-learning/), so I figured, why not try out
a few in my own back garden? Here are my top picks from the garden.
What species would Michael Fi
nn
As it is a nice simple activity, Colour you choose from
Bingo seemed like a good place to start. This your own
game is very straightforward: simply find one garden?
living thing in your garden to match each colour
on the bingo sheet below. Brown
Spring has
sprung, and
Th e BINGO SHEET
Wren
so you will
undoubtedly hear
the Wren singing in the garden. Despite their
small size (our second-smallest bird, next to the
Goldcrest) they really belt out their melodious
tune. This species is quite visible in my garden at
the moment, seen darting around hurriedly,
picking up insects.
Green
Nature is much
more varied than
we realise. Though
green is everywhere
in the garden,
Moss
this moss could
easily be overlooked
as a living thing, so I thought it would be a nice
choice. These flowerless plants have an incredible
ability to grow on many different surfaces. So,
10 Bird DetectiveSeven if your house is in an urban area, keep an eye Orange
out for moss growing on walls, in plant pots or on This one was a bit of a
trees, as well as on the ground. Lichen bargain, as it is actually
two organism in one.
Dandelion Yellow Lichen are the result of a
At this time of symbiotic relationship
year Dandelions are between algae and fungi.
popping up every- The slow-growing
where, creating a great organisms are easy to walk
splash of colour. by without a second thought, but definitely
Though often warrant a second look.
considered to be a Wavy Bitter-cress
weed, I personally admire this plant, not just for its White
beauty but also its gumption – just look at the way It may be hard to tell
it is growing between the path and the road as if it the scale, but the tiny
were the most natural thing in the world. flowers of this Wavy Bit-
ter-cress are just 3-
Red Black Cherry 4mm across. This native
My estate, like many Plum tree plant, which I found by
others, is planted with our washing line, often
trees such as this Black grows in waste ground and is another one that
Cherry Plum. The pale could easily be overlooked (I, for one, almost
pink flowers nestled in missed it).
amongst dark red leaves
are such a gorgeous Pink Chaffinch
sight. This ornamental tree Though Chaffinch
does not originate in Ireland, but does bear a plumage could
resemblance to (and is in the same family as) probably be
our native Blackthorn tree. categorised as
Finn
orange, depending
Michael Blue
Blue Tit on what way you
Though this bird is a look at it, I decided
definite candidate for to put this bird in this
yellow as well, I am category. Their iconic
always struck by the call is ‘pink-pink’ after all! Ronnie Martin
beautiful blue shades of
a Blue Tit, so it seemed
like the appropriate St-r--e---t----c-------h
choice here. This To get a little more out of the game, try with a
common garden visitor is
?
different range of colours or even pick a single
easy to come across and is a joy to watch. colour and explore how many variations you
Grey can find (green comes to mind as a good
Overturn almost any Woodlous candidate for this).
e
rock or plant pot in
Simplify
the garden and you
Choose a smaller palette
are likely to find
or pick colours that
a Woodlouse. Despite
might work better for
being easy to find,
you (for example, people
Woodlice are not so
who are colour-blind
easy to photograph,
might like to use a
as they are generally
different set of colours).
well camouflaged and
can move quite quickly.
Bird DetectiveS 11An C at C r a i n n
M a r t e n
Ruth Hanniffy
The Pi ne
by Ruth Hanniffy, Vincent Wildlife Trust
martens. Ancient stories of Queen Meadhbh and
Fionn MacCumhaill also mention Pine Martens.
Originally they were found in every county in
Ireland, but almost went extinct, with only a few
The weasel family populations surviving in the west and south-east.
Ireland doesn’t have any Martens were hunted for their fur or poisoned,
Weasels, but it does have and they lost their woodland homes when much
other members of the weasel of Ireland’s native forests were cut down.
(or mustelid) family. Our native In 1975 the Pine Marten was protected by law.
mustelids, which are those that have This has helped the species slowly to recover, and
been in Ireland for thousands of years, are it is once again found in every county, although it
the Pine Marten, Otter, Badger and Irish Stoat. is still missing from areas in Ulster and parts of
Cork and Limerick.
How can I tell if I’ve seen a Pine Marten?
A Pine Marten is about the size of small cat, with a Not just a Pine ‘tree’ Marten
long bushy tail and soft, dark brown fur. Their face Even though they are called ‘Pine’ Martens, they
is heart-shaped with cream-coloured fur around live in all types of forests, including coniferous
the ears and from their chin to their chest. This and deciduous. Pine Martens like to den in tree
chest area is called a bib and its pattern is unique cavities (holes) of old Ruth Hanniffy
to each marten, like a human fingerprint. This is trees, though these
very useful because if we can capture a marten’s are very rare in
bib on camera, we can identify individual Ireland, as well as
animals! rock crevices,
Like all mustelids, Pine Martens have short legs burrows, nests, old
and a long body. Their feet have long claws for squirrel dreys and
climbing and their tail helps them balance when log piles. Some Pine
moving or jumping between trees. Martens create dens
in attics of houses
Tree cat but they do not
Pine Marten
The Irish name for Pine Marten is ‘Cat Crainn,’ make good house
den box
which translates as ‘tree cat’. This name suits the guests so we look for
Pine Marten well - it is very agile and an excellent ways to keep them in
climber. They are arboreal (live in trees) and prefer their natural habitat - the forest. We have secured
to stay off the ground to stay safe from foxes and a Pine Marten den box high up in the trees, and
disturbance from humans. the martens have made their home in them.
A very long history Eating with the seasons
Pine Martens have been in Ireland for about 6,000 Pine Martens will eat whatever is found locally
years. Place names like Glennagat (valley of the and they change their diet with the seasons.
cats) in Co. Tipperary may have been named after They eat fruit and berries (especially in autumn),
12 BIrd DetectivesRuth Hanniffy
are
Pine Martens
to see
shy and hard
mushrooms, invertebrates like insects, frogs, kits are born blind and hairless and remain in the
Wood Mice, Bank Voles, birds, eggs and carrion den for six weeks. Like all mammals, she feeds
(dead animals). them with milk. When they are young she will
venture outside more often during the day, a
Pine Martens in our countryside high risk activity for her, to
It is important that anyone keeping chickens or bring back food to her young.
other birds in a pen or shed makes sure it is
very secure so that a Pine Marten cannot get in, Young Pine Martens will stay
because they are clever and curious. A pen with with their mother for 6 – 16
rotten wood is easy for a marten to chew! A months while she teaches
Pine Marten can fit through a hole of 4.5cm – them survival skills They are
Ruth Hanniffy
that’s about the same width as a big spoon! also very playful! Pine Martens
generally live for 5-8 years in
A year in the life the wild.
Pine Martens are nocturnal animals,
though they may be active during the Where to see Pine Martens
day in spring and summer. They are Pine Martens mark their territories
also solitary animals, which means they and communicate with other
live alone instead of in family groups martens using scent in their urine
like badgers or foxes. If you see more and in their droppings, called
than one, this is likely to be a mother with Pine Marten scats. We can look for scats
her young. A Pine Marten has a territory, or droppings especially along forest tracks and on
area, that it defends against other martens. fallen logs and tree stumps. Scats can
tell us whether a marten has eaten berries or a
In March the female looks for a safe den and in small mammal like a Wood Mouse.
April she gives birth to 2-3 young, called kits. The
Pine Martens may come to a garden in search of
food or shelter but, like all wild animals, you
If you do see a Pine Marten please
send in your sighting to the should not attempt to catch it. Like all young
National Biodiversity Data Centre creatures, young martens have a lot to learn
www.biodiversityireland.ie so that and often end up in the wrong place!
we can map its distribution.
In the next issue we will learn about how
For more information Pine Martens may be helping our native
on Pine Martens visit
Red Squirrels!
www.pinemarten.ie
Bird DetectiveS 13How to be a
b i r dw a t ch er
Goo d
Our outdoor adventures these days are During the summer there are birds nesting everywhere
around your home - no matter where you live! Here are
somewhat restricted, but this doesn’t
some tips to help you find out which birds are nesting
mean you can’t explore the natural world and where.
right on your doorstep.
Look out for...
So, if you want to be a good birdwatcher, Birds carrying nesting material to build a nest.
follow our TOP FIVE TIPS Birds carrying food to feed hungry chicks.
1 Wear practical clothes. Families of birds with young which have just
left the nest.
Wear camouflaged colours and stay warm,
dry and protected from the sun.
2 Pack your birdwatching bag.
Bring a bird guide, notepad, drink,
snack and binoculars (if you have them).
3 Don’t scare birds.
Walk slowly, speak quietly and keep
your distance - especially from nests.
4 Leave everything as you find it.
Close gates, keep to the path, take
And remember, be a good birdwatcher, watch
litter home with you and stay off private land.
the birds from a safe distance and do not
5
disturb them or their nests.
Have fun and spread the word!
Be prepared
Talk to other birdwatchers Before you leave the house, don’t forget to pack a bird
and encourage your friends to join you. field guide, a notepad to record your sightings, a drink, a
snack and some binoculars (if you have them).
Familiarise yourself with the special words that bird
Now its time to put these
guides use to describe birds: it will make it much
tips into practice! easier to identify them.
Sometimes the most exciting
place to go birdwatching Wear dark, camouflaged colours so that birds don’t
is actually the places you are most see you coming. And no matter what the weather is
familiar with... you see these places like outside, make sure you bring clothes that will
everyday but now let’s look again keep you warm, dry and protected from the sun - you
as a Bird Detective! may find yourself observing birds for longer than
you expected.
14 BIrd DetectivesWhen you go birdwatching keep
ion
an eye out for these
r i n g Mi g r at
Sp
Superstars
Rohan (BirdlLife)
Rohan (BirdlLife)
Be considerate
No matter how much fun you are having when
you’re out birdwatching, always remember that the
safety and well-being of birds comes first. Scaring
Rohan (BirdlLife)
birds stresses them out and stops them from feeding,
breeding and resting.
Walk slowly, speak quietly and keep your
distance - especially from nests.
It’s important to respect the laws of the land too.
Close gates behind you, keep to the paths, take
your litter home with you, and keep off private land.
Show the world how friendly and polite
birdwatchers are!
Fill out your checklist!
What are the five things every
good birdwatcher should carry
with them?
1. ........................................
Rohan (BirdlLife)
2. ........................................
3. ........................................
4. ........................................
5. ........................................
For more online, visit
www.springalive.net
Bird DetectiveS 15Shelduck Holmes
Competition Page
Competition 1 Competition 2
To celebrate bird migration, our Hint: If you visit www.springalive.net, you will certainly
ut
word search in this issue is all abo find it helpful when answering these questions!
Spring Alive! Here is a list of 15 Q1 Sand Martins like to eat fish – TRUE or FALSE?
words that are all connected with Q2 Swifts are larger than Swallows –
Spring Alive in some way. Can you TRUE or FALSE?
find them all hidden below?
Q3 Ringed Plovers like to feed on beaches –
• Spring Alive • Ringed Plover TRUE or FALSE?
• Swallow • Migration
• Europe
Q4 Swallows have red throats – TRUE or FALSE?
• Swift
• Cuckoo • Africa Q5 Swifts like to perch on electricity wires –
• BirdLife TRUE or FALSE?
• White Stork
• Bee-eater • International Q6 White Storks nest in Ireland – TRUE or FALSE?
• Sand Martin • Heidelberg Q7 The Bee-eater doesn’t really eat bees –
• Cement
Spring Alive Word Search
TRUE or FALSE?
Q8 Cuckoos build the biggest nest
of any Irish bird – TRUE or FALSE?
J B F U Z Y T A G R H R S E J
Q9 Sand Martins nest in tunnels –
L M C R R MQ Z E A E H A F L
TRUE or FALSE?
Q10 You can only send your bird
E M QW E AM B QV E ZN I A
sightings to Spring Alive if you live in
A U P Z Z T Z U O F Y C D L N
Ireland – TRUE or FALSE?
S P R I N G A L I V E HM D O
Barney Goose:
Prize
AW I O O C P E WM E D A R I
A Wild Atlantic
Way Adventure
F R H A P D F O E I L X R I T
by Carol Ann Treacy, value €13.00
R B A I E E L N D E L WT B A To enter
I L H G T L T E QQ B F I Y N
C Z NA A E L T F IWSN I R
l Fill out your age, name and address
A I GWN B S C U C K OO E E
on a blank sheet of paper.
l Find all the words in the Word Search and
R MS Z E R R T K F G P D X T
answer the ‘true or false’ questions (you can
A B Q R C PWT O I J N J B N
photocopy this page if you prefer).
l Post it to: Bird Detectives Competitions,
R I G T N O I T A R G I M O I
BirdWatch Ireland, Unit 20, Block D,
NA E Z F H X U I T K E C D H
Bullford Business Campus, Kilcoole,
Co. Wicklow, A63 RW83.
Closing date is 30th September 2020.
Winner of the Winter 2019 True or False competition: Áine Murphy, age 11, from Limerick.
The winner of the Winter 2019 wordsearch: Shane Cook, age 8, from Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
Answers to the ‘True or False’ competition in the Winter 2019 issue of Bird Detectives
Q1. Herb Robert is a type of plant – TRUE: Q2. Bats are blind – FALSE: Although many bats can navigate in total darkness by using their ears for
echolocation, their eyesight is perfectly good: Q3. The Swift is the fastest bird in the world – FALSE: Swifts are very fast, but the Peregrine Falcon is even
faster! Q4. A Blackbird’s eggs are blue – TRUE: Q5. Male and female Robins look exactly the same – TRUE: Q6. A young Puffin is called a puffling –
TRUE: Q7. The Teal is Ireland’s smallest duck – TRUE: Q8. Birds are the only animals which have beaks – FALSE: Several other creatures have beaks,
including turtles, squid, octopuses, certain fish and, of course, the Duck-billed Platypus. Q9. A group of crows is called a “murder” – TRUE:
Q10. There are no wild reptiles in Ireland - FALSE: Ireland is home to the Viviparous Lizard (A.K.A. Common Lizard), our only native land reptile.
16 Bird DetectiveSYou can also read
