North Bull Island - 8th December 2024.
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South Dublin Members, North Bull Island, 8th December 2024 (picture: Des Higgins)
Few Dubliners need an introduction to North Bull Island which is a place where many birdwatchers began their interest during childhood visits. Briefly, it is a low lying sand spit which developed after the construction of the Bull Wall, which was part of dredging operations in Dublin Bay during the early 19th century. It is still evolving and expanding to provide salt marsh, mudflat, scrub, and sand dune habitats not only for birds but also for a remarkable amount of other wildlife including several rare orchids and butterflies such as the Bee Orchid and the Marsh Fritillary, respectively.
Curlew, North Bull Island, 8th December 2024. (picture: Gustavo Zoladz)
The island is connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge at Clontarf built in 1819 when it was only intended to be a temporary construction for workers erecting the Bull Wall to which it is attached and has remained preserved to this day. The other link to the island is the wider car accessible Causeway Road at Raheny which was completed in 1964.
The island became Ireland's first bird reserve in 1931 and has since garnered more international special conservation designations from the EU and UNESCO than any other location in the country. More details are provided on the island’s biodiversity websites: www.bullislandbirds.com and www.northbullisland.com, which also give regular updates on bird and other wildlife sitings and include some superb photo contributions.
Stonechat, North Bull Island, 8th December 2024 (picture: Gustavo Zoladz)
The last visit to North Bull Island by the South Dublin branch was in October 2021 which was well attended, however this year many were probably discouraged by the remnants of storm Darragh which had ravaged the country the previous day but nonetheless 14 individuals braved the elements to meet on the Causeway Road at 10:00, including a few Tolka branch members.
The weather was bright and sunny but there was a bone-chilling crosswind and so the group did not venture far from the meeting point. There were a good variety of waders, wildfowl, and songbirds to be seen, albeit scattered and at some distance as the tide was low.
Kingfisher, North Bull Island, 8th December 2024. (picture: Gustavo Zoladz)
The highlights included a distant Kingfisher spotted by Patricia perched on a branch by the River Santry outflow, adjacent to the James Larkin Road, a location where they can often be observed. There were nice views of Dunlin, Red Knot, and Linnets flying overhead with Pintail, Wigeon and Shelducks feeding on the mudflats. A pleasant surprise was to see a Reed Bunting on a bush and several Stonechats by the road verge.
Of course, no visit to Bull Island would be complete without a sighting of that special goose beloved by Dubliners, the Pale-bellied Brent. The name 'Brent' derives from the Norse name meaning 'burnt' which aptly describes their charcoal appearance. These birds migrate over 3,000 miles from the Canadian High Arctic to arrive on our shores, estuaries, football pitches and even housing estate greens in early autumn staying until spring during which time Ireland hosts the largest population in Europe and Dublin Bay is their favourite restaurant!
Merlin, North Bull Island, 8th December 2024. (picture: Gustavo Zoladz)
Bird of the day was undoubtedly the Merlin which unfortunately only a few people managed to glimpse. North Bull Island is renowned for winter sightings of this our smallest and scarcest falcon where they can be typically seen perched on wooden posts along the north salt marsh from which they launch themselves into frantic dashing flights after prey such as pipits. Merlins spend their summer nesting in remote upland moor, bog and mountains and more recently coniferous forests and in winter travel down to stay on the coast. Our bird may have originated from its summer haunts in the Wicklow Mountains where there is a breeding population.
The other sought-after bird of prey that is sometimes to be seen on the Bull Island salt marshes is the Short-Eared Owl, a winter migrant from Scandinavia notable for being a day-time hunter. However currently no sightings of any have been recorded this season to date.
Redshank, North Bull Island, 8th December 2024. (picture: Gustavo Zoladz)
There were obviously few plants in flower although Des Higgins drew attention to one that was abundant namely the Winter Heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) which has a pleasant cherry-vanilla scent. It is an invasive non-native species endemic to the mediterranean which was reputedly introduced to Ireland by monks to provide a winter food source for bees. Interestingly, it does not seed here since only the male forms are found and it only propagates from rhizome or root segments.
The chief disadvantage of birdwatching at North Bull Island is it is a very exposed area and not a place to be in harsh weather and so after about an hour the group began to experience an uncomfortable wind-chill regardless of the layers of thermals and insulated garments worn and so individuals began leaving.
Buzzard, North Bull Island, 8th December 2024. (picture: Gustavo Zoladz)
Des Higgins, whose eyes were literally watering from the cold, led the event and a reasonable 31 species were observed considering the short observation time. Hopefully, the West Pier outing to Dun Laoghaire in January will not be so trying, until then happy Christmas to everyone.