Birdwatching Sites - South Dublin

Cabinteely and Kilbogget Parks

Description

These parks are situated east (Kilbogget Park) and west (Cabinteely Park) of the N11 and Cabinteely village. Both are managed by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and provide a range of recreational amenities for the public such as football pitches, running track, changing rooms, children's playing areas, pedestrian and cycle paths etc and both attract good numbers of walkers and joggers. They also afford some good opportunities for bird watching, especially Cabinteely Park.
For many years, Kilbogget Park was a landfill site which has now been wonderfully transformed to its present state. It is mainly open space with numerous football pitches and sports facilities, however at the northern end the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Parks Department has completed a major project to re-shape the Deans Grange Stream, creating ponds and wetland which has attracted a variety of birdlife (Flag A).
Cabinteely Park was laid out in the 18th century in the formal English landscape style as the grounds of Cabinteely House (Flag F). Nowadays the park covers 96 acres and is a mixture of mature and younger growth.
There is a modern cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, bathroom facilities and a Japanese style garden located between Flags C & F.

Getting There and Access

Dublin Bus routes between Bray and Blackrock and the City Centre pass nearby both parks with stops along the N11 and Old Bray Road. There is no direct Dublin Bus route between Dun Laoghaire and Cabinteely. There is a Green Line LUAS station at Cherrywood which is about 2 miles south of Cabinteely.
Kilbogget Park occupies a large area stretching from Wyattville Road (Flag G) all the way to Granville Road (Flags B) and there are a great many access points. From a birding perspective the two nearby pedestrian entrances on Granville Road (Flags B) are noteworthy. Entering here follow the stream on either side to the bridge (near Flag A) where close up views of the birds may be had. Kilbogget Park is open at all times.
There are pedestrian entrances to Cabinteely Park on the Old Bray Road (Flag D) and Glen Road (Flag E). Just off Park Drive there is a car park near a pedestrian entrance and bathroom facilities (Flag C).
Park opening times vary depending on the time of year, from 8am to late in the summer months, from 8am to 5pm in winter.

Birds

Kilbogget Park
The recently constructed pool system near Granville Road (Flag A) holds good numbers of Moorhens, Coots, Teal, Mallard and various Gull species. Grey and Pied Wagtail are also regular. Elsewhere in the park check any Gull flocks encountered as they can sometimes include Mediterranean Gull.

Cabinteely Park
The wooded area behind Cabinteely House (Flag F) can be good for Treecreeper and Goldcrest as well as the possibility of Jay. The paths between there and the Old Bray Road entrance (Flag D) are lined with trees and vegetation and well worth checking for, e.g. Song Thrush, Redwing (winter), Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Blue, Great and Coal Tits, Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Treecreeper. Nearer the Old Bray Road the path crosses St. Bride's Stream which can hold Little Egret and Moorhen; check the grass areas around the stream for both also. Crossing the stream heading towards the Old Bray Road there is an artificial pond on the left, which can hold swans, ducks, Little Grebe, Moorhen and a variety of gulls. Between the children's play area and the stream there is a copse of trees which can attract finches both in the trees and on the ground.

Some Notable Bird Records at Cabinteely and Kilbogget Parks

• Black Brant

1. 27th to 30th December 2020 (Kilbogget Park), this bird wandered around Dublin into 2021, until last recorded in Ballyfermot on 21st April.

• Cattle Egret

1. 31st January 2018 (Cabinteely Park).

• Hawfinch

1. 30th May 2018 (Kilbogget Park).