ZEISS Victory SF 10×42 Binocular Review
We put ZEISS's flagship birding binocular to the test on the West Cork coast... find out what we think.
Gear Review: Vanguard Endeavor Bags
We check out Vanguard's Endeavor series of bags especially designed for birders and wildlife enthusiasts.
Arctic interloper stuns Irish wildlife enthusiasts
The arrival of an Arctic bearded seal in an estuary on Ireland's south coast caused quite a stir. But what is it doing here?
Latest Wildlife Feature
How to see more wildlife
There's something a little bit special about a wildlife encounter. It taps into a childlike sense of wonder that all too often remains hidden beneath our sensible adult facade. For a brief moment we're transported to a simpler, more natural world, and reminded of how we fit into it. It's a thrilling experience, and a feeling that endures long after the moment itself has passed. But wildlife can be elusive, and spotting it can be tricky. Follow these simple tips to improve your chances of … [Read more...]
Wildlife News & Events
Arctic interloper stuns Irish wildlife enthusiasts
The discovery of a bearded seal in the small West Cork town of Timoleague late last week left Irish wildlife enthusiasts stunned, and led to … [Read more...]
Authorities ask for help to contain deadly crayfish plague
Authorities are urging water users on the River Suir to take precautions after confirmation of an outbreak of Crayfish Plague on the stretch of river … [Read more...]
Wildlife Gear Reviews
Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Review
Pros: The big one is reach -- at 600mm on my Nikon DX format body it gives a staggering 900mm 35mm equivalent. Excellent image quality throughout the … [Read more...]
ZEISS Victory SF 10×42 Binocular Review
Pros: Exquisite image across an expansive and immersive field of view. Bright, clear and razor sharp... the Victory SF is optically up there with the … [Read more...]
Wildlife Book Reviews
Book Review: Whittled Away — Ireland’s vanishing nature
While in many ways it's fair to say we have more today than we've ever had, if you're more than about thirty years old a short walk in the Irish … [Read more...]
Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland
Bees have always been a source of fascination for me. I remember as a child spending hours in Dad's flower borders watching their busy antics, … [Read more...]
Wildlife Blog
The hidden creatures of the Glen — Glen of Aherlow nature trail
Ireland's Wildlife contributor Albert Nolan takes a walk around the woodland nature trail at the Glen of Aherlow in County Tipperary... and discovers … [Read more...]
Wishing you all a WILD St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick's Day is, naturally, a special day here in Ireland... and is celebrated by Irish people and people of Irish descent all over the world. … [Read more...]
Species Profiles
Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia)
The adult emperor moth is a truly spectacular insect. On the wing in April and May, the male of this large, day-flying moth species is a particularly … [Read more...]
Raven (Corvus corax)
Seen close up the raven is a truly magnificent bird. The largest member of the crow family, it is the biggest passerine (perching) bird in Europe, and … [Read more...]
Featured Wildlife Websites
Wildside.ie — exploring the nature and wildlife of Wexford
Wildlide.ie is a site dedicated to the wildlife and natural history of County Wexford. It's run by a trio of contributors: wildlife artist Don Conroy, … [Read more...]
Spring Alive: help track spring’s progress through Europe
With the early arrival of spring making headlines it looks like the Spring Alive website is back in action again. Every year Spring Alive tracks … [Read more...]
Wildlife Features
Wildlife Highlights of 2016
2016 was a fantastic year for wildlife on the West Cork stretch of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. Calvin Jones takes a look back at some of the highlights.... With 2017 well underway I'm looking forward to the wonderful wildlife encounters the year undoubtedly has in store, but I also can't help looking back at the year just passed... and what a wildlife year it was! So here's a quick recap of my most memorable wildlife moments from the West Cork stretch of Ireland's Wild Atlantic … [Read more...]
Christmas gifts with a wildlife twist
You know it’s coming. Big commercial brands have been pushing it since October, and yet somehow this most surreptitious of holidays still creeps under your radar. One day you glance at the calendar… and PANIC! Yes, Christmas is just around the corner, and with it the challenge of choosing something different, unusual and thoughtful for your nearest and dearest. Christmas shopping can be stressful, but if you have someone in your life who’s interested in wildlife and nature you’re in luck. … [Read more...]
9 top tips for feeding your garden birds
During the winter short days and long nights limit the time birds have to forage, while at the same time natural food becomes more scarce. Our garden birds have increasingly come to depend on the food we provide as an essential supplement to what they can find for themselves at this challenging time of year. According to bird conservation organisations like Birdwatch Ireland and the RSPB, it's a good idea to feed your garden birds throughout the year, but it's especially important to do so … [Read more...]
Antlers at dawn: Killarney’s red deer rut
Sean O'Callaghan of Kerry's Wild Side gives us the low-down on one of the most testosterone-charged events in the Irish wildlife calendar: the annual red deer rut at Killarney National Park in County Kerry. Each autumn as the first of the winter chills set in and the summer’s dying leaves stubbornly depart their branches, the Killarney valley and surrounding mountainsides play host to one of Ireland’s great wildlife spectacles: the red deer rut. If the conditions are just right, … [Read more...]
How to watch whales and dolphins
Whales and dolphins are an exciting part of Ireland's wildlife. As an island nation perched on the edge of the north east Atlantic we have some of the best whalewatching in Europe right on our doorstep. We teamed up with UK optics company Hawke to bring you this in depth feature on how to spot whales and dolphins around the Irish coast, from shore and when you're out on the water. Ireland -- one of Europe's whale-watching hotspots Close encounters with whales and dolphins are up … [Read more...]
Kinabatangan — an incredible Borneo wildlife experience
The gibbon sat in a tree, gazing out across the turbid waters, its long, sinuous limbs somehow more graceful than gangly. It was the black variant of the endemic Bornean gibbon, and a magnificent specimen. As our guide manoeuvred the small boat to give us better views of one of Borneo's most iconic primates, I took a second to look around at my three teenage daughters. The looks of wonder and delight on their faces reinforced once more that leaving Ireland on a four month odyssey across … [Read more...]
Birdwatching for Beginners Revisited
With spring on its way, our resident birds getting ready for nesting season, and the prospect of spring migrants just around the corner, this is the perfect time to revisit our popular series of articles on birdwatching for beginners. This series of four articles is a great introduction to birding, spanning everything from getting started, to bird watching equipment, to developing your birding skills. Check out the articles below and we'll help you take the first steps on a lifelong … [Read more...]
Christmas gift ideas for wildlife and nature enthusiasts
What do you buy the wildlife enthusiast or nature lover for Christmas? It's a conundrum faced by partners, families and friends every year. You'd think it would be easy... anything to do with wildlife would be perfect, right? But from long years of experience I know that we wildlife enthusiasts can be notoriously difficult to buy for. So here's a little post to help out the "significant others" out there who are struggling to come up with last-minute wildlife Christmas gift ideas. 1. Bird … [Read more...]
Garden wildlife: it’s a jungle out there!
As another wildlife documentary draws to a close, I can't help looking out of the window at our back garden: the patio, the lawn, the garden wall strewn with ivy, the flowers nodding their heads gently in the evening breeze. It all seems so quiet and mundane compared to the wondrous tropical ecosystem I've just witnessed on the screen. But first impressions can be misleading.... Our gardens support an intricate web of life that, in its own way, is every bit as complex the cloud forests of … [Read more...]
