A sort of Ode to The Gray Heron and some of her marsh friends

The European Goldfinch

The seed eating Carduelis carduelis has recently climbed to the 9th most encountered bird in Ireland. Its population crashed in the 70's and 80's as agricultural practices intensified and weed seeds like thistle and teasel declined. Agriculture has not let up. Instead, the practice of installing peanut feeders in gardens has grown, and with it, the goldfinch population and human encounters.



A Rook, one of Irelands seven corvid species.
















The Litttle egret

Egretta garzetta was a rare visitor in Ireland until 1997 when it began breeding along the south coast. It now occurs in almost every coastal county.