Where Eagles Dare - they meet Conservation Volunteers
25 November 2008
Opportunistic robins are a familiar companion to volunteers in Fermanagh as they dig over the soil but they were shocked when a much larger bird dropped into their tree nursery at Castle Archdale last week.
At first they thought it was a buzzard sitting on the fence post but as they approached, it took to the air and landed on the team’s trailer. This allowed all the volunteers in the minibus a very close up view of a white-tailed sea eagle!
White-tailed sea eagles have been extinct in Ireland for the last 100 years due to extensive trapping and hunting in the 1800s and the early 1900s.
Earlier this year 15 young eagles from Norway arrived (by plane) in Kerry as part of a project to reintroduce them in a cooperation between wildlife organisations in Ireland and Norway.
The eagles are being released in Killarney National Park and the goal is to import around 100 eaglets to Ireland over the next 5 years.
This eagle must have been one of the young released birds exploring new territory on the west coast of Ireland. Despite only being 6-8 months old it was a massive bird. Its nickname is the ‘flying barn door’.
There are cultural benefits of having the eagles back, and it will also help fulfil part of Ireland’s commitment to maintain and enhance its native wildlife. In addition, the project is also hoping for a long term benefit for Kerry tourism, based on the knowledge that the sea eagles attract thousands of visitors to Scotland every year.
Other raptors are being reintroduced into Irish National Parks. So far this year, 56 red kites have been released in Wicklow and 46 golden eagles in Glenveagh National Park, Donegal.
The Volunteers spotted one of the golden eagles flying over Castle Archdale last year and an osprey seen fishing on Lower Lough Erne earlier this year.
“One of the things I love about Conservation Volunteers is the opportunity and privilege to get out of the town and see wildlife close up. Last week we saw red squirrels, black rabbits, a stoat and red deer. This week it is an owl and a eagle. More exciting than the pigeons and starling I’m used to on the housing estate where I live.” – Aideen, Fermanagh CATeam volunteer.
The Sea Eagle was spotted in the vicinity of Castle Archdale for a few more days before it moved on. The volunteers have their eyes peeled for the next interesting visitor.
| Relevant links |
|---|
| Conservation Action Teams |