Calling all birdwatchers! Our Ornithologists have picked their favourite spots in each county across Ireland for summer bird-watching. From resident favorites to exciting migrants, there’s something for everyone. So grab your binoculars and get ready for an adventure!
County | Location | This location is good for spotting… |
Antrim | Rathlin Island | Corncrake, Puffin, Kittiwake, Gannet, Razorbill and Guillemot |
Clare | Mounthshannon Harbour | White-Tailed Eagle (Holy Island) |
Cork | Harpers Island Wetlands | Nesting Sand Martin Wall |
Cork | Glengarriff and Garinish Island | White-tailed Eagle |
Donegal | Tory Island | Corncrake, Puffin and Breeding Waders |
Donegal | Inch Wetland Reserve | Colony of Sandwich Tern and Black-headed Gulls |
Donegal | Blanket Nook | Swallows, House Martins, common terns and swifts, Great Spotted Woodpecker or Kingfisher, and Yellowhammer |
Dublin | Ireland’s Eye | Cormorant, Herring Gull, Kittiwake, Gannet, Guillemot, and Razorbill |
Dublin | Rogerstown Estuary and Turvey Nature Reserve | Various |
Dublin | Dalkey Island | Arctic Tern, Breeding Gulls and Oystercatchers |
Galway | Lough Derg (Portumna) | White-Tailed Eagle |
Galway | Inisbofin | Corncrake |
Kerry | View from Castlegregory to Maherees Islands | Common, Arctic, Little and Sandwich Terns |
Kildare | Pollardstown Fen | Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Water Rail, Snipe, Little Grebe, Kestrel, and Buzzard |
Louth | Lurgangreen (Dundalk Bay) | Common Sandpiper, Terns, Wheatear, Gulls, and Osprey (regularly occurring, but not breeding) |
Mayo | Annagh Marsh, Belmullet | Red-necked Phalarope and Lapwing |
Offaly | Lough Boora | Grey Partridge, Breeding Waders e.g. Lapwing |
Waterford | Ardmore Cliff Walk | Kittiwake Colony, Chough, Kestrel and occasionally Peregrine |
Wexford | Great Saltee | Gannet, Puffin and Manx Shearwater, Razorbill, Guillemot, Kittiwake, Shag, Great Black-backed Gull and Fulmar |
Wexford | Our Lady’s Island Lake | Roseate Tern, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Tern and Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gull |
Wicklow | Kilcoole | Little Tern Colony |
Wicklow | Avoca | Red Kite |
Wicklow | East Coast Nature Reserve | Roseate Tern, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Tern Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gull |
Wicklow | Wicklow Mountains | Peregrine, Merlin, Red Grouse, Great Spotted Woodpecker |
Wicklow | Vale of Clara | Wood Warbler, Goosander and Great Spotted Woodpecker |