On the 9th of May 2022 MKO Ornithologist Patrick Manley and his father Declan Manley appeared on RTEs Mooney Goes Wild programme. The programme focused on the migration of one of Irelands most recognised summer arrivals – the swallow ( Irish Name: Fáinleog ; Scientific name: Hirundo rustica). Swallows are a summer visitor to Ireland. They arrive from mid-March to late-September from Africa to nest and can have multiple broods over the course of the summer. They build their nests out of mud in suitable areas such as barns, old houses and other buildings.
Patrick and Declan Manley have been ringing birds including swallows on their land outside Edenderry in County Offaly for many years and on this episode of Mooney Goes wild, Terry Flanagan joined Patrick and Declan to find out if any swallows they have ringed in the past will return to their previous nesting site.
Listen to the full episode at the link below:
A couple of years ago, Mooney Goes Wild broadcast a very special programme which explored the significance of ringing swallows; for further information, and to listen back to that programme, click the link below:
To submit your own Swallow sightings in order to help Birdwatch Ireland to monitor their status and migration, visit https://springalive.net/
