Male Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) with a Stone Loach (Barbatula barbatula) at a site in the Lower River Shannon catchment last week. Kingfishers strike prey against branches like this to stun or kill it, break sharp spines and bones, and soften it before swallowing.

Kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) at a site in the Lower River Shannon catchment last week. Make sure to turn the volume up, as the audio captures the interaction between the pair. This footage was recorded using a trail camera modified with a close-focusing lens.

Current trail camera footage of a Pine Marten (Martes martes) at a site in Co. Tipperary. An Otter (Lutra lutra) also makes an appearance at the end of the video.

Common frog (Rana temporaria) tadpoles at a site in Co. Tipperary this week. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Female Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) at a site in the Lower River Shannon catchment this week. Males have completely black bills, while females have an orange patch on the lower mandible. A good way to remember this is to think of females as wearing ‘lipstick’.

Current trail camera footage of a Pine Marten (Martes martes) at a site in Co. Tipperary last week. The Irish name for the Pine Marten is 'Cat Crainn', meaning 'tree cat'. This native Irish species provides many ecological benefits.

More footage of Brook Lampreys (Lampetra planeri) spawning in the Lower River Shannon catchment last week. This is the smallest of the three Irish lamprey species. Unlike the other two species, they do not undertake a migration to sea and do not have a parasitic phase in their life cycle.

Male Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) at a site in the Lower River Shannon catchment this week. The fish it is eating is a Perch. Fish are swallowed headfirst to prevent injury to the throat from spines or scales. Kingfisher is listed under Annex I of the EU Birds Directive.

Brook Lampreys (Lampetra planeri) spawning at a site in the Lower River Shannon catchment this week. This is the smallest of the three Irish lamprey species and is the first to spawn. This is the first spawning activity I have recorded this year.

Selected photos of Ruff (Calidris pugnax) in Dundalk Bay. This species breeds in the sub-Arctic and Arctic tundra wetlands of northern Europe and Siberia. It is seen in Ireland mainly as a passage migrant; however, small numbers also winter on estuaries along the southern and eastern coasts.

Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea) preying on River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) on the River Mulkear at Annacotty Weir, Co. Limerick. This footage was recorded using an infrared trail camera that I left at this site for one night in March 2026. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Current trail camera footage of a Pine Marten (Martes martes) at a site in Co. Tipperary. While these coniferous monoculture plantations are generally poor for biodiversity, the edges and transitional zones can still provide important habitat for species such as Pine Marten.

Current Infrared trail camera footage of an Otter (Lutra lutra) preying on River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick.

Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) on the Shannon Estuary last week; winter visitors from Iceland. The scientific name Pluvialis comes from the Latin pluvia, meaning “rain,” as people once believed these birds gathered when rain was approaching. It is known as the Feadóg bhuí in Irish.

Otters (Lutra lutra) playing on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, earlier this month. This pair is a mother and juvenile, the same individuals that have featured in several of my recent videos. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at a site in Co. Limerick last weekend.

Current trail camera footage of an Otter (Lutra lutra), a domestic cat, and an American Mink (Neogale vison) under a bridge at a site in Co. Tipperary. The size difference between the otter and the much smaller mink is very clear here.

Current trail camera footage of Otters (Lutra lutra) preying on River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick.

Otters (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, March 2026. This is a mother and a juvenile. The River Mulkear forms part of the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and Otter is a Qualifying Interest of this Natura 2000 site.

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at a site in Co. Limerick this week.

Wild Fallow Deer (Dama dama) at a site in Co. Offaly last week.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) with a River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) on the River Mulkear at Annacotty Weir, Co. Limerick, yesterday evening. The presence of this weir blocks upstream lamprey migration, resulting in increased vulnerability to predation at this location.

Otter (Lutra lutra), Dipper (Cinclus cinclus), Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea), and Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, yesterday morning.

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at a site in Co. Limerick yesterday morning. This species is listed on Annex I of the EU Birds Directive.

Long-distance footage of a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at a site in Co. Offaly last week. This species is listed on Annex I of the EU Birds Directive.

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) at a site in Co. Tipperary last week. Formerly common, populations have suffered severe declines due to factors such as habitat loss, agricultural intensification, and secondary poisoning.

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at a site in Co. Limerick. This species is listed on Annex I of the EU Birds Directive. Once driven close to extinction across much of Europe, Peregrine Falcons have made an extraordinary recovery. Read the full story here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Long-distance video of two White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the River Little Brosna Callows SPA last month. NPWS confirmed that the bird in flight is a female released on the Shannon Estuary in 2022 as part of the reintroduction programme. The other bird's tag was not visible.

Grey Herons preying on River Lampreys on the River Mulkear at Annacotty Weir, Co. Limerick. The presence of this weir blocks upstream lamprey migration, resulting in increased vulnerability to predation at this location. However, the problem here is the weir, not native natural predators.

Arterial drainage maintenance works on the River Morningstar at Athlacca, Co. Limerick, this week. The works had already been completed when I visited the site; however, their impacts are likely to affect the river for months to come. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

The fatal flaw in the Proposed Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midlands Region. Read my report which supports the submission from Friends of the Irish Environment at this link tinyurl.com/mu654dah

Thermal imaging video of Otters at Annacotty weir on the River Mulkear, Co Limerick, last night.

More footage of Light-bellied Brent Geese (Branta bernicla hrota) on the Shannon Estuary last week. They migrate over 3,000 km from the Canadian High Arctic to spend the winter in Ireland. Almost the entire global population of this subspecies winters here.

River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick. Lampreys are poor swimmers and cannot jump like salmonids or climb like eels. As a result, even relatively small barriers in rivers can block their migration.

River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick. They are attracted to the old sluice gate at the weir and attempt to enter crevices where water flows through cracks in the stonework. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Dippers (Cinclus cinclus) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, last week.

Light-bellied Brent Geese (Branta bernicla hrota) on the Shannon Estuary yesterday morning. They are winter visitors from high Arctic Canada, and almost the entire global population of this subspecies winters in Ireland. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

This week I recorded Common Frogs (Rana temporaria) spawning in shallow forestry drains at a site in Co. Clare. Read the full post here about the implications of last night's cold weather on these frogs:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Current trail camera footage of a Badger (Meles meles) and a Fox (Vulpes vulpes) at a site in north Co. Tipperary.

Common Frogs (Rana temporaria) spawning at a site in Co. Clare yesterday morning.

Sculpture of Caimin, the White-tailed Eagle, at Mountshannon, Co. Clare, yesterday. Caimin was one of Ireland’s oldest breeding White-tailed Eagles, but he died in May 2025 from suspected poisoning. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Long-distance video of two White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the River Little Brosna Callows Special Protection Area last weekend. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Current trail camera footage of a Pine Marten (Martes martes) at a site in north Co. Tipperary. The Irish name for the Pine Marten is 'Cat Crainn', meaning 'tree cat'. This native Irish species provides many ecological benefits, including helping to control the non-native invasive Grey Squirrel.

More footage of Otters (Lutra lutra) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, from the current winter season. This shows a mother and a juvenile feeding on River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis). Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Recent footage of an Otter (Lutra lutra) family on the River Mulkear downstream of Annacotty Weir, Co. Limerick. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) preying on River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, last week. These lampreys are on their spawning migration, but this weir blocks their upstream passage. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Today is #WorldWetlandsDay, and to mark it I visited the site of the lost Cloonkeen Lough. Cloonkeen Lough was once a large permanent lake and turlough system on the River Clare, upstream of Corofin, Co. Galway. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) attempting to pass Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick. Lamprey migration is blocked by this weir, which serves no functional purpose. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) feeding on River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) downstream of Annacotty weir, River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, yesterday morning. The presence of this ornamental weir blocks upstream lamprey migration, resulting in increased vulnerability to predation at this location.

Current “white flash” trail camera footage of Otters (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick. The River Mulkear forms part of the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and the Otter is a Qualifying Interest of this Natura 2000 site.