Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri) in Sierra Espuña Natural Park, Murcia, Spain, last week. Sierra Espuña Natural Park is a mountainous Mediterranean protected area of high ecological value. The site is designated as a SPA under the EU Birds Directive.

Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) near El Hondo Natural Park, Alicante, Spain, yesterday morning.

Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) in El Hondo Natural Park, Alicante, Spain, this morning. El Hondo / El Fondo d’Elx-Crevillent is designated as a Site of Community Importance (SCI), a Special Protection Area (SPA), and is also a Ramsar wetland.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri) in Sierra Espuña Special Protection Area (SPA), Murcia, Spain, yesterday morning. This species is listed under Annex I of the EU Birds Directive and is a Qualifying Interest of this SPA. Spain is home to one of the largest populations in Europe.

Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) at Minas de Mazarrón, Murcia, Spain, this week. These abandoned mines now provide suitable habitat for Choughs. This species is listed under Annex I of the EU Birds Directive.

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Sierra Espuña Natural Park, Murcia, Spain, earlier today. This species had almost disappeared from this area but is now breeding here again thanks to conservation efforts. This site is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive.

Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) at Salinas de San Pedro, Murcia, Spain, December 2025.

Juvenile Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) at Salinas de San Pedro, Murcia, Spain, December 2025.

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) at Salinas de San Pedro, Murcia, Spain, December 2025.

Hatchery salmon in the upper River Mulkear catchment. This fish can be identified as a hatchery fish as the adipose fin is clipped. The nearest hatchery and the most likely origin of this fish is the ESB salmon hatchery. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Today is International Day of the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus). To mark this day, here are some photos I took of Iberian Lynx over the past year in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Juvenile Otter (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, December 2025. This is the same juvenile that has featured in my previous videos. 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.

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) catching Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, December 2025. This ornamental weir is a barrier to the upstream spawning migration of trout, and even larger, stronger salmon struggle to get past it.

Otters (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, over the weekend. The first individual in the video is the mother, and she is feeding on a salmonid. Watch to the end of the video to see her leaving with a juvenile.

Four years ago today, a major eel kill occurred on the Lower River Shannon. Hundreds of dead and dying eels were visible along the river downstream of Ardnacrusha hydroelectric station after Storm Barra passed. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Current trail camera footage of a Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Pine Marten (Martes martes), Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) from a site in east Co. Clare.

At the end of every new road/track in Iceland is a new summer cottage, a tourist development, a newly planted forest or energy infrastructure. All these developments impact breeding waders but the birds' problems start with the road. wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/r... #ConservationScience🌍

Nice photos of a Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) taken in very low light at the side of a road in October. It made a welcome change to see one that made it across a road safely! Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) on the River Mulkear at Annacotty, Co. Limerick, November 2025.

Parteen Regulating Weir and the ESB salmon hatchery on the Lower River Shannon, November 2025. This salmon hatchery is operating without an aquaculture licence, meaning it is apparently being operated unlawfully by the ESB. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

More footage of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) trying to pass a natural cascade in the upper River Mulkear catchment. This is a relatively small river; yet more salmon can pass through this site in an hour than make it through the fish pass at Ardnacrusha hydroelectric station in an entire year.

The Lower River Shannon yesterday morning, at the confluence of the tailrace from Ardnacrusha hydroelectric station and the main River Shannon. This is the point at which water abstracted by the hydroelectric scheme is returned to the river. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Ardnacrusha hydroelectric station this morning when ESB was abstracting just under 70% of the flow in the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) in Doñana National Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025. Iberian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) also feature in the video.

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), and Red Kite (Milvus milvus), all from one morning in Doñana National Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025.

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) in Doñana National Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025.

Wild Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) with a Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Recent trail-camera footage of an Otter (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick. The video also features a Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes).

Atlantic salmon trying to pass a natural cascade in the upper River Mulkear catchment last week. This is a relatively small river, yet more salmon can pass through this site in an hour than make it through the fish pass at Ardnacrusha hydroelectric station in an entire year.

Parteen Regulating Weir on the Lower River Shannon yesterday morning. This weir forms part of the Shannon hydroelectric scheme and is the point at which water is abstracted and diverted to the Ardnacrusha Hydroelectric Station. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Ardnacrusha hydroelectric station yesterday evening, when ESB was abstracting almost 70% of the flow in the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Much of the abstracted water is not even being used for hydroelectricity generation. Read the full post here:- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Unlucky Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) failing to catch two Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, earlier this week. This weir is a barrier to the upstream spawning migration of trout, and even larger, stronger salmon (Salmo salar) struggle to get past it.

Very nice footage of Otters (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear downstream of Annacotty weir, Co. Limerick, November 2025. Watch the 4K version here:- youtu.be/jLXoIOqtFJ8?...

Current trail camera footage of a Heron (Ardea cinerea) catching a Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) at a site on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick.

More footage of wild Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) running in the upper River Mulkear catchment last week. These fish are on their upstream spawning migration. This is part of the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and salmon are a Qualifying Interest of this Natura 2000 site.

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) running in the upper River Mulkear catchment yesterday afternoon. Read the full post here :- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Otters (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, yesterday morning. This is a mother and a juvenile, and the second photo shows them resting together. They were feeding on River Lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) blocked by the weir.

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), and Otter (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear downstream of Annacotty Weir, Co. Limerick, yesterday morning.

Otters (Lutra lutra) on the Jándula River in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025. The Jándula is a tributary of the Guadalquivir River and is designated as a SAC under the EU Habitats Directive. Otters are a key Qualifying Interest of this Natura 2000 site.

Otter (Lutra lutra) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, yesterday morning.

Current trail-camera footage of wild Fallow Deer (Dama dama) from a site in north Co. Tipperary.

Otters (Lutra lutra) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, November 2025. Read the full post here :- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Otters (Lutra lutra) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, last week. This is a mother and a juvenile. The River Mulkear is part of the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation, and Otter is a Qualifying Interest of this Natura 2000 site.

Juvenile Otter (Lutra lutra) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, last week. Watch until the end of the video when its mother makes an appearance.

Otters (Lutra lutra) at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, yesterday morning. Read the full post here :- x.com/EcofactEcolo...

Otter (Lutra lutra) foraging downstream of Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, yesterday evening.

Selected autumn trail-camera footage from a site in north Co. Tipperary, featuring a Badger (Meles meles), Fallow Deer (Dama dama), and a Fox (Vulpes vulpes). This was captured using a 'white-flash' camera, which uses an LED light to illuminate the scenes.

Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) in Monfragüe National Park, Extremadura, Spain, October 2025. This location is Peña Falcón, in the Salto del Gitano gorge of the River Tagus. The site supports one of the largest colonies of Griffon Vultures in Europe, with approximately 80 breeding pairs.

Audouin's Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) in Doñana National Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025. Once considered one of the world’s rarest gulls, conservation efforts under the EU Birds Directive have significantly improved its status, particularly in Spain, though it remains vulnerable.