Dublin Ireland

Foxes (Cams vulpcs), Otters {Ultra vulgaris), Badgers (Melcs taxus), and Martens (Mustelo. martes), are found in various parts of the area, the order of frequency being roughly at in which they are quoted.

As elsewhere in Ireland, the Irish Stoat (Putorius Jnbernicus) is frequent, as also the Alpine Hare (Lepus variabilis}. The Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), believed to have been introduced into Ireland in Wicklow about 1820, is now widespread in Leinster.

A point of much interest in connection with the marine fauna is that the Great Grey Seal (Halichaerus grypus) breeds within a few miles of Dublin (Bed and Breakfasts, Dublin, Ireland) , the only breeding-place known for this large animal in the British Isles which is not situated on the open Atlantic. Except for a great scarcity of lakes and of lowland bogs, eastern Leinster offers a wide range of habitat for bird life. Woods and streams are present in sufficient variety. The long sandy coast-line, broken by marshy inlets, offers a home for shore-breeding species. The rocky island of Lambay, now carefully preserved, is a sanctuary for cliff-breeding birds, and further south, the Great Saltee supports vast colonies of many species ; and the Wicklow mountains provide a wide area of bog and rock for the moorland breeders.

The shingle beaches of the Leinster sea-board are tenanted by Ringed Plover, Oyster- catchers, three species of Tern, and protection has largely increased some of the colonies. The cliff ledges, slopes, and banks of the Great Saltee in Wexford, are the home of innumerable Herring-Gulls, Lams Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills, Puffins, Cormorants, and Shags, also in smaller quantity Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Manx Shearwaters, Rock-Doves, and other species. All of these also breed on Lambay on the Dublin coast.

Dublin (Holiday Apartments, Dublin, Ireland) has long been a centre of ornithological study, and as a result, a large number of rare stragglers have been recorded from its vicinity and the surrounding counties. Among them are the only Irish specimens of the following:–Dartford Warbler, (Tuskar Rock) : Reed-Warbler, (Tuskar Rock and Rockabill) ; Icterine Warbler, (near Dublin) ; Woodchat Shrike, (Blackwater Bank lightship) ; Pallass Grasshopper-Warbler, (Rock- abill) ; Richards Pipit, (Dublin and Lucan) ; Tree-Pipit, (Tuskar Rock and Rockabill) ; Water-Pipit, (Rockabill) ; Little Bunting, (Rockabill) ; Shore- Lark, (Wicklow Head); Serin, (near Dublin) ; Red-footed Falcon, (Co. Wicklow) ; Lesser Kestrel, (Co. Dublin) ; Sociable Plover, (Navan, Co. Meath) ; Kentish Plover, (Dublin coast, several) ; Whiskered Tern (Dublin).

Attention may be drawn to the increase in this as in other Irish districts of certain species, and to the decrease of others. The increasing species, all of which breed in the district, include the Mistle Thrush, (unknown in Ireland before the nineteenth century, now common) ; Blackcap, Starling, (has greatly extended its breeding range, and immigrates in vast numbers in winter) ; Magpie, (which first reached Ireland in the seventeenth century); Jackdaw, Jay, (now abundant in Wexford) ; Stock-Dove, (first recorded from Ireland in 1875, now widespread); Woodcock, (now breeds throughout Ireland).

Posted on April 15th, 2008 under Zoology. Tags: Alpine Hare, Atlantic, Blackwater Bank, British Isles, Co. Meath, Dublin, eastern Leinster, Great Saltee, Ireland, Irish Stoat, Lambay, Leinster, Leinster sea-board, marine fauna, Navan, ornithological study, Oyster- catchers, Ringed Plover, Rockabill, speciesTuskar Rock, Tern, Wexford, Wicklow. RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback.