Giving Nature a Home in Northern Ireland

RSPB NI Policy Officer Phil Carson looks at the value and power of nature in tackling Northern Ireland's climate and biodiversity crisis ...

Dungonnell peat dams. Photo credit: Henry McLaughlin, Northern Ireland Water

Not long ago our news feeds were filled with stories of devastating floods in England, extensive fires in the Amazon rainforest, deep peat fires in Siberia and unprecedented fires engulfing large swathes…

A guest blog by Ric Else.

It’s not currently possible to visit Rathlin Island due to the travel restrictions that are in place during the Covid-19 outbreak. So for everyone who is missing Rathlin’s natural wonders, I’ve put together this virtual tour around Roonivoolin, one of the RSPB’s nature reserves on the island. I hope that it gives you a sense of the reserve’s beauty and tranquillity, and that it inspires you to…

With the anticipated, imminent arrival of roseate terns back to their Larne Lough breeding territory and Northern Ireland still under lockdown it was a race against time to ensure the right habitat was waiting for these site faithful breeders. In a guest blog RSPB NI Tern Conservation Officer Monika Wojcieszek explains how we did it ...


RSPB NI Tern Officer Monika travelling to Blue Circle Island with warden Chris Sturgeon…

Over recent weeks, the Northern Ireland Executive have started to implement plans for the country’s Roadmap to Recovery, outlining how to emerge from lockdown and re-start the economy. The decisions made by the Northern Ireland Executive now, will have lasting impacts on our natural environment.

On World Bee Day, RSPB NI staff members Claire and Cathryn tell us why they get a buzz from beekeeping and how you too can help these important pollinators.

Guest blog by Anne-Marie McDevitt

Today, on Endangered Species Day I want to share with you some of our endangered species in Northern Ireland - how RSPB NI works to help them, and what you can do to help.

Birds as indicators of the health of our environment

Although beautiful and fascinating in their own right, as birds occur in virtually every habitat across the world and are at the top of the food chain they’re…

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RSPB NI warden Chris Sturgeon features in a new BBC One NI documentary Belfast Harbour: Cruises, Cranes & Cargo about the daily comings and goings in Belfast Harbour. Belfast’s Window on Wildlife nature reserve - or Belfast WOW as it is affectionately known - is a home for more than 100 bird species that travel from all over the world to stay for the winter, nest in spring and raise their young and feast on what…

Guest blog by Brad Robson, RSPB NI Site Manager


The dawn chorus is a spring phenomenon created by the onset of the breeding season for many of our birds, including both our resident, year-round species including robins, wrens, blackbirds and blue tits, and the migrants that breed here but spend the northern winter in warmer climates - including chiffchaffs, blackcaps, spotted flycatchers and cuckoos.

The chorus is the result…

When Katie Gibb took on the role of RSPB NI Antrim Plateau Conservation Officer last year, the native New Zelander was looking forward to her first full year monitoring the progress of curlews in the Antrim Hills from this month onwards.

However, following government advice in response to Covid-19, the RSPB has ceased all field work and so Katie will not be following the Co Antrim curlews’ progress this season.

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By Susan Kula, RSPB NI

The Covid-19 crisis has interrupted much of our infrastructure and our normal ways of life; but despite all the chaos unfolding in the human world due to this awful virus, it is still “business as usual” for birds.
At RSPB NI, our phone lines are normally a flurry at this time of the year, with all manner of enquiries about bird breeding season. However, as a result of the current…

Sometimes it’s hard to remember life before Covid-19 (coronavirus), even though it’s only been several weeks since all our lives changed unimaginably.

Now, our work/life is unbalanced, lockdown has altered how we connect with friends and family, and with everyone’s energy rightly focused on staying safe and caring for the most vulnerable in our community, it can be hard to know how to ensure that nature is…

Guest blog by Anne-Marie McDevitt, RSPB NI Head of Species


The numbers are in and we can reveal the most-spotted birds across Northern Ireland, as recorded in the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend at the end of January, so thanks again to everyone who took part in this ever-important citizen science project!
House sparrows continue to rule the roost in Northern Ireland, while sightings of goldfinches and robins were up - and…

RSPB NI: Coronavirus Update with up to date information relating to reserves in Northern Ireland and coronavirus.

RSPB NI and a coalition of environmental organisations gave evidence to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) in Stormont

Planting trees can be positive for the environment: how can we maximise the benefit for climate and nature with the pledge to plant18m trees in NI?

Guest blog by Roisin Kearney, RSPB NI Conservation Officer


For International Women’s Day, we have decided to highlight some of the females of the bird world who buck the usual trends. Female birds don't typically get as much attention as their male counterparts because, in many bird species anyway, the female tends to have a much drabber colour scheme than the males and they do not tend to draw as much attention to themselves…

We’ve had Ciara, Dennis, Ellen and friends ‘storming’ our shores in the past month or so, but surely the start of March heralds the start of spring and the end of the stormy winter?!

Granted, the spring equinox doesn’t take place until Friday 20 March – and the old saying has it that March comes ‘in like a lion and goes out like a lamb’ – but we think we can start planning more outdoorsy days. And if…