Seabirds face many different threats, both man made and natural. Birds may be storm-wrecked by adverse weather conditions that exhaust them and sometimes very large numbers can be affected. Oil and other pollution may kill or injure birds. Seabirds may also be accidentally caught and killed in fishing gear in some circumstances. In all cases, live and dead seabirds may be found ashore. Last year, for example, winter storms…

Flocks of starlings, known as murmurations, are one of winter’s most impressive shows and be seen across the province;  They can involve hundreds of thousands of starlings gathering noisily together at dusk and sweeping across the sky in a huge dark cloud of synchronised flight. 

Watching thousands of starlings move across the sky as one is such an unforgettable and truly inspiring experience.  It starts with just…

After letting us in on the secret world of odonates not so long ago, trainee ecologist Anne Guichard is back with exciting news from Portmore Lough...

Studying bryophytes is hard work and usually involves collecting low-level specimens in the field and requires a lot of time to identify them in the office, especially for a beginner! I collected some specimens on Monday 27^th October at Portmore Lough as part of a module…

I’m still waiting patiently to see my first redwing of the year – that unmistakable flash of colour in flight, as well as a creamy stripe above the eye, makes this charming visitor to our shores easily recognisable.

Redwings journey here in significant numbers from both Iceland and north-east Europe. They are found anywhere there is a supply of food and have a particular liking for berry bushes such as hawthorn…

This week is World Space Week, an international celebration of science and technology.

The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week would begin on 4 October each to year to commemorate the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, on this day in 1957.

You might wonder why someone from the RSPB is writing about World Space Week. Well it’s because this year the theme is satellite…

For me, autumn is the most special season - when nature shows off its coat of many colours and huge flocks of birds come and go, all searching for a more temperate home for the colder months.

Most people will know that long-distance migrants like swifts leave our shores at the end of summer and undertake the arduous journey to Africa. But you might be surprised to learn how many other species are at it too. Even the…

Today's blog post comes from one of two trainee ecologists in RSPB NI - Anne Guichard.

As a trainee ecologist with the RSPB, I have the chance to explore our natural world and learn about its wonderful creatures and the different ways we can manage habitats to help them. Our conservation work at Portmore Lough has led to 11 species of damselflies and dragonflies regularly breeding on the reserve ground. A single…

With its spirals of small white flowers resembling the braided hair of a beautiful maiden, the Irish Lady’s Tresses orchid is one of Northern Ireland’s most eye-catching and rarest plants.

The species was first scientifically described by a botanist on an expedition to islands off Alaska in the early 1800s and there are a number of theories as to how the plant may have made its way to our shores.

The seeds…

Whenever I see a white-coloured butterfly fly past, I ask myself a very simple question to help ID the fluttery fellow - ‘Is he wearing his stripy pyjamas?’

Don’t worry, I haven’t gone stir crazy in the heat! I picked up this very helpful tip (designed for kids but very useful for all Lepidoptera novices) from Catherine Bertrand at Butterfly Conservation when she was at our Portmore Lough reserve last weekend…

Last year, we welcomed more than 250 people to the grounds of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum for one night. We went searching for bats, learned about moths and butterflies, enjoyed some marshmallows round the campfire and looked to the stars from inside an inflatable indoor planetarium (yes, you read that right!).

This year, the Big Wild Campout is back, and bigger than ever. We're taking over the Ulster Folk Museum…

Last week was National Insect Week, so today on the blog we’re celebrating the vital role played by the 24,000 different species of insects which make their homes in the UK.

The tagline for the Royal Entomological Society’s awareness week is ‘little things that run the world’ – a statement which is no exaggeration!

Insects, from butterflies to beetle to bees and everything in between, can…

Late last month we got very excited as the once familiar call of the corncrake was heard on Rathlin Island for the first time in more than 15 years.

The bird’s arrival was testament to the hard work of RSPB staff and volunteers, as well as the co-operation of local landowners, who have been working hard to create a suitable habitat for this shy and elusive summer visitor.

Rathlin Island is directly on the flight…

Blog by Colum Delaney, RSPB NI Policy Advocacy Officer.

Farmers across the country have been getting behind our campaign urging the Stormont Executive to adequately fund wildlife-friendly farming schemes – will you join them?

In a recent open letter to the First and Deputy First Ministers, a number of the leading local environmental NGOs joined together to call upon the Executive to bridge a funding gap of more…

Blog by Genevieve O’Reilly, RSPB NI Volunteer Swift Champion.

Day by day the anticipation grows and, not unlike a child in the back of the car on a day trip, I find myself saying ‘Are they here yet? Are they here yet?’

The arrival of my favourite summer migrant – the swift – is imminent and, as they are only with us for a few months, it’s important to enjoy every minute!  With their…

It might surprise you to learn that the RSPB has been educating and inspiring children and young people in Northern Ireland for almost 25 years!

Our small but dedicated team works hard to see nature represented on the curriculum and in teacher training, as well as engaging with children and young people to experience nature first-hand. We also provide education programmes and activities through outdoor learning sessions…

Today  (8 March) marks International Women’s Day which celebrates the social, political and economic achievements of women across the globe.

For 2014, the theme is ‘inspiring change’ – something which the RSPB has been doing since it was formed 125 years ago.

The story starts in the late 1700s at the French court of Marie Antoinette, who introduced a fashion for feathers, and the plumes of exotic…

Andrew Robinson, a final year student from Stranmillis University College, writes about his experiences during his recent placement with RSPB NI.

On a blustery morning in mid January, I met up with fellow student John Hughes and headed to the headquarters of the RSPB in Northern Ireland for a two-week ‘alternative placement’.

The aim was to give us an insight into another employment area with close links…

Now the community pages are back up and running, here’s the Big Garden Birdwatch follow-up post I promised...

I wasn’t at home last Saturday to see if any brave birds battled torrential rain and gale force winds for a mouthful of buggy nibbles (ground mealworms mixed with suet for those not familiar with such delicacies).

Instead I was closely following how this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch was unfolding…

By this stage in the week (I like to think of it as Friday eve!) you’re probably feeling a bit frazzled.

The countdown is on to those two glorious days off work when you can kick back and recharge your batteries.

You might already know that this weekend (25/26 January) is the RSPB’s Big Garden Garden Birdwatch – the biggest wildlife survey in the world – and we want you to join in the fun!

Today, I bought my very first bird feeder in preparation for Big Garden Birdwatch 2014!

Don’t get me wrong, having been brought up in Fermanagh I’m no stranger to the great outdoors. My parents lovingly tended our large garden and kept a supply of nuts and seeds all year round to feed the many little birds which flitted over from the National Trust’s nearby Castle Coole estate.

An ID book and a pair…

With the dust settling on the New Year, we're looking forward to a very exciting 2014 at RSPB NI, starting with Big Garden Birdwatch.

Bird populations are a great indicator of the health of the countryside. That's why it's so important to take part in surveys like the Big Garden Birdwatch to keep an eye on the ups and downs of the wildlife where we live. The results of the survey help us spot trends and declines…

As we all look back on the past 12 months, and forward to the next, today’s post will give you a snapshot of the amazing successes RSPB Northern Ireland has enjoyed in 2013 and some of our exciting plans for 2014!

So many great things happened in 2013 that it’s not possible to cover them all. But, for me, top of the tree has to be Environment Minister Mark H Durkan’s decision to withdraw the ‘toxic’ Planning Bill…

As a charity, the RSPB relies heavily on volunteer support to carry out our vital conservation work.

In Northern Ireland we are lucky to have a dedicated team of helpers who, since April this year, have contributed around 8,375 hours of their time on our nature reserves alone! That equates to almost £56,000 of in-kind support which is simply invaluable as the RSPB continues on its mission to save nature.

Our reserves…

It’s more than seven years since I left home in Enniskillen to experience life in the bright lights of Belfast but the time I’ve spent away has allowed me to really appreciate what a stunning place Fermanagh is.

As a child I spent many happy days in the great outdoors - racing my brother to the top of Lough Navar Forest to look out over Lough Erne or collecting conkers in the beautiful grounds of Castle Coole…

Last Saturday around 20 million people across the UK tuned in to reality television shows, with a significant proportion of viewers picking up the phone and voting to save their favourite contestant.

Now we’re not going to be in the charts any time soon and we certainly haven’t mastered the quickstep, but here at RSPB Northern Ireland we’re urging people to vote in our poll to help save nature.

The harsh…