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…

As the leaves continue to change and the weather takes a turn for the worse, hedgehogs are getting ready to hibernate. But before they bed down for winter, the spiky mammals are busy gaining weight to sustain them during their six month snooze.

They live on a diet of beetles, earthworms and other invertebrates but will happily munch on our leftovers, eating anything from cake to cooked vegetables. You can also put out…

Earlier this week we were delighted by Environment Minister Mark H Durkan's announcement that he will not progress further with the controversial Planning Bill.

The Bill, originally intended to smooth the way for the transfer of planning powers to councils, was becoming a piece of legislation which put economic considerations at the forefront of planning decisions, rather than sustainable development. To make matters…

Irish hares are no longer as common a sight in Northern Ireland as they were even a generation ago. However, at the RSPB’s Portmore Lough nature reserve outside Aghalee, County Antrim, this special species is thriving.

Irish hares differ genetically from mountain hares, resulting in their unique russet brown coats and shorter black-tipped ears. The Irish hare can also have a white tail – in fact during the very…

If someone asked you what delicious foodstuff is made in Tandragee, County Armagh the answer might seem obvious. I mean Mr Tayto even has his own castle!

But just a couple of miles away another Northern Irish classic is being lovingly produced. Local farmer Tim McClelland grows 79 acres of Conservation Grade Oats which are transported just two miles to the local ‘Speedicook’ factory to make top quality porridge with minimal…

Over the last few weeks, the news about nature has been pretty grim. Between the State of Nature report which showed that 60% of species in the UK is declining and the news that the new Planning Bill that is progressing through Stormont may offer less protection for nature, you’d be forgiven for feeling a bit hopeless that we can do anything to stop nature disappearing altogether. Some of our most familiar and loved species…