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Baldoyle Estuary Wildlife

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Baldoyle Estuary Wildlife

Photo Diary of Wildlife in the area of Baldoyle Estuary. You can submit your bird counts to: https://form.jotform.com/221003970879055

17/10/2026

Walking Howth Road coastal path and birds up close to path for tide at 4pm

30/09/2026

Counts from September 26th.

On the way to Site A grass had been cut

Site A: 14:10: Small branches move. 20C. Partial Cloud Cover. Some blackberries in the hollow along with Firew**d dieback. Other flowers had been cut back. There was lone grasshopper chirping away, but other than that there were no birds or butterflies recorded over the 15 minutes period.

Site B: 14:30. Small branches move. 20C. Partial Cloud Cover. Ragwort had gone to seed with some isolated thistle. A single Painted Lady was recorded with the Merlin app picked up Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit.

Site C: 14:50. Light breeze - wind felt on face. 20C. Partial Cloud Cover. All plants in dieback. A single Speckled Wood. Birds were Goldfinch, Robin, Chiffchaff and Linnet.

On the walk around the Racecourse were 3 Speckled Woods and a Painted Lady.

The pond had a single froglet, and the juvenile Grebe. The strong wind was actively dispersing the Firew**d seed.

All around the Racecourse were Red Damselflies

13/09/2026

Counts from 30th August 2026

Site C: 14:00 Small branches move in wind. 19C. Half of blackberries on the bush had started to ripen. Hawthorn berries on tress. Firew**d had started ot die back. No butterflies or birds for the 15-minute count.

Little Grebe juvenile at Pond, but no site of parents - but first time Grebes have bred at pond. Two female Mallards at the Pond two along with 2 Painted Lady butterflies

The light shower had brought out quite a few froglets along grassy path next to pond.

Site B: 15:10. Light shower. Full Cloud Cover. Light Breeze. 19C. Ragwort only flower. No butterflies and Robin was only bird picked up by app. Swallows seen in large numbers from before had disappeared.

Site A: 15:30 19C Small Branches Move. Partial Cloud Cover. Remnants of Morning Glory and Noble Yarrow in flower. No butterflies and only a Curlew picked up by Merlin App.

On the 1 h walk around there were only 4 birds: Goldfinch, Greenshank, Robin, Magpie

On the general walk around for 1 hour, the Merlin App recorded Goldfinch, Robin, Chiffchaff and Linnet,

30/08/2026

Emperor Dragonfly at footbridge

24/08/2026

This was from August 16th. Heading into the count, weather was consistently sunny, hot, with good butterfly activity in the garden (Holly Blue, Small White, Speckled Wood). But by the time I went to do the counts, cloud had appeared after week's of absence and resulting butterlfy activity was light. There was also some light rain in the morning.

Site C: Wind felt on face. 17C. 100% cloud cover. Blackberry fruits were forming. Firew**d in 'cotton' form, some lingering ragwort and some Morning Glory, particularly behind the site. No butterflies were recorded.

Large flock of Swallows (30+) on telegraph wire near bridge, preparing for migration.

There was a Green veined butterfily on way to Pond

Site B: Only some Ragwort in flower. A single Painted Lady was knocking about. 19C 100% Cloud Cover.

Site A: Morning Glory only residual flower. 19C. 100% Cloud Cover.

16/08/2026

Small Whites quite active on muggy, overcast day. Quite a few near Allotments

02/08/2026

Site C: 12:50 - 100% Cloud Cover - 20C - Light Breeze/wind on face

Willowherb main flower in the area, but also Bramble, some Morning Glory (particularly in front of the site), Spear and Creeping Thistle, and a small patch of Red Bartsia. There were no butterflies although there were 3 Buzzards very active around the site.

Site B: 13:10 - 100% Cloud Cover - 19C - Light Breeze/wind on face

Some Ragwort with quite a few Cinnabar moth caterpillars on them. Common Fleabane and Ragwort main flower. Some Morning Glory.

Speckled Wood: 1
Meadow Brown: 1

Site A: 13:30 - 100% Cloud Cover - 19C - Light Breeze/wind on face

Large amount of Morning Glory in flower. Some Ragwort and Willowherb, Oregano and Noble Yarrow in flower. Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars on Ragwort

Green Veined x 1
Speckled Wood x 1
Common Blue x 1

Walking around the Racecourse there were good numbers of Painted Lady.

At the Pond, there were two Moorhen chicks, one of the Adults and a Little Grebe. It's a reasonable site for butterflies with Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Common Blue and Speckled Wood.

Where the council had cleared in Spring (mostly areas hit by the arsonist, but also surrounds including much of the Gorse) was colonized by creeping thistle and grasses.

Birds were few and far between

Site A: Wren, Buzzard, Robin, Dunnock
Site B: Starling, Goldfinch, Swallow, Robin, Buzzard
Site C: Wren, Pied Wagtail, Hooded Crow (not Carrion, as typical), Goldfinch.

Walk around: House Martin, Barn Swallow, Goldfinch, Starling, Curlew, Grebe, Bullfinch, Wood Pigeon, Linnet, Dunnock, Robin, Wren.

02/08/2026

July 26th counts. 19C Partial Cloudy. Strong gusts. Small branches move

Site A: 15:05 Plenty of Morning Glory in flower including Oregano, Noble Yarrow and a lone Dandelion. Small Gorse plant colonizing the edge. Willowherb in Hollow. No butterflies.

Site B: 20C Partial Cloudy. Small Tree Move. 14:40

Common Fleabane and Morning Glory in Flower. Cinnabar Moth leaves on Common Ragwort

Green Veined x 1

Site C: 19C Partial Cloud. Small branches move. 14:20

Tortoise Shell x 1
Holly Blue x 2
Green Veined x 4
Speckled Wood x 3

Willow Herb, Bramble, and Morning Glory in flower.

Bird Counts were very light

Site A: Meadow Pipit
Site B: Goldfinch, Swallow, Starling
Site C: Goldfinch, Linnet

02/08/2026

Pond action. Also there were two Moorhen chicks, Moorhen, Little Grebe and Housemartins drinking. Butterflies included Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady and Common Blue

12/07/2026

As the sunny weather continues, it was a good day for Butterflies. It was sunny 22-23C, full sunshine, and a light breeze.

On the way to Site A there were 16 Meadow Brown, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Ringlets, 1 Common Blue and 2 Speckled Wood along the Greenway.

Site A. Meadow Brown x 4, Large White x 4, Small White x 2
Oregano, Morning Glory and Noble Yarrow in Flower.

On way to Site B, there were 3 Meadow Brown

At Site B, the Ragwort was not yet in flower, but the Rowan trees were starting to show berries. Bind w**d was flowering amongst the bramble. There were 7 Meadow Brown and 1 Red Admiral

On the way to Site C, Ringlet x 1, Red Admiral x 2, Small White x 3, Meadow Brown x 1. with Great Hairy Willowherb and Bindw**d in flower.

At Site C, there were butterflies all around. Holly Blue x 5, Speckled Wood x 4, Meadow Brown x 1, Small White x 4, Green Veined x 2.

On the way to the Pond there were 3 Painted Lady, Holly Blue, 2 Meadow Brown and 4 Ringlets.

On the bird front, it was generally quiet with swallows the only rela active birds. The pond had a Tufted Duck, Moorhen and Coot.

Site A: Magpie, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Great Tit
Site B: Goldfinch, Barn Swallow, Curlew, Greenfinch
Site C: Wren, Wood Pigeon, House Martin

Walking around the Racecourse over 1h 10min:

Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Sedge Warbler, Common Buzzard, Jackdaw, Linnet, Wren, Robin, Wood pigeon, Moorhen, Swallow, House Martin.

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