The bittern, a bird not seen in Ireland in 150 years has returned to breed there according to birdwatchers.
Three have been spotted in County Wexford, driven there from France say the experts by the freezing weather on the continent.
A leading ornithologist told the Irish Times that the arrival o f the birds was “an incredibly exciting development”.
Niall Hatch, development officer with Birdwatch Ireland, said: “This is tremendously exciting news because bitterns became extinct here in the mid-19th century. At least three have been spotted in reed beds at Lake Tacumshane, but there could be many more because it’s very difficult to spot them as they are so secretive.
“When they are frightened or startled they point their beak up to the sky, which camouflages them perfectly because their beak resembles a reed bed.
“There’s a small number of them in the UK, but I think the most likely scenario is that they came here to take refuge from the freezing temperatures in France and ended up in Ireland because it’s the last-ditch westerly land mass for them to escape to. It’s a unique experience, but more could follow and they may stay here and start breeding.”
9 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seamusmoore | Jan 03, 2011, 02:44 PM EST
Just a footnote to add to some excellent comments (even some by usually unremarkable posters): An Bonnan Bui is the name of the local pub in Pat Shortt's RTE comedy show Killinascully. The pub is the central setting for most of the scenes in the series, just like Fitzgeralds in Ballykissangel.
sirpeter | Dec 31, 2010, 11:37 PM EST
Georgy..You're gone right up in my estimation.I can't believe it.All the rubbish you have been posting, and then out of the blue you post a bit of magic.
laallyboy | Dec 31, 2010, 08:50 PM EST
Is fear laidir a ta tu anois, a "Wounded Knee." Ta ceart agat freisin. An file seo -- is e Cathal Bui Mac Giolla Ghunna, as Co. Cabhain no Liatroma. (You're a top-class guy now, Wounded Knee. And you're irght on. The poet by the way was Cathal Bui Mac Giolla Gunna, from the Cavan-Leitrim area, I think.)
Searlit | Dec 31, 2010, 05:40 PM EST
Beautiful bird, beautiful poem.
GeorgeDillon | Dec 31, 2010, 02:23 AM EST
I hadn't realized that this bird was extinct in Ireland. I wonder why Ledwidge mentions it in his great poem for Thomas McDonough--"He shall not hear the bittern cry/In the wild sky, where he is lain". According to the article above, the bird was already unknown in Ireland for at least 50 years by the time Ledwidge wrote those lines. McDonough couldn't have heard the bittern, because it disappeared before he was born!
Dublinjas | Dec 31, 2010, 12:22 AM EST
Just another bleeding Foreigner.
Downunderyan | Dec 30, 2010, 05:41 PM EST
Maith thu a "WoundedKnee" ar cuimhniuchan an dan ud "An Bonnan Bui". Is ocaid ceiliura an sceal sin, fileadh an Bonnan Bui ar Eireann. Go d'fhanfai iad agus go d'fhileadh iad an geimhreadh 2011.
sirpeter | Dec 30, 2010, 09:25 AM EST
Woundedbolix is that really you? You actually posted something that has some merit and is interesting,i'm shocked!!You're back on your meds aren't you...Good man,you know it makes sense.
WoundedKnee | Dec 30, 2010, 07:24 AM EST
This is good news. One of the most well-known poems in the Gaelic language is the 18th-century An Bonnan Bui, The Yellow Bittern. The poet comes across the body of a dead bittern, and laments its fate. But it is not a standard elegy, since the bird has apparently died of thirst, not hunger. A bhonnán bhuí, is é mo léan do luí, Is do chnámha sínte tar éis do ghrinn, Is chan easba bidh ach díobháil dí A d'fhág i do luí thú ar chúl do chinn.