Ireland Wildlife Wildside Wexford Irish Natural History

White-fronted Geese at sunset

In High Skies, Low Lands Don Conroy, Chris Wilson and Alan McGuire bring the listener on a wildlife ramble through the various habitats of the North Slob, Raven Nature Reserve and the Wexford Harbour in Co. Wexford.

Sunset over Begerin Island

The Wexford Slobs and Harbour are, by their very nature, immensely attractive to wildfowl and waders and are internationally famous for the wintering flock of 8,000 Greenland White-fronted Geese. To date in excess of 260 bird species have now been recorded in the locality.  The attraction of the site is not just for the wide species diversity but more for the shear quantities of birds present through the winter. To encounter a third of the Worlds population of Greenland White-fronted Geese is spectacular.

Whooper Swans over North Slob

To experience over 100 species in a day, see international numbers of Pale-bellied Brent, huge numbers of Lapwing, and Golden Plover wheeling over North Slob skies“ inspiring stuff.  Winter swans may be the icing on the cake, but when one is looking through thousands of Wigeon, impressive numbers of Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard and Goldeneye, yes an exciting experience. To date ten species of goose, thirty species of duck and forty-four species of wader have been recorded. Rarities are regular first records for Ireland, impressive and finch flocks, in excess of a thousand birds, a winter normality.  That means birds of prey with regular sightings of Peregrine, Hen Harrier and Merlin. The Slobs turn up rarities such as Snow Goose, Canada Goose (genuine vagrants), Green-winged teal, American Wigeon, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck. Thats what the area is all about a spectacular variety, unusual sightings and memorable birding.

Red Squirrel in Raven Wood

Situated on the North Slob, Irelands premier wildfowl reserve, covers 550 acres, and is located at the western end of the 2,400 acres of polder land claimed from the sea in 1847.  At that time a high sea wall was built across the north side of Wexford harbour, making full use of islands situated in the northern half of the bay. This polder is protected from the east by the Raven Nature Reserve which started its existence as a long narrow sand spit, sheltering the entrance to Wexford Harbour. With the creation of the adjacent North Slob, for agricultural purposes, this land-locked sand spit came into its own as a major sand dune system that is largely stable except for the lagoons and sand bar at its southern tip. These dunes, planted with conifers in the 1930s, are rich in wild flowers, including several rarities and are also now the home of the rare Natterjack Toad.

From Wexford Town, towering above the long, low sea-wall, the tall chimney stack of the North Slob Pumphouse (built to control and maintain water levels on the slob), clearly marks the location of the wildfowl reserve centre’s main entrance, that is open daily 9am to 5pm.

Currently the wildfowl reserve is visited by over 45,000 visitors annually and is delighted to cater for groups as well as individuals. In addition to the Visitor Centre there are excellent facilities to view birds from the Observation Tower and other well equipped Bird Hides. Prime time to visit the reserve is from October when birds are arriving from the north, right through to the middle of April when birds are leaving to return to breeding grounds.

You will hear no lectures in this programme, but you will enjoy the warm, friendly, yet informative banter between three good friends who have a deep passion for nature and are happy to share their love and knowledge of wildlife with you.

The call of wild geese is synonymous with the Wexford Slobs.  May it always remain that way and may we never become too complacent with the factors around us that could, so easily, affect this situation.

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