circa.4300 BC to 2021 AD
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Wildlife in the Township of Dalkey

BIRDS
Aside from the plants the birds are the most obvious of  Dalkey’s wildlife. The Peregrine Falcons have recently returned to the area and can be seen jousting with the resident Ravens. Occasionally a Buzzard a recently arrived species in Ireland can be seen quartering the hillsides. Dalkey Island and the Muglins provide habitats for many of our breeding and coastal seabirds. 
 

The islands and the Dalkey coast are also important sites for passage migrants in spring and autumn. In addition a notable feature of Dalkey Sound is the daily passage in winter of skeins of Pale Breasted Brent Geese from their nesting grounds in Dublin Bay to feeding grounds down the coast (such as the Kilcoole Marshes)

Monthly News Letters
2021 2022

2023

 2024                      
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
2019
                             


Bird Survey :-  as have been observed at the Rampart Bank, Vico Road
R & B = resident in the area & breeding
W V        =
winter visitor
M & B = migratory & breeding
Auk, Little W V Long Tailed Tit   (pic)   
Blackbird R & B Linnet R & B
Blackcap  (pic)  R & B Magpie R & B
Blue Tit  (pic)    Mallard R & B
Chaffinch    Martin, House R & B
Chiffchaff  (pic)    Martin, Sand R & B
Coal Tit  (pic)   Merganser, Red-breasted R & B
Cormorant R & B Oystercatcher R & B
Cuckoo - Baby  (pic)   Pigeon, Wood R & B
Dipper  (pic)    Pipit, Rock R & B
Diver, Black throated WV Raven R & B
Diver, Great Northern W V Razorbill R & B
Diver, Red throated W V Reed Bunting R & B
Dove, Collared R & B Robin R & B
Duck, Tufted WV Rook  (pic) R & B
Dunnock  (pic) R & B Scoter. Common R & B
Fieldfare W V Shelduck R & B
Fulmar  (pic) R & B Sparrowhawk Fermale  (pic) R & B
Gannet R & B Spotted Flycatcher  (pic)  
Godwit, Bar-tailed WV Starling R & B
Godwit, Black-tailed W V Stonechat   (pic)  R & B
Goldcrest R & B Swallow M & B
Goldeneye W V Swan, Mute R & B
Goldfinch R & B Swift R & B
Goosander (pic) R & B Teal R & B
Goose, Brent (pic) W V Tern, Arctic R & B
Grebe, Black-necked W V Tern, Common R & B
Grebe, Great Crested R & B Tern, Roseate R & B
Grebe, Little R & B Tern, Sandwich R & B
Grebe, Red-necked W V Thrush, Mistle R & B
Grebe, Slavonian W V Thrush, Song R & B
Greenfinch R & B Tit, Blue R & B
Guillemot R & B Tit, Great R & B
Guillemot, Black R & B Wagtail, Grey R & B
Gull, Black-headed R & B Wagtail, Pied R & B
Gull, Great Black-backed R & B Waxwing  (pic)   
Gull, Herring R & B Wheatear   (pic)  M & B
Gull, Lesser Black-backed R & B Wigeon M V
Gull, Mediterranean vagrant Wren R & B
Heron, Grey R & B    
Jackdaw R & B    
Kestrel R & B    
Kittiwake R & B    


What is a Tern?
There are 5 species of tern breeding in Ireland. They all look like a small slender gull, but with long pointed wings. Their distinct forked tail has given them the name "Sea Swallow". They hover and dive to catch small fish and sand eels. Bird Watch Ireland have a lot of information on the Terns nesting & breeding in Dalkey
Please go to http://www.birdweb.net/tern.html for photographs and a lot more information,   also http://www.birdwatchireland.ie

BUTTERFLIES
Aside from wild flowers and birds, butterflies are one the most noticeable of our fauna. Ireland with only 28 resident species is like Britain (with only 59) way down on the European hit list - 560 species occur in Europe! About 17 of the Irish species are found in this area. However the 3 commonest migrant species to Britain and Ireland, the Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Clouded Yellow are all found in the Dalkey area adding colour and variety to the bio diverse richness of this district.

Butterfly Survey
as have been observed at the Rampart Bank, Vico Road

Common Blue Painted Lady (pic) Small Heath
Grayling Peacock Small tortoiseshell (pic)
Green-veined White Red Admiral Small tortoiseshell
Large White Ringlet Speckled Wood
Meadow Brown Small Copper Wall Brown
Orange Tip    
     
Two day flying moths have been observed :-
6 Spot Burnet & Cinnabar

Reptile Survey
as have been observed at the Rampart Bank, Vico Road
The Common Lizard is in current residence.

Mollusc Survey
A rare snail also living here, more information later

LAND ANIMALS
Badgers :- are present, but due to hunting no information will be displayed on any area information boards.

Goats :- are ever present on Dalkey Island, though completely wild they do have a divine hand ( in the context of a local vet ) watching over them. More information
Foxes :- six or seven are resident on Dalkey Hill, Unfortunately the one resident in the old Bulloch Quarry who visited Bulloch Harbour on a regular basis has not been seen since the start of April 05, and must be presumed dead

Rabbits :- only a few are left in a area of Dalkey Hill, as they have been hunted by youths with dogs
Red Squirrels :- currently it has been noted that there are a small number on Dalkey Hill, and an ever increasing number of Greys.
Rats :- plenty on Dalkey Island

SEA LIFE
Dalkey Sound is also notable for its extensive littoral and marine fauna, being one of the most bio diverse on the east coast of Ireland. Added to that the resident population of Grey Seals, whose accumulation in Bulloch Harbour daily at feeding times is a local tourist attraction, are joined by common and Bottleneck Dolphins adding to the wealth of marine fauna and flora. See list below of Fish in the area, though some have been fished out


George posing for his photograph at Bulloch Harbour

Coliemore Harbour

                

On one of the piers of the harbour there is an unusual looking building, originally it was built for the lifeboat. Later it became the marine biology station attached to University College, Dublin. where students come to study marine life. The deepwater of the sound, the rocky area and the sand banks beyond Sorrento point make it a compact area for investigation with easy reach of Dublin. Here can be found flowering plants, seaweed's, lichens, coelenterate, crustacea, mollusc, fish, and on occasion, mammals. It is now going to be the new sewage pumping station.

This list covers around 30 years of fishing off of Dalkey, some in deeper water.
Today some of the common species are becoming a rarity.

FISH Suggested Bait to be Used
BASS Crab Herring Fry Small Mackerel .
BREAM Mackerel Strips Herring Strips . .
BRILL Soft Crab Lug Mussel Rag
COD Crab Fry Worms .
CODLING Crab Fry Worms .
CONGER Crab Pollack Pouting .
CRAB . . . .
DAB Lug Mussel Rag .
DOG Lug Mackerel Strips . .
FLOUNDER Lug Mussel Rag .
GURNARD Feathers Rubber Eel . .
LING Mackerel Strips Pilchard Strips Pollack Strips .
LOBSTER Any Rotting Fish . . .
MACKEREL Feathers Spinner . .
MULLET Cheese Bread ........ Fish Livers . .
PLAICE Soft Crab Lug Mussel Rag
POLLACK Feathers Herring Mackerel Sand Eels
POUTING Lug Mussel Rag .
RAY ( SKATE ) 1/2 Half Mackerel ( head to tail ) . .
SOLE Lug Mussel Rag .
WHITING Lug Mussel Rag Fish Strips
 
 

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