Harper’s Island, a Place Where Birds Are Allowed To Thrive

I read something the other day that left my deeply upset. The slender billed curlew is extinct. https://www.unep-aewa.org/en/news/slender-billed-curlew-officially-declared-extinct-wake-call-migratory-bird-conservation An amazing animal, a sentient, intelligent creature, will never fly through our skies again, simply because it had the misfortune to encounter humanity. And yes, while plenty of animals went extinct before humans were on Earth, habitat … Continue reading Harper’s Island, a Place Where Birds Are Allowed To Thrive →

New Sights And Sounds Around Courtmacsherry

I often see or hear new birds I've never seen before around Courtmacsherry. This is in large part because the area is effectively three bird friendly environments in one. It's got few if any of those Coilte plantations, and I've written about those here: https://autismneurodiversity.com/2025/06/12/bottlehill-forest-is-a-great-place-to-listen-to-bird-song-but-it-shouldnt-be/ And a lot more proper woodlands that are nice places … Continue reading New Sights And Sounds Around Courtmacsherry →

A Raven, A Kestrel, And Bees!!!!!

Before I go on a long cycle, I always check the weather forecast beforehand. I like the security of knowing that there'll be no rain, it won't be too hot or too cold, and that the wind won't be strong enough to make for a difficult cycle. But, before my last cycle, the weather forecast … Continue reading A Raven, A Kestrel, And Bees!!!!! →

Finding Hope Along the Cork Harbour Greenway

https://imgur.com/mjbkwq1 Black Tailed Godwits I feel for the last few years hope is something that's been in short supply. The horrific genocide in Palestine, the re-election of Trump, the seemingly unstoppable climate change catastrophe, well, it could be stopped if the powers that be wanted to, but they won't, and the fact that an unbelievable … Continue reading Finding Hope Along the Cork Harbour Greenway →

A Zebra Jumping Spider Comes To Visit Me On My Backyard Patio Table

https://imgur.com/nefMSOD Possibly the world's best spider. One of the reasons I got obsessively into wildlife was my absolute fascination with jumping spiders. I would watch video after video after video about them, and Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children Of Time was also a big part of it. That's a book about how jumping spiders are given a … Continue reading A Zebra Jumping Spider Comes To Visit Me On My Backyard Patio Table →

The Arrival Of The Baby Birds, One Of The Best Times Of The Year!

https://imgur.com/DK8CskG Three cygnets in the Lough. I wrote last year about how much joy I get from seeing baby birds slowly grow into adults over the span of often as little as a few months: https://autismneurodiversity.com/2024/07/12/the-elation-of-seeing-baby-birds-growing-up/ And they grow up so fast! People say that about humans. No, humans do not grow up fast. Thirteen … Continue reading The Arrival Of The Baby Birds, One Of The Best Times Of The Year! →

Amazing Pilots, The Peregrine, The Kestrel And The Mute Swan

Sometimes I'm blown away by the fact that birds are sentient aircraft. When I overhear people complaining about how there are too many pigeons or seagulls around, I think about it the other way, I feel privileged that I get to share a planet with such amazing animals. Birds are amazing pilots. And what I'm … Continue reading Amazing Pilots, The Peregrine, The Kestrel And The Mute Swan →

The Best Action Films Are Right Above You.

Will we ever return to the classic action films of old? Will the Marvel films ever find their way again? Are our films doomed to forever be a mess of crappy looking C.G.I? Well, what if I told you there was something better than any action film in the cinema, and all you have to … Continue reading The Best Action Films Are Right Above You. →

The Music Of Other Minds

As I write this, I can hear music outside. It's the music of a mind so different from mine. A brain diverged from my own by at least 300 million years of evolution. It's the music of, a woodpigeon! The sound of a wood pigeon I recorded: https://xeno-canto.org/977080 https://imgur.com/7UYfcA5 WOO-WOO-WOO-WOO!!!!! I love the song of … Continue reading The Music Of Other Minds →

After Months Of Frustration I Finally Photographed A Kingfisher

To me kingfishers are like the aurora borealis of the bird world. There is a lot of luck involved in seeing one, and the attempt can lead to a lot of frustration and dissapointment. I haven't even seen the Aurora Borealis yet, and I'm almost forty. Despite knowing the difficulties that were in store for … Continue reading After Months Of Frustration I Finally Photographed A Kingfisher →