From Killeshandra to Africa and back

Annie Birtwistle will give a talk celebrating the return of our summer migrants to Killeshandra tomorrow evening, Wednesday, May 21 at 7pm in the Killeshandra Resource Centre (H12 X3Y9).

The epic journeys that some of the birds flitting around our streets and countryside will be explored with a wonderful talk in Killeshandra tomorrow evening (May 21).

Ornithologist Annie Birtwistle will lead the talk at Killeshandra Resource Centre discussing the paths that brought our migratory birds such as swallows, swifts and cuckoos back into our lives.

Annie is very experienced ornithologist and field worker and a great communicator. She is no stranger to County Cavan having completed a swift survey of the towns in the east of the county last year.

As well as being a leading bird expert, Annie is also a farmer and she is currently working on the European Innovation Partnership Scheme for Breeding Waders. This work sees her collaborate with farmers, scientists and other experts to develop new practices that are environmentally friendly and economically sustainable.

This evening's talk is one of the first events organised by Birdwatch Ireland for Killeshandra.

"We wanted to hold an event outside of traditional places for us - Cavan town, Belturbet, Bailieborough - and Killeshandra is perfect especially with the Killeshandra Camino coming up next month," explained Cavan branch chairperson Tom Broe. "This talk affords people an opportunity to find out about birds that visit Ireland for the summer and are likely to be heard or seen on the Killeshandra Camino. More and more people are using Merlin Bird ID and are becoming aware of birds they can hear, but maybe only occasionally see such as willow warblers, chiffchaffs and blackcaps.

"If you think of how dangerous migration is for the birds and the many challenges faced like loss of habitat, declining insect numbers and difficulty finding suitable nest sites then it might give people more of a sense of wonder that so many still manage to return year after year and it also might make people rethink how they feel about house martins nesting under the eaves of their house," he said with a laugh.

"The Killeshandra Camino encompasses a nice mix of habitats - lakes, woodlands, meadows and the town itself - so there is a good variety of bird species that people might encounter."

Annie Birtwistle will give her talk celebrating the return of our summer migrants to Killeshandra tomorrow evening, Wednesday, May 21 at 7pm in the Killeshandra Resource Centre (H12 X3Y9).