Best BirdWatch Ireland Podcasts (2025)

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Wings and Bird Detectives: we take a look at BirdWatch Ireland’s membership magazines 12:36

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22d ago12:36

12:36

BirdWatch Ireland is Ireland’s largest wildlife conservation charity, with a nationwide membership of over 15,000. Those members all receive Wings, the NGO’s main membership magazine, and the children's edition, Bird Detectives. Niall Hatch takes us through the key issues in both magazines this summer.…

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The Mayfly 53:26

1d ago53:26

53:26

Tonight, we hear a repeat of Dr. Ken Whelan's documentary on the Mayfly. Something strange is happening with mayfly populations. In this Nature On One special, fisheries scientist Dr Ken Whelan sets out to uncover the truth.By RTÉ Radio 1

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The Sustainable Futures Forum 55:04

8d ago55:04

55:04

The Sustainable Futures Forum brought together experts in biodiversity, climate action, and education. Terry Flanagan explores Ireland's nature crisis with Seán Ronayne, Éanna Ní Lamhna, Niall Hatch, and meets voices from the EPA, Creative Ireland, and UCC students working across science, policy, and the arts for a sustainable future.…

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Crockery Mountain 25:17

17d ago25:17

25:17

Last month, the town of Dungarvan celebrated the unveiling of Crockery Mountain, a 45 foot wide mosaic made from donated cups, plates, bowls and mugs. It was created to encourage sustainability and avoid waste. Terry Flanagan had to pay a visit and he speaks to the artist, Sean Corcoran.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Friendship is an important factor in gorillas, not just humans 13:19

17d ago13:19

13:19

In the human world, we know that friendships are important. But a recent report in 'Proceedings of the Royal Society B', show that friendship is an important bond for gorillas studied in Rwanda. One of its authors, Victoire Martignac, tells us more.By RTÉ Radio 1

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The different ways we can identify animals 6:10

17d ago6:10

6:10

Derek and Niall discuss how we can identify different species through their distinctive features and calls, and we answer some of your questions.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Global Action Plan: helping people to reconnect with nature 7:24

24d ago7:24

7:24

Global Action Plan is an environmental charity that guides people on a journey of discovery to reconnect us with nature and with one another. Terry Flanagan, met with Hans Zomer, CEO of GAP, and Niamh Ní Iceadha, the charity’s Education Officer, in the organisation’s Ballymun GLAS gardens, where they outlined some of their initiatives.…

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Are butterflies finally flying high again this year? 21:16

24d ago21:16

21:16

Over the course of the summer, we received lots of positive emails from listeners about improved butterfly numbers. Terry Flanagan met lepidopterist Jesmond Harding of Butterfly Conservation Ireland to find out whether our optimism this year is justified.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Rambling Along the Royal Canal 11:01

24d ago11:01

11:01

Ireland’s historic Royal Canal, originally built in the late 1700s, is now home to the longest Greenway in the country which extends from Dublin to Longford. Author Tom Dredge speaks to Éanna Ní Lamhna about his new book about the waterway, 'Rambling Along the Royal Canal: A Journey into the Heart of Ireland.'…

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Wild Dublin – second edition is on the way! 6:27

1M ago6:27

6:27

Among her many credits, Éanna Ní Lamhna is a celebrated and prolific natural history author, with many books under her belt. One of the most popular of those books is 'Wild Dublin – Exploring Nature in the City', which was first published in 2008. Excitingly, Éanna tells us that an updated second edition will soon be published.…

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Ancient Music in the Forest 0:49

1M ago0:49

0:49

Brendan Fitzpatrick sent a voice note to tell us about an interesting music festival. This summer, Co. Wicklow is alive with the sound of Ancient Music in the Forest, a festival celebrating ancient, traditional and early music in the natural forest amphitheatre at Dorlindon Nature Sanctuary, Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow.…

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Noisy Sparrowhawks 3:06

1M ago3:06

3:06

Ornithologist, author and regular contributor Eric Dempsey has had Sparrowhawks on his mind too. In recent days, a newly fledged hawk has taken up residence close to his house in Co. Wicklow and has literally been screaming loudly for its parents to bring it food.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Urban wildlife goes off the rails in Dublin! 40:02

1M ago40:02

40:02

Two of the most popular urban-dwelling creatures you may encounter at home or during your commute are the Red Fox and the Sparrowhawk. These two species just so happen to be the subjects of one of Ireland's largest street art projects at the Aviva Stadium. Terry, Richard and Niall decided to take a DART to the area to investigate.…

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In Your Nature Ep 64 - Pádraic Fogarty 56:43

1M ago56:43

56:43

Send us a text In Your Nature returns with a thought-provoking new episode featuring Ricky in conversation with Pádraic Fogarty—ecologist, author, and one of Ireland’s most influential voices for nature. The discussion centres on Pádraic’s long-standing work advocating for more ambitious and meaningful conservation efforts across Ireland, from rewi…

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On the trail of foraging foxes and backyard badgers! 54:05

1M ago54:05

54:05

Tonight’s episode of Mooney Goes Wild is a bit different. We decided to send Terry Flanagan and Niall Hatch off on a very special mission...to travel to Rathfarnham in Dublin and get up close and personal with the nocturnal Irish predators that visit Martin's back garden.By RTÉ Radio 1

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In Your Nature Ep 63 - Birds of the Falkland Islands 38:09

1M ago38:09

38:09

Send us a text In Your Nature returns with a captivating new episode recorded live from Global BirdFair 2025, where Niall Hatch is joined by two seasoned nature guides with deep ties to the Falkland Islands—Andy Pollard, a Falklands native and expert birder, and Martin Anstee, a conservationist and expedition leader with decades of experience in th…

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“Wonder reptile” fossil challenges ideas about how and when feathers evolved 15:32

2M ago15:32

15:32

A recent development has turned much of what scientists believed about the origin of feathers on its head. We are delighted to speak with Prof. Maria McNamara and Dr Valentina Rossi from UCC’s School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences about an amazing fossil discovery in France.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Ealing Wildlife Group: an update 10:29

2M ago10:29

10:29

While at the Global Birdfair in Rutland, England, Niall was delighted to bump into a good friend of ours here at Mooney Goes Wild: Dr Seán McCormack. Niall spoke to Seán about the Ealing Beaver Project at the wonderfully named Paradise Fields, and the 'gay icon' Peregrine Falcons at Ealing Hospital.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Forgotten Forests: Twelve Thousand Years of British and Irish Woodlands 19:58

2M ago19:58

19:58

The forests of Britain and Ireland not only fuelled their indigenous populations, but also the Romans, Anglo Saxons, Vikings and Normans. Tonight, Éanna chats to biologist Jonathan Mullard, who is the author of a recently published book entitled 'Forgotten Forests: Twelve Thousand Years of British and Irish Woodlands'…

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This is the time of year when wasp behaviour tends to change . . . and we are more likely to get stung 3:44

2M ago3:44

3:44

While Breda may be lacking insects around her home, Niall tells us that he has the opposite problem at the moment: Common Wasps are nesting in a cavity below the front door of his house.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Where have all the insects gone? 4:44

2M ago4:44

4:44

Breda Kelly wrote to us recently about her garden in Ballinteer, Dublin. She has a diverse garden... but apparently a total lack of bees. In fact, she notes that all other insects are “as rare as hen’s teeth” in her garden. Our panellists discuss.By RTÉ Radio 1

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In Your Nature Ep 62 - Ealing (London) Beaver Project 41:45

2M ago41:45

41:45

Send us a text In Your Nature returns with a fascinating new episode spotlighting the Ealing Beaver Project, a pioneering urban rewilding initiative bringing these charismatic ecosystem engineers back to West London after a 400-year absence. Niall is joined (recorded live from Global BirdFair 2025) by Dr Sean McCormack, founder of the project and a…

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Reporting from Global Birdfair 2025 in Rutland, England 12:30

2M ago12:30

12:30

Every July, the English county of Rutland plays host to the Global Birdfair, the world’s largest annual celebration of birds. Naturally, Niall Hatch was in attendance and is here to tell us more about the event and play some interviews he did with Ryan Chenery and Chandika Jayaratne.By RTÉ Radio 1

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International Conference on Basking Sharks 22:16

2M ago22:16

22:16

From August 29- 31 2025, the International Conference on Basking Sharks will take place at Atlantic Technological University in Galway. Dr Simon Berrow of the Irish Basking Shark Group looks forward to the conference and tells us more about the amazing Basking Shark, which is the second-largest species of fish in the world.…

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Looking back at Ken Whelan’s Nature On One documentary on mayflies 1:57

2M ago1:57

1:57

There is much more to mayflies than might meet the eye. They are fascinating creatures with a complex lifecycle that is largely hidden from human eyes. Regular contributor Dr Ken Whelan has made a special documentary on them which went out on August 4th and can be heard on the website.By RTÉ Radio 1

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An update on Garrylucas Marsh 2:24

2M ago2:24

2:24

Finally on tonight’s programme, Karla Goodman gives us an update on Garrylucas Marsh (also known as Kilcolman Bog) in West Cork, which featured in our colleague Michele Browne’s Custodians of Ireland series on RTÉ Radio One.By RTÉ Radio 1

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Two critically endangered Flapper Skates washed ashore in Co. Mayo 14:32

2M ago14:32

14:32

The Flapper Skate is the largest species of skate in the world, clocking in at up to 2.5 metres in length. Sadly, they have been classified globally as “critically endangered”. In May, two Flapper Skates washed ashore in Co. Mayo and Louise Overy, Wildlife Biology Lecturer at Munster Technical University, was able to study it.…

BirdWatch Ireland Podcasts

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Mooney Goes Wild

RTÉ Radio 1

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In Your Nature

By BirdWatch Ireland

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Wings and Bird Detectives: we take a look at BirdWatch Ireland’s membership magazines 12:36

1
The Mayfly 53:26

1
The Sustainable Futures Forum 55:04

1
Crockery Mountain 25:17

1
Friendship is an important factor in gorillas, not just humans 13:19

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The different ways we can identify animals 6:10

1
Global Action Plan: helping people to reconnect with nature 7:24

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Are butterflies finally flying high again this year? 21:16

1
Rambling Along the Royal Canal 11:01

1
Wild Dublin – second edition is on the way! 6:27

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Ancient Music in the Forest 0:49

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Noisy Sparrowhawks 3:06

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Urban wildlife goes off the rails in Dublin! 40:02

1
In Your Nature Ep 64 - Pádraic Fogarty 56:43

1
On the trail of foraging foxes and backyard badgers! 54:05

1
In Your Nature Ep 63 - Birds of the Falkland Islands 38:09

1
“Wonder reptile” fossil challenges ideas about how and when feathers evolved 15:32

1
Ealing Wildlife Group: an update 10:29

1
Forgotten Forests: Twelve Thousand Years of British and Irish Woodlands 19:58

1
This is the time of year when wasp behaviour tends to change . . . and we are more likely to get stung 3:44

1
Where have all the insects gone? 4:44

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In Your Nature Ep 62 - Ealing (London) Beaver Project 41:45

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Reporting from Global Birdfair 2025 in Rutland, England 12:30

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International Conference on Basking Sharks 22:16

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Looking back at Ken Whelan’s Nature On One documentary on mayflies 1:57

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An update on Garrylucas Marsh 2:24

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Two critically endangered Flapper Skates washed ashore in Co. Mayo 14:32