Ireland - Wildlife of Wexford in Spring

Summary

The county of Wexford is located in the far south-eastern corner of Ireland and is home to an abundance of wildlife year-round. On this new tour, we will explore a range of habitats from open lakes and sand dunes to beaches, coastal lagoons and rugged cliffs, encountering a wonderful range of wildlife as we go, while also enjoying some historical sites too. We will be based for four nights at the excellent Glendine House, a Georgian property in the small village of Arthurstown on the Hook Peninsula, close to the River Barrow. Each evening, we will eat at a local restaurant in the village.

The tour begins, however, at Pembroke Dock in Pembrokeshire, Wales, from where we take the 4-hour ferry crossing to Rosslare in Ireland. The ferry cruises close to Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm and we can expect to see plenty of Manx Shearwaters, Gannets, Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins as we travel. Cetaceans may include Common and Bottlenose Dolphins and perhaps Harbour Porpoise. Over the next three days, we will enjoy a range of sites around Arthurstown. At Lady’s Island Lake, a huge sedimentary lagoon, we can expect close views of Sandwich, Common, Arctic and even Roseate Terns, one of the rarest breeding seabirds in Europe. All are present in good numbers, while Mediterranean Gull, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Shelduck also breed, and Little Tern is possible too. A day trip to Great Saltee Island – a short 20-minute boat trip away – offers large seabird colonies including Puffins and a ‘walk-in’ Gannetry! Chough are often seen here and the island is both an important site for Grey Seals and holds an interesting suite of plants. We will also visit Tacumshin, one of Ireland’s premier birdwatching sites, where we can expect a wide range of wetland species and the chance of something rare! Other sites along the south Wexford coast include Hook Head, a lowlying headland with a lighthouse in a dramatic setting, and Ballyteige Burrows, a protected dune system, holding an array of dune flora and a variety of insects (including Dark Green Fritillary), while the 12th-century Tintern Abbey is close by for a visit and river walk. After a most varied few days, we will board the ferry back to Pembroke Dock in Wales where the tour concludes and from where we make our way home.

• Explore dramatic headlands and the varied habitats of south-eastern Ireland.
• Seabirds including Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Gannets. Chough possible.
• Breeding Roseate, Arctic, Sandwich and Common Terns.
• Cetaceans may include Common and Bottlenose Dolphins.
• Day trip to the seabird colonies of Great Saltee Island, including Puffins.
• Based at a lovely Georgian property in the small village of Arthurstown.