Coffee, Croissants & the Morning Chorus of Nature
Join Marble Arch Caves Tour Guide Stephen for a seasonal introduction to bird sounds. Enjoy the impressive cacophony as the resident and migrant species of Cladagh Glen and the wider Northern Hemisphere welcome sunrise on International Dawn Chorus Day.
We will then discuss the difference between bird songs and calls and the reasons for both, before listening to the individual woodland songsters such as chaffinch, great tit and blackcap and learning some of the simple tips to identify them by sound alone.
After a quick tea-break, a trip to Killykeeghan National Nature Reserve will allow us to experience the songs and calls of a range of other species that are at home in limestone grassland and hazel scrub – potentially hearing skylark, whitethroat and the elusive grasshopper warbler.
Your Guide
Stephen Hewitt has been a birder since childhood and has worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and several ecological consultancies. Stephen has particular interests in bird songs and calls and nest-finding and monitoring.
Event Information
The walk begins at the Marble Arch Caves Visitor Centre. Please register your arrival at reception 15 minutes prior to the walk beginning. Tea/coffee and a croissant will be offered during the break to help you relax and recharge. This is an outdoor event, please wear comfortable outdoor footwear and bring waterproof clothing. Please be prepared to travel in your own vehicle to Killykeeghan National Nature Reserve.
