Archive
(copy 1)
Wildlife Courses Cape Clear 2011
Cape Clear Bird Observatory, Cape Clear, Co. Cork
April to September
Wildlife Courses 2011
The field courses hosted by BirdWatch Ireland's Cape Clear Bird Observatory on Cape Clear Island, of the west Cork coast, have been expanded and developed to offer something for everyone. The observatory has been an island feature for over 50 years now, and is a key destination for bird watchers and naturalists throughout Ireland and Europe. The courses are designed to aid the beginner and those with some experience in the craft of bird watching and natural history subjects, depending on the course chosen. Courses vary from two to five days duration and each course will combine both practical indoor and outdoor sessions in some of the finest scenery in the country. Visitors will soon learn to adjust to the relaxed pace of island life!
Weekend courses commence at 9.30am on the Saturday morning, meeting in the Bird Observatory in the North Harbour and finish on the Sunday afternoon allowing time for participants to travel home on the evening ferry.
Five-day courses commence at 9.30am on the Monday morning, meeting in the Bird Observatory in the North Harbour and finish on the Friday afternoon, also allowing time for participants to travel on the evening ferry.
Participants will need to arrive on the island the evening before the course starts as there is no ferry to the island before 9.00am in the morning. The course / tuition fee does not include accommodation costs. Self-catering accommodation in the Bird Observatory itself can be booked together with your course; alternative accommodation is also available on the island in Bed and Breakfasts and self catering holiday homes. See www.capeclearisland.com and www.oilean-chleire.ie
Courses are run on the basis of a minimum of 5 participants and maximum of 12 per course and we reserve the right to vary or cancel course dates.
General Information
All courses will be field based so participants should expect a fair amount of walking (Cape is very steep). A reasonable level of physical fitness is required to participate actively in the field courses. Participants are required to bring their own binoculars (and a telescope and tripod if they have one) and a field notebook, and are also encouraged to bring any field guides, hand lenses, butterfly nets, cameras and other field equipment they have, which may be of use depending on the course chosen. Check out the selection of field guides, optical equipment, field guides and Cape Clear books available from Wings Shop or from BirdWatch Ireland HQ (T. 01 281 9878).
Seawatching can involve many hours of patient (but rewarding!) watching on a rocky cliff top, so a flask and a small foam type pad for sitting on could be useful. Suntan lotion is also recommended for protection from sun and windburn. An alarm clock is recommended for early morning starts, whilst a torch would prove useful for night time activities such as ringing storm petrels.
Whilst the programme for the courses is essentially field based, log call at the observatory or in the pub is a traditional nightly ritual after dinner, and there will be illustrated slide shows to support and enhance field skills. Visitors can expect to sample the unique Cape atmosphere: birdwatchers have been coming here for over 50 years and are very much part of island life.
Beginning Birdwatching: how to Identify Birds & Improve your Observation Skills
Course Leader: CCBO Warden, Steve Wing
Course fee: €95.00
Maximum of 7 participants per course
30th April -1st May
14th – 15th May
4th – 5th June
2nd – 3rd July
30th – 31st July
6th – 7th August
3rd – 4th September
Watching birds provides a lifelong, year round interest which is both rewarding and enjoyable. For those new to bird watching, the identification of a particular species can be daunting when confronted with a standard bird guide. Where does one start? These weekend courses offers the complete beginner or novice the basic skills to identify, understand and appreciate birds, and their habitats. Through observation and the use of a field notebook you will discover how to interpret birds plumage colour, movements, habitats and their song. You will learn how to identify both familiar and unfamiliar species with confidence, and leave with the knowledge of where and when to look for them. The course will also offer participants the opportunity to see birds in the hand as they are ringed by the observatory warden and will involve investigating the varied habitats of the island with the warden on his daily rounds.
Wonderful Wildlife: Nature Photography for beginners
Course Leader: John Murphy
Course fee: €250.00
Maximum of 10 participants per course
23rd - 27th May and 22nd – 26th August
After an introduction to cover basic photographic skills and techniques, equipment, editing software etc., it will be into the field to photograph as much wildlife and landscape scenes as possible.
Participants will learn to photograph birds in the hand and in the field.
A session covering landscape and light, will teach participants how best to frame landscapes with wildlife included.
Subject to suitable weather conditions, a boat trip around Fastnet is planned to photograph the Lighthouse and seabirds at sea.
The rich and varied biodiversity of the islands bogs and stone wall lined lanes are perfect for exploration with the camera. Together with a rocky coastline that is ideal for capturing seascapes and life in rock pools, we expect to have a lively finish up to this course with a competition to find the best portfolio of the week.
Biodiversity on Cape: Birds, Butterflies, Flowers & more...
Course Leader Geoff Oliver with Steve Wing
Course fee: €250.00
Maximum of 12 participants per course
20th – 24th June
A week of island exploring looking at local flora and fauna. The emphasis will be on the many varied features of the islands biodiversity with daily field trips and evening talks, slide shows and socialising.
The week will include an introduction to the geology, flora and fauna of Cape Clear with features on bird identification, butterflies & moths, plant identification, seaweeds and rocky shoreline ecology and searches for localised and rare plant species, many of which are restricted to Roaring Water Bay. Course leaders will introduce participants to the work of the observatory with an opportunity to see birds in the hand during ringing sessions. Time will also be spent on the cliff tops watching passing seabirds and scanning the ocean for porpoise, dolphin and whale species.
Magnificent Moths & More
Course Leader: Dave Allen
Course fee: €250.00
Maximum of 10 participants per course
15th – 19th August
The variety and beauty of our moths, never ceases to amaze anybody with even a remote interest in nature. This course represents a golden opportunity that will take the beginner from casual admirer to one who can operate a moth trap and learn to identify some of the trickier species.
We will run a variety of moth traps each night in a selection of island locations.
Each morning session we will go through the catches and explain identification of the various broad groups of moths as well as species level identification.
During the day we will also spend a few hours looking for day-flying species and caterpillars - We will also take time to look for butterflies and birds, as the migration season can bring unexpected visitors at any time!
Each day we will also hold an hour or so indoor session where we can go through some basic principles of mothing etc and will use this session for identifying more difficult species etc.
There will be an emphasis on the need to record everything and run through what is needed to get records into the system. This will also cover the need for record validation and issues such as taking specimens and / or photographs.
The Wonders of Bird Migration
Course Leader: Dick Coombes
Course fee : €250.00
12th – 16th September
Maximum of 12 participants per course
This course explores the wonders of bird migration in the setting of one of Ireland’s most famous birdwatching sites – Cape Clear Island. September is the prime month to experience migration in action and as the mass southward push of summer visitors gathers momentum, tired migrants make brief stopovers on islands and headlands en route to African wintering grounds. Cape, at the most southerly tip of Ireland, falls right in their path.
Aspects of migration covered will include: Which birds migrate, how do they navigate, where do they go, why do they move, what great journeys do they undertake, why do some species migrate and others don’t? Identification techniques, an introduction to bird ringing, counting methods, the work of the observatory and the effect of weather on birds and migration are just some of the other topics covered.
The time will be split roughly 50/50 between indoor lectures and field-based observation, when some of the theory can be put to practice. Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Sedge Warbler are just some of the common migrants likely to be present, but a sharp eye will kept out for scarcer passage species, such as Wryneck, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Wood Warbler and Reed Warbler, which could drop in any time.
There will also be the opportunity to witness the migratory movements of seabirds which pass by Cape and gather offshore at this time of year. Amongst the regular Manx Shearwaters, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Gannets and auks, there is a good chance of seeing Storm Petrels and one or two skua species and in the right weather conditions, maybe some Southern Ocean visitors too, such as Sooty Shearwater.
This course is delivered in a humorous and enthusiastic manner and will suit all levels.
Visit our website for further information: