Seán Ronayne: Don't let birds battle their way here to find an empty larder

Irish winters are a welcome winter 'holiday' for birds flying from Scandinavia but they need decent hedgerow meals after tough journeys across swirling seas to get here

A redwing (Turdus iliacus) feeds upon fallen apples. Picture: Roger Wilmshurst, Frank Lane Picture Agency/CORBIS

It’s autumn and our summer birds are now well en-route to their wintering grounds of tropical Africa, escaping the cold, damp Irish winters.  But we needn’t be too sad — they’ll be back in a few short months.

And in the meantime, tens of thousands of feathered visitors are streaming into our airspace every day and night. Redwings, fieldfares, various species of ducks and geese, and more, are all pouring in from far northern latitudes: Iceland, Greenland, Arctic Canada, Scandinavia, and so on. These are tough birds used to harsh conditions, but they’re no match for the subzero winter conditions of those parts, so they jump ship and head south. Our Irish winters are nothing to them.