‘Worst breeding summer’ as birds abandon nests

Birds all over the country have abandoned their nests due to the washout summer, making it one of the worst breeding years in memory.

Even our most famous feathered parents — the blue tits in the walled garden of Áras an Uachtaráin – have failed to raise a family of chicks this year, leaving their webcammed bird box bleakly empty.

The bright plumage and industrious personality of the blue tit have made it one of Ireland’s best-loved garden birds.