Specialists join forces to organise wild weekends

Two leading wildlife specialists have joined forces to help people get close to the wild side of Ireland.

The Discover Wildlife Weekends will see people flocking to West Cork for a chance to explore the region’s magnificent coastal wildlife with expert local guides.

The weekend outings, which will be based at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery, are being organised by Ireland’s Wildlife, a magazine founded and edited by Calvin Jones, and will be co-hosted by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group’s Padraig Whooley, one of Ireland’s leading marine mammal experts.

“Getting closer to nature and wildlife can be a great antidote to the hectic lifestyle most of us lead today,” Mr Jones said.

“These weekends are designed to give people the chance to get away for a few days, unwind and explore the stunning West Cork coastline, and the wonderful wildlife it has to offer.”

West Cork is famed for its coastal and marine wildlife and is widely acknowledged as one of the best locations in Europe to see some of the world’s most spectacular creatures.

The region made headlines around the world last December thanks in part to a stunning photograph by Simon Duggan of a humpback whale leaping clear of the water off Baltimore as whale watchers looked the other way.

But Mr Jones said West Cork plays host to basking sharks, porpoises, several dolphin species as well as minke whales, fin whales and the occasional humpback whale every year.

Mr Whooley said the wildlife weekend participants will be introduced to some of the best land and boat-based whale watching anywhere in European North Atlantic waters.

“Weather permitting, we will venture offshore with whale watch supremo, Colin Barnes on the MV Holly Jo in search of giants,” he said.

“Colin is without question one of the most experienced whale watch skippers in the British Isles, and has featured on a host of wildlife documentaries such as Wild Trials, Living the Wildlife, BBC Autumnwatch and BBC Winterwatch.”

But the coastline is also a birding hot-spot, with superb opportunities to see resident species like chough, peregrine and merlin, get great views of visiting waders and wildfowl and excellent seabird watching from coastal headlands.

There’s also a real possibility of spotting unusual migrants as they skirt the south coast during spring and autumn migration.

While the focus, weather permitting, will be on field trips, the weekends will also feature practical modules covering subjects like equipment and field-craft, as well as talks on some of the tracking programmes and research work being done on some of the species.

Mr Jones said he hopes people will pick up hints and tips on how to improve their wildlife watching skills, and how to get closer to wildlife.

The Discover Wildlife Weekends are scheduled to take place on Apr 12-14 and Sept 27-29. The Celtic Ross is offering special deals for course participants.

lFull details and booking information on www.irelandswildlife.com