The BirdWatch Ireland West Cork Branch annual dawn to dusk bird racetakes place on Sunday 27 January.
This is when teams of four spend the day racing around part of West Cork trying to record as many species of birds as possible. It’s a great day out and should produce more than 100 species (there were 104 in 2018 and 106 in 2017 with 110 different species in total).
As in previous years, the race area will stretch from Ring Pier in the east to Rosscarbery Pier in the west and south of the R600 and the N71. This year there will be a special provision for the blocked R600 due to the flood relief works in Clonakilty. This will be explained on the day.
The race is open to everyone, from the very experienced birder to the very inexperienced, but all have an opportunity to win the coveted trophy! All-in-all this is a fun day out for any bird lover and a great opportunity to see lots of bird species and get familiar with one of the best birdwatching locations in the whole country. The current holders of the trophy, John Lynch, Tony Nagle, Paul Moore and Mike O’Keefe, are the team to beat.
If you are interested in taking part in the Bird Race then please register your team by email to Nicholas Mitchell – secretary@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie or 087 121 5256 – up until 6pm on January 26, or alternatively on the morning of the race before 8.15am at the starting point.
For those who do not have a team of four, but want to take part, please register your name and the Branch will try to put you with a team.
Race entry is €5 per person and this will include finger food in O’Donovan’s Hotel, Clonakilty after the Race.
A checklist of birds with a list of the rules and a race area map will be provided on the day.
Start ringing your friends and putting a team together!
Race start: 8.30am sharp at Scally’s SuperValu car park, Clonakilty.
Race finish: 6pm sharp at O’Donovan’s Hotel, Clonakilty.
