Bird Watch on lookout for new members

The recently revived Westmeath branch of BirdWatch Ireland is on the lookout for new members to join its ranks. Formed more than 20 years ago and with 100-plus members of its books, like a lot of organisations the branch took a break during the pandemic, but has recently started holding monthly meetings again in Mullingar.

Tom O’Callaghan, who co-chairs the branch with Eugene Dunbar, explained to the Westmeath Examiner why he decided to get it going again.

“There were two incidents that happened last summer that gave me the impetus. One was seeing two woodpeckers in my garden one evening, the other was being down at the lake looking at terns that had just returned from Africa.

“I said nature is so brilliant, come on, give this thing a go.”

The group held its first meeting in three years last month and the response from members was hugely positive. “The enthusiasm was just palpable. There were lots of new faces there.”

One of the few positive things that came out of the pandemic was that many people got a renewed appreciation of the great outdoors and the many natural wonders, big and small, on their doorsteps.

The importance of organisations that promote ecological conservation, such as Birdwatch Ireland, has never been more important. Welcoming the appointment of Westmeath’s new biodiversity officer, Christina Sweeney, Tom says we can all play our part in making the world a better place to live in for all its species.

“You look at climate change and it is so huge, it’s easy to say ‘why would I bother’, but any little bit anyone can do for biodiversity [is worth doing]; putting out a bird feeder, cutting your grass once a month rather than once a week, trying to educate schoolchildren about birds, moths and bees.

Tom’s fellow member Tina Kellegher says that the branch has huge potential and the committee would love to see new members join to “bring some new energy”. Tina also stressed that you don’t have to be an expert to join.

“As a hobby or a social thing, it’s great. I am a blow-in and my husband is from west Cork, that’s where he started his birding, at 13. To be able to find like minded people in Mullingar is wonderful.

“There will be field trips for people to come on, they can get involved in the committee if they want to. There will be also be speakers coming down from BirdWatch Ireland – but it’s not all serious stuff, it’s very pleasant. I am only an amateur. I have always loved birds but I am not great at remembering all the information and details like my husband and son, Michael. I love it, but there are people like me who don’t know a whole pile.”

Thanks in part to the stunning photography of the likes James Crombie, whose photo of a murmuration of starlings in the shape of a bird over Lough Ennell went viral a few years ago, and John McCauley, Westmeath’s lakes have become increasingly popular with birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.

Tom says that we are a number of important birdwatching sites in the locality. “Lough Ennell is amazing. I could go out there on an evening and see 10 species.”

The Westmeath branch of BirdWatch Ireland meets in Áras an Mhuilinn on the second Tuesday of the month, and next on December 12 at 8pm.