29/05/2026
A special moment on the Blackwater Way (Avondhu) Walking Trails May 27 th , as
Vincent, Oscar, Dave and Stéphane spotted the famous White-tailed Eagle “Eagle K”
soaring above the woods near Shanrahan, between Crow Hill and Bay Lough, during
a routine trail monitoring visit. Luckily Dave had his camera with him and got this and
other amazing shots of Eagle K. The beautiful weather and clear blue sky also added
to this spectacular event.
White-tailed Eagles, also known as Sea Eagles, are Ireland’s largest birds of prey, with an incredible wingspan reaching over 2 metres.
Once driven to extinction in Ireland during the 19th century, they have made a remarkable return thanks to the National Parks and Wildlife Service reintroduction programme. Eagle K” is particularly special to the Blackwater region.
According to Clare from NPWS “ K is a female eagle that was released in Co Waterford in 2021 as part of the 2nd phase white-tailed eagle reintroduction programme. She is paired up with L but they didn’t breed successfully this year so they seem to travelling around a bit! She is satellite-tagged so we can follow her movements.” As well as spotting this wonderful sight we could also hear the Cuckoo on several occasions calling to each other.
A wonderful reminder of the rich natural heritage that still thrives along the Blackwater Valley and our wonderful trails.
For more information:
BirdWatch Ireland – White-tailed Eagle-
www.glengarriffnatureserve.ie
WLR FM – Eagle K and Eagle L conservation story