Wexford Naturalists' Field Club

01/06/2026

★★★ June Club Lecture - Going Cuckoo! ★★★
On Thursday the 4th June the WNFC are pleased to welcome Sam Bayley, a Conversation Ranger with the NPWS, who will present a lecture titled 'Where Do Our Cuckoos Go?” Sam is an experienced professional in countryside management, a passionate field naturalist, and a skilled ornithologist. He is also a licenced British Trust for Ornithology bird ringer. With over 17 years of professional experience across a variety of habitats Sam has developed a robust track record both as a naturalist and as a communicator.
Where: The Pumphouse at Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, Ardcavan Eircode: Y35EY89
When: 8pm sharp
Non-members welcome at Club Lectures and a €5 door-fee applies which includes refreshments and cookies (fittingly!)

01/06/2026

*** Uplifting New Publication from the NBDC ***
One Hundred Tales of Hope - Stories of pollinator conservation from the last AIPP.

31/05/2026

★★★ Killing a hedgerow ★★★
A member noticed a local earthen bank-hedgerow that was just recently full of wildflowers such as Cornsalad, Herb Robert, Creeping Buttercup, Mouse-ear, Common Vetch, Scarlet Pimpernels, and others, had been needlessly annihilated by toxic spray. Gone are the lovely wildflowers as well as the pollinators and other insects and birds that feed there. We really must do better and stop the reckless use of such poisons. Though not needed, strimming would have been a more sustainable solution for this domestic property boundary. The thing is too that these earthen banks need the plant rooting systems to hold them together and function effectively as a boundary. Without these binding root systems the bank will erode and crumble in time. The Wexford Country Council's proposed Biodiversity Action Plan sets out a number of actions to address such needless harm.
See the plan here:
https://consult.wexfordcoco.ie/en/consultation/draft-local-biodiversity-action-plan

30/05/2026

★★★ Up Close with a Hairy Dragonfly ★★★
This lady was very compliant and allowed some up-close photos. The Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) is one of Ireland’s 14 resident dragonfly species. It is distinct as the first of the large dragonflies to emerge each spring, usually taking flight between early May and mid-July. It seems that a good time to get to see dragonflies is early morning or into the evening as they tend to 'roost' when the air-temperature is cooler. The male has blue markings on its abdomen.

30/05/2026

What does the National Biodiversity Data Centre do to Map Ireland's Biodiversity? ... discover the answer to this and more by completing our FREE online course in Marine Biodiversity Citizen Science. See: https://learn.biodiversityireland.ie/courses/marinebiodiversity

26/05/2026

Don't look any further:

We are making the business case for nature.

We will be demonstrating that a nature-positive economy is essential for Europe’s prosperity, resilience, and competitiveness.

With a dynamic programme combining panel discussions, TED-like talks, and a dedicated startup-investor matching event.

Follow the hashtag on 3.+4. of June.

More: https://green-week.event.europa.eu/index_en

24/05/2026

*** Spring Flowers You may Have Missed ***
It is the last day of National Biodiversity Week 2026, and we wanted to celebrate some of the often overlooked gems of our native spring flora. Scale is against many of them as the flowering elements can be measured in the one and two millimeters range! For the day that is in it do try spot a few of theses in the meadows, laneways, dunes and gardens around you now - a nice family challenge too. Once you get your 'eye-in' you will be surprised how many you see. While 'Common' appears in many of the names, don't let that distract from the amazing beauty of their form. No-mow meadows are great places to start your search.

22/05/2026

22/05/2026

Happy International 🦋🌍

Today is a reminder that nature is not a luxury. Healthy soils, forests, wetlands and oceans underpin our economies, our health and our security.

Under the theme “Acting locally for global impact”, the European Union is highlighting how local action across Europe is helping turn global biodiversity commitments into concrete results for citizens, communities and businesses.

From restoring wetlands and forests to supporting pollinators, improving water resilience and greening cities

The EU is continuing efforts to protect and restore nature ahead of of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Yerevan, Armenia, this October.

Help us to protect the variety of life that is keeping our planet alive.

21/05/2026

Don't forget about our upcoming Biodiversity Week events this Sunday!

At 11AM in the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve visitor centre, we'll be holding our Invertebrate Showcase where you can see the cool critters that live in our ponds up close.

Then at 2:30PM, meet at the entrance of the Raven for a BioBlitz walk to post number 4. We'll record every species we see along the way, learning about the amazing biodiversity found in the Raven and contributing important data at the same time!

Both events are free with no need to book. Simply show up to learn something new and have a good time.