Autumn a great time of year to see Irish wildlife

LEAP, Ireland - Aug. 30, 2013 - PRLog -- Autumn is a season of transition and change… and that makes it an ideal time to get out and experience Ireland’s wildlife and nature.

“Autumn is one of my favourite times of year for watching wildlife,” said Calvin Jones, Founder and Managing Editor of the popular Ireland’s Wildlife website (www.irelandswildlife.com). “Everything is shifting and changing. Familiar summer visitors are getting ready to leave, our resident wildlife is preparing for the onset of winter, and birds that breed further north are arriving back to spend the winter with us.”

All of that activity means more elusive species can be easier to spot, and there’s the added excitement of never quite knowing what you might find.

“Anticipation is a big part of the appeal of wildlife and bird watching,” said Calvin. “You never really know what you might see on any given outing… and that sense is heightened in the autumn. Bird migration is in full swing, and there’s always the potential for something really unusual to turn up. And then of course there are the whales.”

Autumn heralds the arrival of some of Ireland’s most spectacular wildlife visitors. On the south coast in particular fin whales -- the second largest animal ever to have lived -- move inshore to feed. These huge whales are annual visitors to Irish waters, and autumn and early winter are the best times of year to get out on and see these ocean giants.

“An encounter with fin whales is one of Ireland’s wildlife highlights, and ranks up there with the most incredible wildlife experiences anywhere in the world,” says Calvin. “It’s a humbling and awe-inspiring experience that you never forget.”

A great way to experience autumn’s wildlife at its best is to join Calvin and marine mammal specialist Pádraig Whooley in West Cork for one of Ireland’s Wildlife’s new Discover Wildlife Weekends. These tailored weekends run from 29-27 September and 15-17 November, and are designed to help people get away from the hustle and bustle for a few days and explore the stunning West Cork coastline with some of the region’s most experienced wildlife guides.

Based in the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery, Co. Cork, the dates have been carefully selected to maximise the chance of some truly memorable wildlife encounters -- including the possibility of getting out to see whales and dolphins.

“During the weekend we will introduce you to some of the best land and boat based whale watching anywhere in European North Atlantic waters,” said Pádraig, one of Ireland’s leading whale and dolphin experts.

“Weather permitting we will venture offshore with Whale Watch supremo, Colin Barnes on the MV Holly Jo in search of giants. 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 to name but a few.”

While the focus of the weekends is watching wildlife out in the field, Calvin is keen to stress that there’s much more to them than just seeing wildlife.

“There’s a real practical element to the weekends,” he pointed out. “We want to make sure people take away more than just great memories, we want to help them improve their wildlife watching skills, and offer hints and tips they can use to get closer to wildlife long after the weekend is over.”

For more information on Discover Wildlife Weekends visit www.irelandswildlife.com/discover-wildlife-weekends or email info@irelandswildlife.com.