A refuge for bird life on Lough Neagh
The power of Lough Neagh is subtle, it is a quiet bastion of safety for many species competing with an ever-expanding economy. For these species, Ram’s Island stands as a bulwark against the change.
With our ambition as a charity to mitigate the effects of climate change at the forefront of our vision, securing our biodiversity is a natural part of that mission. In a collaborative effort with Landscapes NI, I took a trip to see some of the hard work being done to protect vulnerable species and habitats on Lough Neagh.
My journey starts off from Sandy Bay Marina on the eastern shores of the lough. We depart for the day on the Island Warrior, a sturdy boat run by volunteers, rigged with solar panels to charge its batteries, and bringing supplies to the island. The boat journeys to the island regularly to check on the habitat there and make any repairs needed.
On arrival a greeting party walks down the jetty to welcome us, but this is no ordinary greeting party… they know it’s feeding time! There are many species of birds that find sanctuary on the island but common species we all know, such as chickens are amongst the most fearless to island visitors. I brought my camera with me too so you can see them for yourself along with a few less common avian varieties.
By the time you catch a glimpse some of them are already gone. Unlike the immense freedom of Banagher Forest, sightings of waterfowl such as the Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe are fleeting moments that come and go. They don’t make it easy either, camouflaged plumes and rust-coloured feathers mean these birds blend into the tall reeds that shelter them. These are the shores of Lough Neagh, a shelter to the species living there and nesting amongst the reeds and wetland grasses that link the lough with dry land.
The list of species that find safe-haven on the island is long which you can read about here. I got to see many of them for myself on this trip, some of which Lough Neagh is well-known for such as the black-headed gull and Moorhen as well as others that are more familiar to us all like Pheasants. All of them coexisting peacefully (for the most part at least).
Helping nature recover from the effects of economic expansion and weather the impacts brought about by climate change, we can help these species by attempting to mitigate the effects on them just as the crew of the Island Warrior do every week.
Nature is the victim of our economic and societal success. Much of the restoration work of our natural beauty is championed by collaborative organisations like Landscapes NI, of which Action Renewables is a proud supporter and funder. It represents a network of sixteen organisations in Northern Ireland with a focus on protecting our beautiful landscapes for the benefit of us all. If you want to know more about Landscapes NI’s mission you can read their latest update right here on the Action Renewables website!
Author and photographer: Joseph Cullen