Rarities at Cabragh

Since Cabragh Wetlands Trust began managing their original 14 acres of the marsh in the early 1990’s, there have been many unusual feathered visitors to the area. Birds like the barn owl, lapwing and lark feed and breed in the vicinity. These are scarce but not as uncommon as a bird like the bittern, which is very rare on these islands. There was some excitement ten years or more ago when word went out that one had been sighted in the reed bed next to the hide. It has not bred in Ireland since the nineteenth century due to the drainage of its natural habitat, like marshes. It is a secretive bird that inhabits big reed beds. Its plumage is golden brown, streaked with dark brown and yellow and is known as An Bonnán Buí in Irish.

In former times it bred in all four provinces and was prized by the gentry for its meat. The simple country folk would have nothing to do with the bittern, because its weird booming call was a “portent of some sad event”. It inspired writers and poets. The famous Irish poem ‘An Bonnan Bui’ by Cathal Bui Mac Ghiolla Ghunna refers to ‘the yellow Bittern’ that had died of thirst in frosty weather. The poet himself feared the same fate for want of a drop!

A more frequent visitor to the wetlands has been the Marsh Harrier. Individuals, usually females, have visited the reed beds three or four times in the last decade. The beautiful bird has a 4 foot wingspan. Its golden head and front wing edges contrast with its dark brown plumage. It has been seen gliding slowly over the tops of the reeds, then hovering slightly before it pounced on its prey - usually aquatic birds or small mammals. This bird, like the bittern, has specific habitat requirements. With the drainage of Wetlands in the 19th century, the bird’s fate was sealed. They no longer breed here.

Other rare or scarce duck species, geese and swans have been sighted at Cabragh. These include a skua, american teal, a white footed goose (eastern race) and a Bewick’s swan. The latter had a numbered neck collar, which allowed it to be traced across Europe as it returned to its breeding grounds in Siberia. Even rare and endangered species seem to view Cabragh Wetlands as a place with potential! “An rud is annamh is iontach.”