Mooney Goes Wild

Of the many public parks across the city of Dublin, Blessington Street Basin is special. Its lake attracts many birds of different species, including swans and ducks. A brand new duck-food vending machine has been installed and Terry Flanagan and Richard Collins went along to try it out for themselves.

Duration:00:12:16

Corvid intelligence

Listener Paddy Ennis sent us an incredible video that highlights the intelligence of a Rook, one of the most common and familiar members of the crow family in Ireland, devising an ingenious solution to the problem of extracting nuts from Paddy’s hanging garden bird feeder.

Duration:00:06:37

Hoopoe invasion!

Over the past couple of weeks, unusual weather conditions prompted the arrival of large numbers of Hoopoes in the southern counties. These migratory birds look more like cartoon characters than a creature one might encounter in real life.

Duration:00:04:23

Ridding Killarney National Park of Rhododendrons

We have regularly reported on the havoc that has been wrought on the woodlands of Killarney National Park by an invasive alien species - the Common Rhododendron. However, two new flailing machines may improve the situation. Eamonn Meskell, Divisional Manager with the National Parks and Wildlife Service tells us more.

Duration:00:16:43

Jack Snipe: one of the most secretive Irish birds of all

We received another intriguing photo from listener Ger McEvoy, featuring a small bird that is famously very hard to spot...the Jack Snipe. Niall tells us all about one of the most secretive birds in Ireland.

Duration:00:06:25

Wasps in glasshouses shouldn’t grow domes!

Listener Libby O’Toole sent us a very interesting email with photos of a very intricate wasps' nest in her glasshouse. As ever, Éanna is on the case.

Duration:00:03:04

April showers: something to celebrate

April is one of the most exciting months of all for nature. Flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing, butterflies are taking flight and migrant birds, such as the Cuckoo and the Swallow, are due to arrive any day now. In celebration, Éanna recites Robert Browning's 1845 poem, 'Home-Thoughts, from Abroad'.

Duration:00:04:39

Saving The Maharees from coastal erosion is a true community effort

Community-led actions have been instrumental in protecting the dunes of the Maharees Tombolo in Kerry. Michele Browne meets Eleanor Turner (Biodiversity Officer for Kerry Coco), Dr. Therese Higgins (Lecturer in Wildlife Biology at Munster Technological University) and Martha Farrell (Co-founder of the Maharees Conservation Association).

Duration:00:17:59

Join the hunt for mermaid’s purses

A campaign has recently been launched by UCC Marine Biologist Danielle Orrell to try to find hatching grounds of Flapper Skates (or mermaid's purses) off the south coast of Ireland. Keen to discover more about them and how you can get involved, we dispatched Terry Flanagan to Cork to meet Danielle.

Duration:00:13:07

(Not so) Common Crane seen in Co. Kilkenny

The Common Crane is an exceptionally rare bird in Ireland. However, these huge, long-necked and long-legged birds were once widespread on the island. There have been sightings in recent years and digital creator, wildlife filmmaker and ornithologist Fionn O'Donoghue managed to film one in Kilkenny.

Duration:00:15:01

Do birds sit? Oscar Wilde certainly seemed to think so!

Mooney Goes Wild listener Roland Umanan took a stroll in Merrion Square Park and found an interesting quote from Oscar Wilde: “The birds sat on top of the trees and sang so sweetly...” So, do birds actually sit? Richard and Niall discuss.

Duration:00:06:27

Nesting Season special: Easter Monday, 21st April 2025

On Easter Monday (21st April 2025), we will bring you a special two-hour Nesting Season special. Derek Mooney and his panel of ornithological experts will broadcast live on RTÉ Radio One between 09:00 and 11:00 and tell you all about what the birds are up to. Make sure to tune in!

Duration:00:00:57

Pocket Forests at the University of Galway

Recently, the University of Galway launched its Pocket Forest project, which has involved the planting of a new 100m2 native woodland on campus. Recently, Terry Flanagan visited the University of Galway campus and met up with Dr. Caitriona Carolan, ecologist and Lecturer in Environmental Science and Biodiversity.

Duration:00:09:56

A Tale of Dandelions and Guinea Pigs

On tonight’s programme, Terry Flanagan tells us about one of Ireland’s most abundant and best-known plants, the dandelion, and the surprising benefits it brings to Guinea Pigs.

Duration:00:02:02

Doctors by Nature

Long before the dawn of modern medicine, many wild animals harnessed the power of nature’s pharmacy. In his fascinating new book 'Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes and Other Animals Heal Themselves', author Jaap de Roode argues that we have underestimated the healing potential of nature for too long. He speaks to Éanna.

Duration:00:25:54

Drumming duets in the Garden County

For a very long time, Ireland was famous amongst ornithologists for the fact that it had no woodpeckers. That all changed 20 years ago, when small populations of Great Spotted Woodpeckers began a natural colonisation of our island. Eric Dempsey and Niall Hatch discuss the 'drumming' birds.

Duration:00:15:17

Swimming Upstream: one man’s fight to save the Atlantic wild salmon

In his evocative and thought-provoking new memoir 'Swimming Upstream: one man’s fight to save the Atlantic wild salmon', Patsy Peril recalls a life deeply entwined with Irish wildlife. Patsy speaks to our resident expert in all things piscine, Ken Whelan.

Duration:00:17:28

New Year Plant Hunt

For the past 14 years, the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland has run a special New Year Plant Hunt. Bridget Keehan, Ireland Officer for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, speaks to Éanna Ní Lamhna about it.

Duration:00:08:19

Why doesn’t ice stick to Polar Bear fur?

The largest land-based carnivore on the planet, the Polar Bears is admired globally. But have you ever stopped to wonder why almost no snow or ice seems to stick to their fur? Julian Carolan is a PhD student at Trinity College Dublin and he is the lead author of a recently published paper that provides the answer.

Duration:00:17:21

Did St. Patrick really rid Ireland of snakes?