That was a bit of a change in our weather fortunes wasn’t it? I wonder if the cold snap was enough to stop the progress of our early spring and, for that matter, whether we will get any more cold spells before the spring equinox.  Many thanks to all those that contributed to the January natural history records shown below – these records are a selection of the wildlife sightings passed to the Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club and myself at records AT wexfordnaturalists.com and info AT wildside.ie – do please keep those records coming. They are all interesting as well as a historical record.

Have you been down to Hook Head Yet? I realise that the weather isn’t exactly conducive to viewing cetaceans (whales and dolphins), but there are and have been plenty of breaks in the windy conditions, and when those seas are calmer there is the very real potential of seeing the 6 Fin Whales, which have now been joined by a Humpback Whale. There has been a report of a Minkie Whale too, though apparently not seen for the last week, however there are plenty of Common Dolphins, Harbour Porpoises and the associated frenzie of hundreds of feeding seabirds. What happens is that the seabirds watch for cetacean activity (a great indicator, when looking from Hook Head as to where the cetaceans will be) and they make the most of the plentiful supply of fish, which are driven to the surface by cetaceans when feeding. There are also some other really interesting ‘early spring’ wildlife sightings, though these particular reports received, are not from County Wexford. Apparently there is a report that the Swallows, which are of course wintering in South Africa, appear to be moving north early this year. There is also a juvenile Swallow at Helston since the 20th of this month. Helston is at the southern end of Cornwall so not that far away for a northward bound migrating bird. That this particular Swallow has been aged as a juvenile makes one wonder whether it migrated south at all! Another really early wildlife record is of a Robin sitting on 5 eggs in Bridgend, South Wales. Egg laying normally takes place from the end of February. I have a pair of Robins courting, but sitting? That is very early!

AN EARLY SPRING: Is this an unprecedented spell of mild weather? Yes I fully realise that there is the odd ground frost happening, but we are ‘I think’ still in January – Frogspawn found in Foulkesmills and Gusserane; Snowdrops and Daffodils are in flower; the first Lesser Celandine also noted in flower and from the other end of the spectrum the Round-leaved Wintergreen in the Raven Nature Reserve is also in flower – that plant should have finished flowering in September! What other ‘out of season’ events are happening out there? Then looking towards our coast there are now at least 6 Fin Whales off Hook Head with plenty of Common Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise also reported. Reports are coming in of massive shoals of sprats outside Wexford Harbour – could we have a show of Whales outside the harbour? Now that would be something and I am quite sure it will be the prey that dictates the presence of the predator.  Do remember that on 25th March 1891 a Blue Whale was stranded, and later dispatched, ending up at the Natural History Museum in London (and on display from 1933).