Wildlife to see in Ireland in May
3 spectacles at their peak in Ireland in May. Wild animals only: no zoos, no wildlife parks, no hunting. Open Ireland in May in the interactive calendar for listening times on the day you pick.
At their peak in May
Corncrakes calling on Tory, Inishbofin and the MulletThe rasping 'crex-crex' of corncrakes from iris beds and nettle patches, several males answering across the island, with snipe drumming, the Atlantic on the rocks and sheep — one of the last places in western Europe you can still hear a corncrake night.
Natterjack toad chorus on the Kerry dunesA loud, ratcheting 'rrrrRup, rrrrRup' chorus from dozens of males in shallow dune pools — the loudest amphibian in these islands — with the Atlantic surf behind the dunes and snipe overhead.
Irish seabird cities: Cliffs of Moher, Great Saltee and the SkelligsThe roar of 20,000 guillemots on the Moher ledges with kittiwakes screaming 'kitti-wake' and fulmars cackling; the Atlantic 200 m below; on Little Skellig the deafening, continuous growl of a gannet city heard over the engine; choughs' ringing calls on the cliff top.