WE WON. Lead in gunshot will finally be banned across the EU! Just now, the European Parliament approved in plenary the Commission's proposal to restrict lead in gunshot. This decision ends years of debate on one of Europe's most persistent forms of lead pollution.

The series is supported by Offaly County Council and Westmeath County Council, the The Heritage Council's programme, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Our Pelagic trip this morning out of Cape Clear included: 10 Com Scoter, 5 Grey Phal, 1 Purple Sand, 1 Pom Skua, 3 Bonxie, 1 Wilsons & 100+ Storm Petrel, Shearwaters- Sooty 200+, Cory's 6, Great 14, Puffin 2, Swallow 1, Minke Whale 3, Com Dolphin 10 Photo Bonxie & Fastnet by Wayne Greene-Salm.

Turnstone appreciation post ✨ Like their name suggests, Turnstones can be found flicking over seaweed fronds, pebbles and beach debris from rocky shorelines. Most individuals we see in Ireland are winter visitors who fly from their breeding grounds in Canada and Greenland. 📸 John Fox

BirdWatch Ireland's Annagh Marsh Reserve in Co. Mayo is a haven for rare and unique Irish breeding species, but, that wasn’t always the case. For the Lapwing, breeding nearly stopped completely at the site. Now, Lapwings are back.

🚨Upcoming Outing 🚨 Joint Limerick & Clare branch @birdwatchireland.bsky.social outing this Saturday 12th of September. Meeting at Robertstown Church Co Limerick @ 9.00am. Suitable for all ages. Always a fantastic outing.

By signing the Declaration, we recognise migratory birds as indicators of planetary health, flyways as the connective tissue that no single nation can protect alone. We call for an ecologically network of sites across each flyway, protected and restored. The time to act is now.

We just took one step closer to protecting life on this planet.🙌🎉 Today, at the BirdLife International Global Flyways Summit, Dr. Andrew Kelly, BirdWatch Ireland's CEO, signed the Nairobi Flyways Declaration. @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social

Numbers peak in Ireland in September and, with few being recorded outside this month, the Little Stint can claim to be a true passage migrant – that is, neither a winter nor a summer visitor. 📸 Alyn Walsh

Many migrating species we see in September are not “local” and are just passing through, like the Little Stint. Like most migrants which stray a little off course, the Little Stints that pitch down in this way are usually juveniles that have never done the journey before.