With Ireland being a land of reasonably temperate climate combined with good fertile fields, mountains, waterways and woodlands, our bird population would expect not to meet with any hazards or situations which might interfere with their ongoing way of existence.
Our immediate environment had not changed in any way. The birds lived naturally within the hedgerows, woods and whatever environment met their needs. Swallows came every year and settled in the places they had used during the previous years.
The bird life was looked upon as an integral part of nature's environment and closely connected to our own way of living. We awakened each morning to a vibrant chorus of birdsong, the sounds and harmonies of which would indicate the time of day and also the weather conditions at that moment.
We would also be alerted if any one of them was in danger from predators, and if so, there was an expectation that someone would make a sound such as knocking on the window to frighten the predators away.
The bird's flight patterns or groupings also gave off messages such as if there were changes taking place within the area around us. We knew when specific birds were building their nests, hatching their eggs, or which state of the reproductive season they had reached. All this information came through the meteor of birdsong. From early morning until late at night, there was awareness of the presence of bird life interwoven into our routine.
This way of day-to-day life continued, but over the past few decades, there was a diminution in bird presence, less of a chorus at dawn, less bird activity throughout the day and into the night. This was due to prolonged environmental pollution and pesticide use, which forced the authorities to intervene. The void was palpable; an element of nature was missing. We longed for its return.
About this time, the Irish Department of the Environment introduced a programme to reverse the situation. The hedgerows were allocated more space free of agricultural interference combined with other measures. The outcome of this intervention was the R.E.P Scheme (Rural Environment Protection Scheme), which went far beyond anyone's expectations.
During the present springtime, the missing chorus at dawn was back for all to hear. The natural activity of bird life was acted out as before. The hedgerows are dense and strong, ideal for nest building and security from predators.
Recently we have witnessed several large birds such as cranes and even larger birds land and rest on the riverbank close to us. They now have a safer haven, free from danger and agricultural hazards.
Feeds