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White-tailed sea eagles released into the wild in Munster

Four birds were released at Lough Derg, with more to follow at the Shannon estuary.

FOUR WHITE-TAILED sea eagles were released into the wild in Munster yesterday, with another six to follow later in the month.

The eagles were released by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as part of a project to increase their breeding population in Ireland, which already exists in small numbers.

The four birds were released yesterday at Lough Derg in Co Tipperary.

Two more are due to be released at the same site later this month, while four will be released near the Shannon estuary.

The young eagles were flown in from Norway in June, where they had been collected from nests in the wild.

They have been held for six to eight weeks in purpose-built flight cages at Lough Derg and the Shannon Estuary.

Minister for Heritage Malcolm Noonan said that “while 2020 has been a difficult year for the human population, the year has seen some landmark developments for Ireland’s small population of the once extinct White-tailed Sea Eagle”.

“These are our largest birds of prey and one of the most impressive birds in the world,” Noonan said.

Project manager at the Golden Eagle Trust Dr Allan Mee said that the release of the bids would “be critical in helping bolster the existing population and form the basis of a viable self-sustaining Irish population”.

Dr Mee said that Ireland could be home to 10 or more breeding pairs over the next few years.

Between 2007 and 2011, 100 young white-tailed sea eagles were released in Killarney National Park in Co Kerry.

The birds were later dispersed throughout Ireland, with breeding first taking place in 2012 on Lough Derg in Co Clare.

Thirty-one chicks have been fledged from a small breeding population of 8-10 pairs since their initial introduction.

A female bred in Clare in 2015 has now produced chicks of her own, marking the first Irish-bred white-tailed sea eagle.

“In addition to ten new chicks arriving from Norway, it is marvellous that our small indigenous breeding population has reached a new milestone in 2020 with the first Irish bred White-tailed Eagle successfully fledging her own young,” Noonan said.

“The two chicks hatched at a nest on Lough Derg, Co Tipperary to a female who was herself was reared at a nest also on Lough Derg, near Mountshannon, Co. Clare in 2015.”

“Against the backdrop of concerns for species extinctions globally this is a remarkable example of hands on conservation in action and  these events mark important milestones for this long-term conservation project to restore this iconic species to Ireland,” he said.

The release of the birds came under the Irish White-Tailed Sea Eagle Reintroduction Programme, which is a long-term initiative to reestablish the species’ population in the Republic of Ireland.

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    Mute Ger Buckley
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    Aug 10th 2020, 7:56 PM

    Absolutely amazing birds.

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    Mute Michael Clinton
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:11 PM

    @Ger Buckley:
    Hopefully they are left to breed.
    Truly magnificent birds.

    298
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    Mute Michael
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:27 PM

    As Mr Spock would say, live long and prosper.

    144
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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:10 PM

    The farmers will be out with the pitchforks again. They take our lambs! Eh actually no they don’t. They disrupt out farming! Eh no they actually help farming. Well just give us money anyway like protection money or something like. Eh no, duck off

    163
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    Mute King B
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    Aug 10th 2020, 10:47 PM

    @Tom Collins: A lot of farmers would realise the benefits, there’s a fair few pigeon enthusiasts who’d be up to no good.

    46
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    Mute Miguel Sanchez
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    Aug 10th 2020, 7:59 PM

    High class birdage it has to be said

    85
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    Mute That Ray Browers Kid
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:37 PM

    How soon before we find one shot dead or poisoned?

    124
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    Mute Munster1
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:40 PM

    @That Ray Browers Kid: ‘I thought it was a large crow boss’

    54
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    Mute Richard Ahern
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:44 PM

    Fantastic news. I really wish I could fly with them and like them. However, we need complicated machines to get even close to what they can do so effortlessly. It’s nice when something likes this happens

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    Mute Irish Spider-Man
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    Aug 10th 2020, 10:16 PM

    Let’s hope no farmer poisons this beautiful creature

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    Mute classic
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:32 PM

    Nature is beautiful

    31
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    Mute Paul Horgan
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:37 PM

    When are the wolves going to be released ?

    25
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    Mute Richard Cronin
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    Aug 10th 2020, 10:36 PM

    @Paul Horgan: they play Seville tomorrow night

    86
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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:59 PM

    Beautiful captured picture amazing eagle

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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:01 PM

    Well.thats terrifying

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:14 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: unfortunately, the more people think that, the worse their chance of survival.

    There is nothing terrifying about those birds – magnificent yes, terrifying- absolutely not.

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    Mute KSham
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:14 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: how so?

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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:16 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: You’ll be grand. It’s been years since a sea eagle killed a human ……

    86
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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:35 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: no it’s not them specifically. All birds.pigeons,robins,chickens .full blown ornithaphobia.

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    Mute Declan O'Neill
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:35 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: You must be a mouse

    45
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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:37 PM

    @KSham: scared of birdies

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    Mute Joe Toner
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:43 PM

    @Logan Shepherd:
    A friend of mine was picked up by a bird…. He still regrets it to this day.

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    Mute barry moore
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:46 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: birds of pray don’t kill for sport they will only kill what they need to survive. Mice, rats, rabbits and small birds are prey. It would be unusual for them to attack pets especially if the owner is near by. Hopefully they are left alone. I would advise anyone who doesn’t understand these birds to visit someplace that keeps hawks, they are awesome animals. I would love to keep one myself but I wouldn’t have the time available to care for them properly.

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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:46 PM

    @Logan Shepherd: hahah…*vomits

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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:52 PM

    @barry moore:not scared of them killin my pets. never even considered they may kil me.so thanks for that.its a phobia ..from the beaks to their feet to their movement (again vomits) also the filters on the journal are bollixed

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    Mute barry moore
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:58 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: no worries. I see in a previous post its all birds i can understand that. if you ever decide to face it I would recommend the hawk school at Ashford Castle. Some fantastic birds to see and possibly handle. I went for a half day out and ended up with two birds on me. One on my wrist and the other landing on my shoulder.

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    Mute Aidan Finn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 8:58 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: only terrifying if you’re already dead (and worth scavenging from) or you’re a fish swimming near the surface.

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    Mute Joe Toner
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:02 PM

    @Lisa Quinn:
    Sounds like you have bird flu…… Try flat 7up.

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    Mute Ger
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:05 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: that must suck. I have severe arachnophobia but for most part you can keep them away if you block holes in your house and put up signs saying “stay away spiders” in several languages in case they don’t speak English. But birds are everywhere. Stay away from merion Square. I was sitting in there over the weekend and a little Robin landed on my arm looking to share my sandwich

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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:08 PM

    @barry moore: might start with the yellow fluffy ones. Thanks tho

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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:09 PM

    @Aidan Finn: cheers mate

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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:13 PM

    @Ger: ahaha. I hope the spiders respect your signs.sorry that Robin violated u

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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:20 PM

    @Joe Toner: :-)

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    Mute Joe
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:21 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: get your self to the Aillwee Caves Birds of Prey centre & see these Birds up close. Wonderful Birds to see up close.

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    Mute Lisa Quinn
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    Aug 10th 2020, 10:47 PM

    @Joe: no joe…that wont help even a bit

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Aug 10th 2020, 11:41 PM

    Magnificent sight. My god, such talons, though.

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    Mute Martin Costello
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    Aug 11th 2020, 7:53 AM

    Good to see. Wonder if they could help with the seagull infestation in Dublin? If so release a load more

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    Mute Denis White
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:44 PM

    Better keep my little sausage dog on the lease then :)))

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    Mute John Blowick
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    Aug 10th 2020, 9:59 PM

    @Denis White:

    He is not your sausage dog until the lease is up !

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    Mute KilkennyProud
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    Aug 10th 2020, 10:07 PM

    @Denis White: Jezz How much did it cost?

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Aug 11th 2020, 10:37 AM

    I reckon they won’t be welcomed in the Timoleague area after the mass poisoning of Buzzards earlier in the year.

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    Mute William J Gardener
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    Aug 10th 2020, 10:04 PM

    Had a weird dream the other night one of these lads landed on my head

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    Mute Owen Ball
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    Aug 10th 2020, 10:57 PM

    @William J Gardener: did you wake up with the cat on your head?

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    Mute Trevor
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    Aug 10th 2020, 11:32 PM

    What in the name of God did Malcolm noonan say in this

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