Club Outing – Sandymount Strand Winter Birds

Sandymount Strand stretches from Sean O’Casey Park near the village of Sandymount to the Merrion Road at Merrion Gates on the south side of Dublin. It is part of the Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve and one of the best bird-watching sites in Dublin. At high tide, the sea comes right up to the road. Low tide exposes a flat sandy beach that extends for almost 2 kilometres to the sea. The area attracts a large variety of gulls and waders. In the summertime, it is a popular roosting area for Terns and it is not unusual to see thousands of terns roosting along the beach at low tide.

At the south end of the beach, you can get back onto the road and walk as far as the Merrion Gates railway crossing. Here, you can access the beach at Merrion Strand where there are mudflats and some grassland.

NOTE: Be careful if you walk all the way out on the exposed sand to watch for the incoming tide! At the North end of the beach is the entrance to Sean Moore Park which offers different opportunities for birding.

We will meet at the Car-park at the Martello Tower, opposite the Circle K Service Station, at 10.30 am. High Tide is at 11.48.

Photography advice: Try to adopt a low vantage point, keeping your viewpoint level with the birds. It would be preferable to wear weatherproof clothing, as you could be kneeling or lying. A tripod is recommended and a zoom lens would be preferable but is not necessary.

We will not want to disturb the birds, so the aim will be to move along the beach ahead of them, as the tide comes in.

For more details contact outings@offshoot.ie.

SAFETY ON OFFSHOOT OUTINGS AND EVENTS

It’s easy to become distracted when taking photographs. Use common sense, take responsibility for your safety, and then go shoot and have fun.