White-tailed eagles were re-introduced into Ireland in 2007 after an absence of over 100 years. The re-introduction programme released 15 to 20 young eagles from Norway into Killarney National Park.
So far, 100 birds have been released. Altogether, there are 12 nesting pairs in Ireland, living mainly along the southwest coast from Kerry to Clare.
But the most exciting news so far is that they have had babies!! Baby eagles are known as eaglets.
When I was out with my Mum and Dad, we saw a buzzard! It was near Delgany. I thought it was a big crow but my Dad said that it was too big for a crow and he should know because he is a scientist.
Jack said that there are buzzards over Charlesland too.
We looked up this link from Bird Watch Ireland
http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=396
We think that it is interesting that buzzards have learned that the motorway is a good place to go hunting. On the N11 they will find carrion.
Teacher found a baby sparrow hawk in a field. It was unconscious. It seems to have been learning to hunt. It misjudged the distance and knocked itself out when it hit the ground!
Teacher put it in a quiet place and fed it dog food. The sparrow hawk had sharp claws and a sharp beak, so Teacher wore her gardening gloves!
She rang the wild life ranger. He came and took the sparrow hawk away. Though Teacher has mixed feelings about birds of prey, she hopes this one lived ‘happily every after’.
Here is some more information on Sparrow Hawks:
http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/IrelandsBirds/Raptors/Sparrowhawk/tabid/395/Default.aspx