Co Clare goes cuckoo: The Clare Cuckoo Survey, which was launched earlier this week, will gather information on sightings and map this information onto the Clare Biodiversity website. The survey will also try to find out why the cuckoo has become so scarce.
Is it due to climate change, migratory problems or loss of habitat - or a combination of all three? Some scientists believe that expanding towns and villages are squeezing out small areas of waste ground and scrubby fringed habitat. It was in these corridors between town and farmland that the familiar call of the cuckoo (the distinctive cuckoo sound is the male's call; the female cuckoos make a bubbling noise) was heard by previous generations. Nowadays, the sound of a cuckoo is a rare treat. If you hear or see a cuckoo in the county, you can send details of location and date to John Murphy, Clare Biological Records Centre, Economic Development and Planning Department, Clare County Council, Kilrush Road, Ennis, Co Clare or e-mail biodiversity@clarecoco.ie or tel:065-6821616. See also www.clarebiodiversity.ie
Happy with real nappies
Real Nappy Week began 10 years ago in Britain when a group of mothers decided to raise awareness among parents of how cloth nappies cost less, aren't chemically whitened and have a significantly lower impact on the environment than disposables. From Monday next, Real Nappy Week will be marked in 65 countries including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong and throughout Britain. In Ireland, the newly-formed Women's Environmental Network will host a Real Nappy Fashion Show on Sunday, April 30th at noon in Gymboree in the Spawell Leisure Centre, Templeogue, Dublin 6W. Tel: 01-5059684 for more details. Admission free. See also www.wen.org.uk
Go down to the woods in May
People from all walks of life keen to learn traditional or ecological skills will make their way to Bealkelly Wood, Tuamgraney, Co Clare for the Weekend in the Woods on May 6th and 7th, run by the Centre for Environmental Living and Training (Celt). According to Celt spokesperson Bob Wilson, "The woods will be carpeted with bluebells at the beginning of May and for many it is a delight to simply be there in the beautiful and tranquil setting of oak woodland by the shore of Lough Derg." Training courses range from thatching to dry-stone walling to coppersmithing and súgán chair-making. Tel: 061-640765 or e-mail info@celtnet.org. Weekend course costs €120/€100.
Compost or count the cost
The new National Biowaste Strategy will come under scrutiny at the annual seminar of Cré, the Composting Association of Ireland, on Thursday May 4th in the Marriott Hotel, Enfield, Co Meath. Potential uses for compost in landscaping, agriculture and sports fields will be discussed, as will plans for the introduction of brown bins in the Dublin region. See also www.cre.ie. Tel: 086-8129260, e-mail percy@cre.ie. Also in Co Meath, Sonairte, the little-known National Ecology Centre in Laytown, will host an open day tomorrow to mark the beginning of its seasonal opening. Admission is free. Tel: 041-9827572, or see www.sonairte.org.