In the first of a series of blogposts about our 2023 Skerries Eco Festival, Leo Carroll writes about the Biodiversity Walk with Marion und Charlie Heasman.

The Saturday Biodiversity Walk with Marion and Charlie Heasman began that afternoon, following the hustle and bustle of the farmer’s market. We started congregating next to the windmill flower beds bursting with colour and pollinators of all varieties. The purple phacelia blooms in particular seemed to be a fan favourite of the bees, with Charlie and Marion noting that every species of bumblebee currently found in Skerries had been spotted on the flowers; including some more elusive species such as the ever beloved large carder bee. 

We made our way down to the coast, the bright sunshine and clear skies providing the perfect setting to admire the wildlife around us. After reaching the main promenade we split into small groups to walk along the dunes and learned about the fascinating plants and animals in the area, especially that of marine birds like black headed gulls and the iconic roseate terns of Rockabill Island. We learned about the flying motions of some species as well as the vast variety of plant life scattered about. Although there were a few unwanted visitors in the form of invasive species, there was plenty of life to be found, with grasshoppers and large tortoiseshell butterflies flitting between the vivid greens of marram grass and vibrant yellows of wildflowers such as birdsfoot trefoil.

We eventually gathered together again near the base of the dunes to have a discussion about the biodiversity along the Skerries coast and decisions we could make to reduce our impact on the beach, with issues such as razor clam farming being brought up.

We took our time on the walk back to admire the duck pond while discussing the handling of relief water in Skerries and its surrounding area. The water’s surface rippled as though there was a light rain overhead, a closer inspection revealing hundreds of diving beetles gathering small bubbles of air before diving back down to their aquatic abodes. Overall the walk was a wonderful experience and provided insights into Skerries’ biodiversity that I’ll take with me every time I go for a stroll around town.