Bull Island

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Bull Island

Bull Island: the Northern tip, looking South.
The causeway is in the distant top right.

A small island built up over 200 years as a result of the construction of the north harbour wall of Dublin Port, it has an adjoining foreshore of sandy beaches, dunes, saltmarshes and mudflats. It is connected to the land by a wooden bridge and a more recently constructed causeway. The site is unique in Ireland because it supports well-developed saltmarsh and dune systems displaying all stages of development from the earliest phase of colonisation to full maturity. Its location as a UNESCO Biosphere reserve within a capital city is also unique and it is classified as a Wetland of International importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The best time to visit is a few hours before a high tide when the waders are concentrated by the in-coming tide on the dwindling mud flats north and south of the causeway.

Wintering Waterbirds and Waders
The area is important for numerous species of wintering waterbirds and waders. For the birdwatcher the most interesting areas are the tidal flats and salt marsh between the island and the mainland. It hosts internationally important numbers of Brent Geese which can often be found grazing on the grass alongside the coast road. In recent years they have spread to parklands and football fields back in from the coast.

There are large flocks of Shelduck, Widgeon and Teal. The north-east end of the causeway is good for Pintail, while Shoveler usually stay south of the causeway. The deeper water at either end of the island has Great crested Grebe, Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser.

Waders
Knot and Golden Plover sweep across the sky while the mud flats and marsh teem with Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit and Snipe. Scarcer but always about are Greenshank and Grey Plover. Lapwing seem to like the flats around the wooden bridge. On the seaward beaches look for Sanderling.

Looking SW towards the Wooden Bridge

Predators
The area south of the causeway and along the edge of the golf course can usually produce a Kestrel, whereas a Peregrine can appear out of the blue, causing consternation on the mudflats. Look for them and sometimes Merlin perched on poles out on the mudflats north of the causeway. A Sparrowhawk straying from the park is not uncommon. The salt marsh area east of the causeway has Short-eared Owl.

Herons, etc
Grey Heron are very plentiful, they nest in the trees of St Anne's Park across the road. Little Egret are common. The landward end to the north of the causeway often has a Kingfisher on the outlet of the Santry River. The outlet of another small river, the Naniken, just south of the causeway is also a congregation point for duck and waders.

Rarer species have included Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Avocet, Spoonbill, Long-tailed Duck, Ring-billed Gull, etc.

Dublin City Council run an interpretative centre open 10.15-16.30 accessible across the causeway.

Books
"An Irish Sanctuary - birds of the North Bull" by P.G.Kennedy, published 1953, Three Candles Press, Dublin.
Long out of print and now a collectable item, but Dublin C.C. libraries have a copy. Fascinating account of the struggle to establish a bird sanctuary against competing proposals for an airport and/or a Coney Island type resort! Full list of the birds to that date coming to 147 species - it must now be closer to 200.

"North Bull Island Dublin Bay-a modern coastal natural history" D.Jeffrey, 1977 RDS.

I-WeBS counts in Dublin Bay
Dublin Bay hosts five species in numbers of international importance (Brent Goose, Knot, Black-tailed & Bar-tailed Godwit and Redshank) and twelve species in numbers of national importance. See I-WeBS project.

SPA & SAC designations in Dublin Bay

Click for large image

Getting there ...

Bull Island lies on the northern side of Dublin Bay, about 7 km northeast of Dublin City centre. It is served by Dublin Bus (01-8734222) #130 to Prospect Avenue from Abbey Street. The DART (01-8366222) serves Raheny, about 1km inland from the causeway.

South Dublin Branch BirdWatch Ireland