Sandymount Strand is one of the great amenities of the city. It stretches from Irishtown, through Sandymount and Merrion, and out to Booterstown. The "strand" is a shallow, tidal mudflat and host to thousands of birds, particularly over the winter months. Though prone to disturbance from a birdwatcher's point of view by dog walkers, it is a very accessible spot, and the dogs (and their owners) are at least using the facility. The more users, the less chance that it will be gobbled further by the Port Company, the ESB, road developers, etc.

Autumn with an evening high tide is probably the highlight on Sandymount strand. Large flocks of gulls and migrating terns gather on the incoming tide, particularly towards Merrion Gates. Look for Common, Arctic, Sandwich and Roseate Tern and occasionally Black Tern. Towards Poolbeg there are often many hundreds of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on passage.

The waders have returned in force and there should be Dunlin, Sanderling, Turnstone, Knot, Bar-tailed & Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Oystercatcher and Redshank. The deep channel at the Poolbeg has Little Egret, Greenshank and occasionally Spotted Redshank. Merrion is the first port of call in the bay for the returning Brent Geese which feed on the Zostera or eel-grass just in from Merrion Gates.

Winter sees the waders build in number, joined by Grey Plover, Golden Plover and large numbers of Shelduck and Brent. The beach at Booterstown is good for that American vagrant, the Ring-billed Gull. At the Poolbeg channel look for close views of Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser. At sea Great-crested Grebe should be visible on calm days. Grey Heron, Little Egret and Cormorant are always present. On the Poolbeg pier there are Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone along the rocks. Look for Snow Bunting as well, in the depths of winter.

The Strand is on the flight path of returning Spring migrants. The Merrion railway embankment and the Poolbeg peninsula have Common Sandpiper and Wheatear in transit, and early Sandwich Tern, Swallow and Martin cross the beach. The Brent used to move to the nearby parks and the grass areas at the sewage works on the Poolbeg when their food supply on the mudflats ran low. The sewage works has been re-developed in 2003 as a much larger state-of-the-art plant and an open green 2Ha field has been provided for the geese between the Nature Park and the new works.

Numbers gradually decline into Summer when gulls, Oystercatcher, Redshank, some Shelduck and Common & Arctic Tern make up most of the numbers. Gannet, probably from the Ireland's Eye colony, can often be seen out at sea.

At one end Irishtown Nature Park has Kestrel, Linnet, Green & Goldfinch, Stonechat and Lark most of the year. Raven have become a common sight recently. At the southern end Booterstown Marsh has Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe and Kingfisher over the winter. With the ongoing work at Booterstown it is hoped this will become a viable breeding habitat again.

John Palmer at an I-WeBS count at Sandymount

Dublin Bay hosts four species in numbers of international importance (Brent Goose, Black-tailed Godwit, Knot and Redshank) and 18 species in numbers of national importance IWeBS 2005-06

Sandymount/Merrion from Booterstown on the IWeBS count 13.02.2010. Photo:Michael Ryan

Getting there ...
Sandymount is ~3km south from the city centre and is served by Dublin Bus (01-8734222) #2 from Parnell Square & #3 from Larkhill via O'Connell Street. Also by the #18 from Palmerstown, via Rathmines to Sandymount village. The #1 serves Poolbeg from the city centre but it is a rare endangered species at present!
For Merrion and Booterstown use #4A from Harristown via O'Connell Street (to Stradbrook, Blackrock) and #5, #7, #7A & #8 from the city centre to Booterstown and beyond. Also #45 from Merrion Square to Bray.

The DART (01-8366222) serves Landsdowne (for Poolbeg), Sandymount, Sydney Parade and Booterstown.

Autumn Tern roost at Sandymount - Sean Hogan

National Parks & Wildlife Service ... South Dublin Bay

Am I walking into eternity along Sandymount Strand? - Ulysses, James Joyce.