kingfisher on the strawberry beds

donalglackin · 31-08-2008 2:17pm #1

i was up that way recently and am about 80 per cent sure i saw a kingfisher i only saw it flying from about 20-25 feet away but it looked very blue. ive only ever heard of them being on the dodder and on the tolka so just wondering if anyone else has seen them up around those parts before

boneless · 31-08-2008 5:59pm

The Beds are a great spot to see them actually

. So is just below the weir at Chapelizod. Next time you are at the Beds keep an eye out for otters. I have heard reports of them being seen there too.

Thanks for the report!!

Alun · 31-08-2008 6:46pm

As a "blow-in" could someone tell me where these Strawberry Beds are (I hear about them quite a bit), and why they're called that? I'm guessing that strawberries were once grown there, but you never know.

donalglackin · 01-09-2008 10:24pm

if you head up knockmaroon hill just outside chapelizod and when you come to the junction and knockmaroon gate into the phoenix park take a left and its just the area along the liffey down there i think. i was there again today but saw no sign of them has anyone else seen along there.

boneless · 02-09-2008 2:17pm

Alun, I have seen kingfishers on the Dargle too at Enniskerry as well as on the Dodder near Bushy Park. They are more common than most people think.

A friend of mine lived his whole life beside the Liffey and his back garden actually ended at the river. He only ever saw a kingfisher once in that whole time though.

WharfRat · 07-09-2008 11:21am

Last year I saw a kingfisher in Lansdowne Valley Park in Drimnagh along the Camac River, only a wee polluted little stream. They can show up in surprising places!

ciaran76 · 07-09-2008 5:41pm

Saw a dead one down there a few weeks ago. Didnt realise how tiny they were close up.

magicbastarder · 18-09-2008 5:41pm

Alun wrote: »

As a "blow-in" could someone tell me where these Strawberry Beds are (I hear about them quite a bit), and why they're called that? I'm guessing that strawberries were once grown there, but you never know.

if you park at the wren's nest, which is about a mile past knockmaroon hill on the route donalglackin mentioned, there's a break in the hedgerow opposite which will lead you out onto a weir. unfortunately, it's also a spot used for 'informal' drinking, but i've never seen anyone there in the afternoon.

unfortunately, i think the weir has been damaged since i took this shot.

kingfisher on the strawberry beds

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