Rté - Mooney Goes Wild

We launch out shout out for cuckoos campaign. Join the Mooney goes wild army of citizen scientists. Jim Wilson and Niall Hatch talk about Sand Martins and discuss the benefits of artificial sand breeding banks. Richard & Éanna answer a listeners question about devoted dads in the animal kingdom

This week Derek, Éanna and Richard discuss the Monkey Puzzle tree and they are joined by Director of Fota Wildlife Park - Sean McKeown, Niall Hatch on the rediscovery of the Black Browed Babbler, Fergal Monaghan talks about the Hen Harrier Project, Damien Hannigan on the deer population in the Phoenix Park and Terry Flanagan on feeding birds.

Terry Flanagan reports on Ladybirds. Dublin student Liam Corcoran talks about the photograph he took of a Mandarin Duck which he entered into the RTÉ Eye on Nature competition. Éanna ni Lámhna extols the virtues of National Tree Week 2021. And Derek reworks ‘The Lark Ascending’by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.

We take a look at the 12 finalists in the RTÉ EYE ON NATURE PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION. Niall Hatch on why birds line their nests with moss, feathers and sheep’s wool and we look ahead to a two part documentary on TG4 about how wildlife faired during lockdown.

At this time of year there is a lovely stretch in the evening, birds are singing and bulbs are sprouting. So we decided to celebrate with the Mooney Goes Wild - Spring into Nature Quiz!

Our team of reporters are primed for action - out and about in various locations around the country and they’re ready to bring us a flavour of what’s happening where they are – in our MOONEY GOES WILD Spring "Night-time Vigil"

Derek, Éanna, Richard & Matthew Jebb discuss why a Snowdrop is called a Snowdrop. Eric Dempsey goes in search of Dublin's Brent Geese. Terry Flanagan on the 'lookdown' hobby that became a small business making birdfeeders. Niall Hatch talks to Tommy Kennedy about Woodpeckers in his garden & Brian Burke on the The 8th International Swan Census.

This week Derek and panel discuss a Baltimore frog invasion, some bestial boredom, back garden bird feeding and skeletal deconstruction in the Natural History Museum.

We talk to Dr Colin Lawton of NUIG about controlling the population of Grey Squirrels using oral contraception. Terry Flanagan talks to Susan O' Donohue about her online children's book GOLDEN WINGS, and Éanna meets Emma Finn who set up a business installing beehives for corporations that want to increase their green credentials.

We hear about plans to transform part of the Dublin mountains to make them more people friendly. We'll update you on our wildlife photography competition which is attracting thousands of entries... And we’ll bring you news of research into kinder ways of counting fish.

Dr Matthew Jebb talks about the Venus Fly trap. Niall Hatch reports from BirdWatch Ireland's East Coast Nature Reserve. We hear about an online course for beginner beekeepers, Terry Flanagan investigates the tale of a sleeping fox in Co. Clare & Eric Dempsey helps Jenny Branigan with her family's venture into the Annual Garden Bird Survey.

On this week's show: the Troubling decline of Curlew numbers in Ireland, myths about birds and why do birds wash themselves? John Reilly with an update on our photographic competition. We talk to Kerri McCrae about her Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary and Terry Flanagan tells us about Nature Studies.

We launch the RTÉ Eye on Nature photographic competition. Jenny Branigan reports on BirdWatch Ireland’s annual garden bird survey. We ask how Ring-neck Parakeets are becoming regular visitors to Irish gardens. We discover the delightful sound of the Robin’s winter song and hear about the success of Barn Owl beatboxes in Cork.

It would be tragic if the Curlew were to disappear from our landscape forever. Urgent conservation work is underway to pinpoint the reasons for the bird’s decline and to develop the most effective ways to save it. In this Mooney Goes Wild special Derek meets some of the conservationists dedicated to saving this iconic species.

Join Terry Flanagan as he documents a year long biodiversity audit of Áras an Uachtaráin.

Join Derek and friends as they look into the intriguing history of the Christmas Tree.

On today's show, our expert panel pose the questions in the Mooney Goes Wild Christmas Quiz. All you need to take part is a pen and paper. The questions and answers will be given during this evening's broadcast.

This is our Christmas gift special – and this year our focus is firmly on books. Today the team will be bringing you a super range of ideas for presents all inspired by the natural world. So sit back and relax as we take you to the MOONEY GOES WILD virtual bookshop.

Éanna Ní Lamhna has a look at hedgerows, John Bela Reilly talks to Melanie Croce who makes the link between tree planting and protecting Ireland's wild seal population, Jenny Branigan takes part in this years BirdWatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey and Derek met up with Kathryn Finney to find out more about The Curlew European Innovation Partnership.

Joining Derek this week we have John 'Bela' Reilly talking about social media and 'Lazarus the Bluetit', RTE's Jamie Doyle on soil film 'Kiss the Ground', Richard Collins and Matthew Jebb on plants tricking predators and prey along with birdsong at train stations and the fascinating eyesight of Kingfishers with Niall Hatch.