Bird Watching

A popular area for Birdwatchers in Durrow is “The Curragh”. A 600 acre flood plain on the river Erkina west of the Alluvial Woodland and Bishopswood. The area can be accessed from the Wooden Bridge which is located on the L5638 road. The site can be accessed by traveling along the R639 road southwest of Durrow for 2km, then turning right onto the L5638 road at Dereen cross. Travel a further 2km north along the L5638 until arriving at the Wooden Bridges at which point the site is to your right (east). See map below…

Many birds have their home here including  the Mute Swan, Cormorant, Kingfisher, Malard, Egret, Moor Hen, Starling, Lapwing and Snipe while winter visitors include flocks of Whooper Swans, Geese (who take up Residents on O’Sullivan’s Island) Teal, Wigeon while Shelduck is also a regular visitor here.

This area was illustrated in Don Conroy’s and Jim Wilson’s Book “Bird Life in Ireland”.

More information can be obtained from Laois Birdwatch Ireland.

GPS: 52.85357, -7.46178.