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Description
Wexford Wildfowl Reserve is located on flat farmland on the North Slob which was walled off from Wexford Harbour and reclaimed from the sea in the 1840s partly as a famine relief project. The main habitat types are farmland and a brackish channel. Much of the area lies two metres below sea level. The open fields, widely spaced out hedges, water channels and soft, well-watered soils attract lots of wildfowl and waders to the Wexford Slobs.
Over 250 bird species have been recorded on the Reserve, many of them winter migrants from Greenland and Arctic Canada or from Scandinavia and Arctic Russia. Greenland hus bieločelá are the most numerous ( 10,000 or more) goose species on the reserve. They breed on the western lowlands of Greenland during the summer and winter in Ireland and Scotland from October to March. The North Slob holds about 8,500 or 45% of the current world population of Greenland hus bieločelá during these months. Some 2,000 Pale-bellied bernikľa tmavá (who breed in arctic Canada) also use the Wexford reserve in winter. Also bernikľa bielolíca, hus krátkozobá, labuť malá, labuť spevavá and many ducks and grebes can be spotted. Also as many as 42 wader species have been recorded in the area. The birds and other wildlife on the reserve can be watched from the 8 metre-tall observation tower and three bird hides. Rarities turn up regularly in the area.
Details
Access
Wexford Wildfowl Reserve is situated just outside Wexford town. From Wexford cross the bridge and travel 2.9km (1.8 miles). Turn right at a sign marked “Wexford Wildfowl Reserve” (the sign is on the right hand side just after Bates Oil) and drive 2.5 km (1.6 miles) to the car park and visitor centre. The Reserve and Visitor Centre are open every day from 9am until 5pm. The car park and entrance gates are locked every evening at 5pm. Please keep to the trails to avoid disturbance to the wildlife. Please do not open gates or climb over fences and be aware that grazing animals are present at certain times of the year.