May Birdwatching Break
3 B&B, 2 Dinners, 1 Lunch, All Guided Walks17th-20th May 2026.
The beautiful island of Inishbofin attracts breeding birds such as wheatear, skylark, chough, lapwing and ringed plover. It is also blessed in being a breeding ground for the endangered corncrake.
The call of the corncrake was once a familiar sound in rural Ireland. Intensification of farming practices such as early mowing for silage have pushed these birds out to more remote unspoilt areas of Donegal, Mayo, Connemara and offshore islands.
In 2018 Birdwatch Ireland estimated only 151 breeding pairs remained in Ireland.
On Inishbofin in Co. Galway, numbers have steadily increased, with 18 calling males reported in recent years. So this tiny island is now home to over 10% of the country’s breeding population. This elusive bird has become synonymous with Inishbofin.
The weekend at the Dolphin Hotel will include morning and afternoon walks to corncrake habitats.
Beginner birdwatchers welcome.
