Rté - Mooney Goes Wild

In this special Mooney Goes Wild programme, Derek snuggles up with the Common Eider.

Derek is joined by Niall Hatch and Eric Dempsey in studio and they are joined by Terry Flanagan who is on the trail jackdaws along with Richard Collins and Éanna Ní Lamhna who join in from Malahide and Co. Clare.

Welcome to a very special episode of Mooney Goes Wild, in which we celebrate this very day, the longest day of the year, at least here in the Northern Hemisphere: the Summer Solstice.

This week Derek, Richard, Eanna and Niall talk to Terry Flanagan who checks out a hungry tree, Brian McCann who tells us about a Golden Eagle born in captivity and Ken Whelan on what salmon eyes tell us about their diets.

This week Derek and team take a look at Feral pigeons mating rituals, the Hermit Thrush, a pine marten is scared by a fox and they also take a look at the latest Dublin bay Biodiversity Plan.

Join Derek, Éanna Ní Lamhna and Niall Hatch as they talk to Terry Flanagan about orchids, moths with Jim Wilson and Musical Moments from pianist Finghin Collins.

Join Derek and the team as they take a look back to this years Dawn Chorus programme.

Niall McAuley joins Derek to talk about his YouTube channel NiallGardens and his 'no mow lawn'

Dr. Easkey Britton is based outside Westport, from where she joined Éanna Ní Lamhna, Richard Collins and Niall Hatch.

On today's show Derek talks about tame robins, Terry Flanagan on the midge, Dr Easkey Britton on cleaning our oceans and Niall McAuley joins Derek in studio to talk about 'no mow' lawns.

Derek talk's to Mick Power from Coillte about illegal dumping, Sean McKeown from Fota Wildlife Park joins us to talk about their Natterjack Toad breeding project and Richard Collins and Niall Hatch talk to Queen's PhD student, Kez Armstrong about declining Kestral numbers and a new 'Kestral Cam' in Fermanagh.

Dr Matthew Jebb, director of the National Botanic Gardens brings us up to date with the latest news on photosynthesis.

Dr Simon Berrow tells us about a petition to have Basking Sharks protected in Irish waters.

Derek and the team discuss why some birds walk while others hop. Terry Flannagan reports from Herbert Park on the mating behavior of Mallard & the aerobatic insect-catching Pied Wagtails.

Derek and team discuss why some birds walk while others hop. Terry Flanagan reports from Herbert Park on the mating behavior of Mallard & the aerobatic insect-catching Pied Wagtails. Dr Matthew Jebb brings us up to date with the latest news on photosynthesis & Dr Simon Berrow on a petition to have Basking Sharks protected in Irish waters.

Professor Francis Ratnieks from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex tells us about research into foraging bees and discloses why some plant species are dominated by bumble bees and others by honest bees.

Dr Matthew Jebb, director of the national botanic gardens sings the praises of the Hawthorn tree also known as the May tree because its flowers bloom from early May to late June in Ireland. Specimens of the Hawthorn can be found in throughout the country as it's one of most abundant native species.

Derek, Niall & Richard discuss bird song and why it is that some birds like 'singing on the rain' while others keep a low profile. The Blackbird and the Mistle Thrush are two notables.

This week Derek is joined by Richard Collins and Niall Hatch and they are joined by director of the national botanic gardens, Dr Matthew Jebb who talks about the Hawthorn. They are also joined by Professor Francis Ratnieks from the University of Sussex who tells us about why some plant species are dominated by bumble bees and others by honest bees.

Terry Flanagan goes to Spencer Dock in Dublin in search of gulls.