Latest news with #SeanRonayne
eNCA
24-05-2025
- General
- eNCA
In tune with nature: Expert sounds out all of Ireland's bird species
COBH - On a mission to record all of Ireland's bird species, many of which are dying out, Irishman Sean Ronayne calls his unique audio archive a tool to both raise alarm and bring hope. According to conservation bodies, some 63 percent of Ireland's birds are currently either red or amber-listed, meaning they are at severe or moderate extinction risk. "Birds are in trouble in Ireland like they are across the world, the loss of wildlife -- sonically and physically -- is devastating to me," said the 37-year-old. "But I focus on hope and beauty, which is essential," the ornithologist told AFP at his home near Cobh (pronounced "Cove") in County Cork. More than four years into his recording project he has sampled 201 different Irish bird species, stocking over 12,000 audio clips from around the country, Ronayne told AFP. Just two remain to be documented: the great skua, and red-breasted merganser. "If people realise just how spectacular wildlife is, there's no way they would let it disappear, attitudes would change," Ronayne said. Most of Ireland comprises intensively farmed fields bounded by trimmed hedgerows, drained and mined peatlands, overgrazed uplands, and minimal native woodland, he told AFP. Non-native conifer plantations -- approximately nine percent of Ireland's 11 percent forest cover -- are also a biodiversity villain, described by Ronayne as "a species-poor industrial cash-crop". AFP | Paul Faith "I try to show people the beauty of what we're erasing and what we must stand up and fight for," said the wildlife expert. Last year he published an award-winning book, released two albums, and made an acclaimed documentary film. His talk tour is currently selling out venues around Ireland. "Wildlife sound is such a great engaging tool to connect people to nature itself and get them acquainted with everything that's on their doorstep," Ronayne told AFP. "If you know your neighbour, you're more likely to help them in times of need," he said. At the shows Ronayne, who was diagnosed with a form of autism as an adult, presents the story of his life and how nature is woven through it. He also plays audio of warbles, tweets, trills, screeches and chirps, and mystery sounds, inviting the audience to guess the origin. Some clips show birds mimicking other animals like dogs, people and other bird species. "Some species in my collection can mimic 30 to 40 other species in their song," he said.
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
‘Birds are in trouble': Irishman races to record songs of vanishing species
COBH (Ireland), May 23 — On a mission to record all of Ireland's bird species — many of which are dying out — Irishman Sean Ronayne calls his unique audio archive a tool to both raise alarm and bring hope. According to conservation bodies, some 63 per cent of Ireland's birds are currently either red or amber-listed, meaning they are at severe or moderate extinction risk. 'Birds are in trouble in Ireland like they are across the world, the loss of wildlife — sonically and physically — is devastating to me,' said the 37-year-old. 'But I focus on hope and beauty, which is essential,' the ornithologist told AFP at his home near Cobh (pronounced 'Cove') in County Cork. More than four years into his recording project he has sampled 201 different Irish bird species, stocking over 12,000 audio clips from around the country, Ronayne told AFP. Just two remain to be documented: the great skua, and red-breasted merganser. 'If people realise just how spectacular wildlife is, there's no way they would let it disappear, attitudes would change,' Ronayne said. Irish ornithologist Sean Ronayne records the birds songs, and more precisely dawn chorus, at Glenbower wood, near Cobh, in the outskirts of Cork, southern Ireland April 3, 2025. — AFP pic Sound: 'An engaging tool' Ireland may be famed for its green fields, but Ronayne paints a bleak picture — 'realistic' he says — of a degraded landscape and a bird population decimated by vanishing habitats. Most of Ireland comprises intensively farmed fields bounded by trimmed hedgerows, drained and mined peatlands, overgrazed uplands, and minimal native woodland, he told AFP. Non-native conifer plantations — approximately nine per cent of Ireland's 11 per cent forest cover — are also a biodiversity villain, described by Ronayne as 'a species-poor industrial cash-crop'. 'I try to show people the beauty of what we're erasing and what we must stand up and fight for,' said the wildlife expert. Last year he published an award-winning book, released two albums, and made an acclaimed documentary film. His talk tour is currently selling out venues around Ireland. 'Wildlife sound is such a great engaging tool to connect people to nature itself and get them acquainted with everything that's on their doorstep,' Ronayne told AFP. 'If you know your neighbour you're more likely to help them in times of need,' he said. At the shows Ronayne, who was diagnosed with a form of autism as an adult, presents the story of his life and how nature is woven through it. He also plays audio of warbles, tweets, trills, screeches and chirps, and mystery sounds, inviting the audience to guess the origin. Some clips show birds mimicking other animals like dogs, people and other bird species. 'Some species in my collection can mimic 30 to 40 other species in their song,' he said. Laughter is common at his talks, but also tears and grief as listeners learn of Ireland's endangered birdlife. Irish ornithologist Sean Ronayne places a recording monitor among the vegetation at Ballycotton beach, near Cobh, in the outskirts of Cork, southern Ireland to record birds songs April 3, 2025. — AFP pic 'Sonic diversity' Ronayne regularly holds 'dawn chorus' walks, bringing small groups into silent forests far from road noise to experience the birdlife waking up. A gradually building cacophony of sound, the dawn chorus is 'a reflection of the health of a given environment', he told AFP in an old woodland near his home while waiting for sunrise. 'The more sonically diverse it is, the healthier the habitat is,' he said. After unpacking his audio recorder, parabolic microphone and tripod, he quickly identified the melodies of song thrushes, robins, blackbirds, goldcrests and others as they greeted the day. 'Chiffchaff! Did you hear that?! There's a grey wagtail!' he exclaimed, head twitching toward each sound in the lifting gloom. Ronayne also hides recorders for weeks and even months in remote untouched places where birds congregate. On Ballycotton beach near Cobh, migrating birds swirled overhead before settling on an adjacent lagoon. Ronayne carefully placed a waterproof recorder — able to run for up two weeks — in grass by the shore. 'They have to fly right over here to there,' he said pointing upwards at their route. 'After I collect it I'll be able to monitor the birds, capture their calls, and tell environmental stories from the audio,' he said. Back home, he scrolled on a computer showing thousands of archived sonogram clips — visual representations of sound — of birdsong audio. Each entry included data on the behaviour, calls and protected status of each bird: many either red or amber. 'First we must realise how wonderful nature is, then how fragile it is, and how much we have kicked it down,' Ronayne told AFP. 'When we as a society fall back in love with nature, and respect it as we once did, beautiful things will happen.' — AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-05-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
In Tune with Nature: Expert Sounds Out all of Ireland's Bird Species
On a mission to record all of Ireland's bird species, many of which are dying out, Irishman Sean Ronayne calls his unique audio archive a tool to both raise alarm and bring hope. According to conservation bodies, some 63 percent of Ireland's birds are currently either red or amber-listed, meaning they are at severe or moderate extinction risk. "Birds are in trouble in Ireland like they are across the world, the loss of wildlife -- sonically and physically -- is devastating to me," said the 37-year-old. "But I focus on hope and beauty, which is essential," the ornithologist told AFP at his home near Cobh (pronounced "Cove") in County Cork. More than four years into his recording project he has sampled 201 different Irish bird species, stocking over 12,000 audio clips from around the country, Ronayne told AFP. Just two remain to be documented: the great skua, and red-breasted merganser. "If people realize just how spectacular wildlife is, there's no way they would let it disappear, attitudes would change," Ronayne said. - Sound: 'an engaging tool' - Ireland may be famed for its green fields, but Ronayne paints a bleak picture -- "realistic" he says -- of a degraded landscape and a bird population decimated by vanishing habitats. Most of Ireland comprises intensively farmed fields bounded by trimmed hedgerows, drained and mined peatlands, overgrazed uplands, and minimal native woodland, he told AFP. Non-native conifer plantations -- approximately nine percent of Ireland's 11 percent forest cover -- are also a biodiversity villain, described by Ronayne as "a species-poor industrial cash-crop". "I try to show people the beauty of what we're erasing and what we must stand up and fight for," said the wildlife expert. Last year he published an award-winning book, released two albums, and made an acclaimed documentary film. His talk tour is currently selling out venues around Ireland. "Wildlife sound is such a great engaging tool to connect people to nature itself and get them acquainted with everything that's on their doorstep," Ronayne told AFP. "If you know your neighbor you're more likely to help them in times of need," he said. At the shows Ronayne, who was diagnosed with a form of autism as an adult, presents the story of his life and how nature is woven through it. He also plays audio of warbles, tweets, trills, screeches and chirps, and mystery sounds, inviting the audience to guess the origin. Some clips show birds mimicking other animals like dogs, people and other bird species. "Some species in my collection can mimic 30 to 40 other species in their song," he said. Laughter is common at his talks, but also tears and grief as listeners learn of Ireland's endangered birdlife. 'Sonic diversity' Ronayne regularly holds "dawn chorus" walks, bringing small groups into silent forests far from road noise to experience the birdlife waking up. A gradually building cacophony of sound, the dawn chorus is "a reflection of the health of a given environment", he told AFP in an old woodland near his home while waiting for sunrise. "The more sonically diverse it is, the healthier the habitat is," he said. After unpacking his audio recorder, parabolic microphone and tripod, he quickly identified the melodies of song thrushes, robins, blackbirds, goldcrests and others as they greeted the day. "Chiffchaff! Did you hear that?! There's a grey wagtail!" he exclaimed, head twitching toward each sound in the lifting gloom. Ronayne also hides recorders for weeks and even months in remote untouched places where birds congregate. On Ballycotton beach near Cobh, migrating birds swirled overhead before settling on an adjacent lagoon. Ronayne carefully placed a waterproof recorder -- able to run for up two weeks -- in grass by the shore. "They have to fly right over here to there," he said pointing upwards at their route. "After I collect it I'll be able to monitor the birds, capture their calls, and tell environmental stories from the audio," he said. Back home, he scrolled on a computer showing thousands of archived sonogram clips -- visual representations of sound -- of birdsong audio. Each entry included data on the behavior, calls and protected status of each bird: many either red or amber. "First we must realize how wonderful nature is, then how fragile it is, and how much we have kicked it down," Ronayne told AFP. "When we as a society fall back in love with nature, and respect it as we once did, beautiful things will happen."
Arab News
23-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
In tune with nature: expert sounds out all of Ireland's bird species
COBH, Ireland: On a mission to record all of Ireland's bird species, many of which are dying out, Irishman Sean Ronayne calls his unique audio archive a tool to both raise alarm and bring hope. According to conservation bodies, some 63 percent of Ireland's birds are currently either red or amber-listed, meaning they are at severe or moderate extinction risk. 'Birds are in trouble in Ireland like they are across the world, the loss of wildlife — sonically and physically — is devastating to me,' said the 37-year-old. 'But I focus on hope and beauty, which is essential,' the ornithologist told AFP at his home near Cobh (pronounced 'Cove') in County Cork. More than four years into his recording project he has sampled 201 different Irish bird species, stocking over 12,000 audio clips from around the country, Ronayne told AFP. Just two remain to be documented: the great skua, and red-breasted merganser. 'If people realize just how spectacular wildlife is, there's no way they would let it disappear, attitudes would change,' Ronayne said. Ireland may be famed for its green fields, but Ronayne paints a bleak picture — 'realistic' he says — of a degraded landscape and a bird population decimated by vanishing habitats. Most of Ireland comprises intensively farmed fields bounded by trimmed hedgerows, drained and mined peatlands, overgrazed uplands, and minimal native woodland, he told AFP. Non-native conifer plantations — approximately nine percent of Ireland's 11 percent forest cover — are also a biodiversity villain, described by Ronayne as 'a species-poor industrial cash-crop.' 'I try to show people the beauty of what we're erasing and what we must stand up and fight for,' said the wildlife expert. Last year he published an award-winning book, released two albums, and made an acclaimed documentary film. His talk tour is currently selling out venues around Ireland. 'Wildlife sound is such a great engaging tool to connect people to nature itself and get them acquainted with everything that's on their doorstep,' Ronayne told AFP. 'If you know your neighbor you're more likely to help them in times of need,' he said. At the shows Ronayne, who was diagnosed with a form of autism as an adult, presents the story of his life and how nature is woven through it. He also plays audio of warbles, tweets, trills, screeches and chirps, and mystery sounds, inviting the audience to guess the origin. Some clips show birds mimicking other animals like dogs, people and other bird species. 'Some species in my collection can mimic 30 to 40 other species in their song,' he said. Laughter is common at his talks, but also tears and grief as listeners learn of Ireland's endangered birdlife. Ronayne regularly holds 'dawn chorus' walks, bringing small groups into silent forests far from road noise to experience the birdlife waking up. A gradually building cacophony of sound, the dawn chorus is 'a reflection of the health of a given environment,' he told AFP in an old woodland near his home while waiting for sunrise. 'The more sonically diverse it is, the healthier the habitat is,' he said. After unpacking his audio recorder, parabolic microphone and tripod, he quickly identified the melodies of song thrushes, robins, blackbirds, goldcrests and others as they greeted the day. 'Chiffchaff! Did you hear that?! There's a grey wagtail!' he exclaimed, head twitching toward each sound in the lifting gloom. Ronayne also hides recorders for weeks and even months in remote untouched places where birds congregate. On Ballycotton beach near Cobh, migrating birds swirled overhead before settling on an adjacent lagoon. Ronayne carefully placed a waterproof recorder — able to run for up two weeks — in grass by the shore. 'They have to fly right over here to there,' he said pointing upwards at their route. 'After I collect it I'll be able to monitor the birds, capture their calls, and tell environmental stories from the audio,' he said. Back home, he scrolled on a computer showing thousands of archived sonogram clips — visual representations of sound — of birdsong audio. Each entry included data on the behavior, calls and protected status of each bird: many either red or amber. 'First we must realize how wonderful nature is, then how fragile it is, and how much we have kicked it down,' Ronayne told AFP. 'When we as a society fall back in love with nature, and respect it as we once did, beautiful things will happen.'
Irish Independent
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Nature meets art in Wicklow as day-long festival runs from dawn ‘til dusk
The festival is on Saturday, May 17, and promises a wide range of artistic and nature-based events in the areas of Enniskerry, Bray and the Glencree Valley. Organisers say it is a chance to step away from everyday life to deepen our appreciation of the natural world. It will begin with a dawn chorus walk with the renowned ornithologist and wildlife sound recordist Sean Ronayne, through a the field in the native woodlands near Knockree Hostel, Glencree. Sean's walk will be followed by an informal breakfast at the hostel, during which local zoologist Kieron Finch will arrive with the moths that he has captured overnight, inspiring awe and wonder as he unveils their magnificence. Following the Magic of Moths will be a family bug hunt led by local artist Liz McMahon that will bring parents and children into the forests along the banks of the river to explore the many wonderful critters that inhabit the native woodland. This will be followed by a family walk, exploring habitats along the riverbanks, with local nature enthusiast and mountain leader, Martha Burton. Professor Jane Stout, one of Ireland's leading botanists, will join The Shaking Bog to lead a wildflowers and pollinators walk through the Lacken Valley, rich with bluebells and wild garlic. 'What is Wild?' a talk by Mark Cocker, award-winning author of creative non-fiction, a naturalist, columnist and broadcaster, will take place at St Patrick's Church, Curtlestown, at 5.30pm. Cocker's latest book One Midsummer's Day: Swifts and the Story of Life on Earth celebrates the interconnectedness of all of life and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Richard Jefferies Prize for nature writing. The day-long programme of events will draw to a close with a memorable performance in two parts. The first will be a poetry reading from the acclaimed nature/eco poet Jane Robinson who will read from her poetry collections Island and Atoll. The second part of the evening will mark the first home performance by acclaimed solo and concert violinist Lynda O'Connor, who grew up just minutes away from Curtlestown Church. Lynda will be joined by international concert cellist and composer Ailbhe McDonagh and together they will perform The Irish Four Seasons which premiered late last year Meanwhile, Riverscapes as a project will flow through the coming weeks and months with various activities feeding into its various 'tributaries' of engagement. Many of these activities will evolve out of consultations and conversations with community groups and individuals and some will be more structured. ADVERTISEMENT It will culminate with the unveiling of Alan Gilsenan's film that will be screened in Mermaid Arts Centre in October as part of a larger autumn programme of events. Commenting on this year's programme, director Catherine Nunes said: 'The Shaking Bog believes that we can contribute to finding a 'third way' forwards by gathering not dividing, by inspiring and connecting, by sharing and including, by reflecting and wondering, by touching on the alchemy that happens when nature and meet – for it is there that the light shines in and hope resides.' For full details of the programme, go to: This year, all tickets are being sold through the Mermaid Arts Centre platform, at
