We are very lucky in Lusk to be surrounded by beautiful countryside , estuaries and coastline. We live in one of the most diverse eco-systems in the country and home to an abundance of wildlife and fauna.

The hedgerows in Lusk are usually comprised of Whitethorn mixed with a variety of other species such as Dog Rose, Elder, Blackthorn, Holly and Hazel. Many of our hedgerows have trees growing in them. The most common hedgerow tree is Ash, followed by Sycamore, Elm, Willow, Wild Cherry and Oak. Most of our Hedgerows were planted over 100 years ago.

If you haven’t done so already, take a walk along one of the many country lanes off the ring road and enter another world. There is little traffic on these roads which makes them ideal for walking.

Hedgerows are important landscape features for wildlife. They provide food and shelter for wildlife within the intensively farmed countryside. They also act as corridors for animals to move from one area to another. Keep your eye out for Pygmy Shrews, Irelands smallest mammal measuring 5.5cm. You will also see red fox’s, badgers, hedgehogs, rabbits, hares and if you are lucky Irelands only reptile, the common lizard.

In the skies above you will regularly see birds of prey such as Red Kites, Buzzards, Kestrel, Sparrow hawks, Kestrels and Long-eared Owls. Peregrine Falcons can also be seen, they are the fastest bird on the planet reaching speeds of 240KM/Hr.

There are five bat species; Brown long-eared bat, Leisler’s bat, Common and Soprano Pipistrelle and Whiskered bat.

Rogerstown Estuary is a nature reserve, home to some of Europes rarest seabirds. Every year, up to 40.000 migratory birds spend the winter feeding and resting in the Fingal estuaries. Wading birds such as Godwits, Curlew and Snipe probe in the mud to look for the millions of tiny creatures that live in the estuary mud. Other birds such as the Brent Goose and Greylag goose will feed on the algae growing on the mudflats, while birds such as Cormorants feed on fish.

In summertime, the estuaries are fairly quiet, but you may see a Shelduck with their crèches. Underneath the water though, there is still lots going on. Estuaries are important nursery areas for many fish species that live out in the sea such as Herring, Seabass, Cod and Pollack. 25 different species of fish have been recorded in the estuaries so far.

In the seas off our coast Harbour porpoise, common dolphin, striped dolphin, minke whale, fin whale and basking shark are occasionally seen. Killer Whales and Humpback Whales have also been spotted.

A little further out we have Lambay Island. Did you know it is home to wild populations of two mammals not found anywhere else in the country?, the black rat and red-necked wallabies. The marsupials are not usually found on the western edge of Europe, but are native to Australia. Introduced by Rupert Baring  ( of the Baring Bank family who owned the island) in the 1950s, and augmented by a surplus from Dublin Zoo in the 1980s, numbering perhaps around 100 .