Kingfisher spotted during clean-up Whitestown stream
By Mary Dennehy
THE importance of Tallaght’s waterways in supporting and sustaining wildlife, including a newly spotted Kingfisher, has been highlighted again.
Last Sunday, December 6, seven volunteers from Dodder Action and Tallaght Litter Mugs returned to the Whitestown stream to conduct a clean-up.
John Stanton, with Oscar the dog, Wladek Gaj, Sallyanne Lyons, John Kiberd and Caragh Coote
Images taken before the sweep commenced, showed the electric blue of a kingfisher flying over rubbish, while another captured little Egrets.
In a comment to The Echo, volunteer Wladek Gaj said: “Kingfishers are in a Europe-wide decline, there are only an estimated 5,000 in Ireland.
“The fish population in Whitestown stream sustains Grey Herons, little Egrets and a Kingfisher.
“This delicate eco-system depends upon good water quality.”
The electric blue of a Kingfisher as it flies over rubbish in Whitestown Stream, Tallaght
According to volunteers, some 26 bags of rubbish were filled with rubbish removed from the stream, including plastic and glass bottles, aluminium cans, food waste, household cleaning products, medicines, jackets, jeans, duvets, car mats, toys polystyrene and plastic sheeting.
Among the larger items hauled from the water included road barriers, shopping trolleys, scooters, tyres, timber, and a car seat.
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