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If you would like to volunteer for hide duty please contact Paul at bwifingal@gmail.com

The responsibilities of the person on hide duty include:

1. Opening hours range between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm. You can leave the hide during that interval but you should try and make yourself available to the public for much of this period. If you do leave during this interval, close a few of the hatches and make sure the hide is accessible.

2. Encourage all visitors to sign Visitors Book

3. Record any rarities or large numbers of species in Log Book

4. Keep an eye out for any unauthorised activities such as shooting/dumping etc.

5. Make sure all hatches/doors are closed and secured when you finish your duty.

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Due to the treat to is future many years ago Rogerstown estuary has become one of the Fingal branch's main focus for conservation. Thanks to the hard work of the branch an extension of the land fill further onto the inner estuary was stopped and in 1995 BWI purchased 30 acres of wetland habitat (including the flooded field) and entered management agreements with sympathetic land owners for a further 15 acres. In 1998 thanks to the co-operation of Fingal County Council a hide was erected on the south shore of the estuary on council land. It is a large cargo container fitted with a timber interior and raised 2 meters off the ground. Its been a phenomenal success with hundreds of birders from near and far visiting annually.  Again due to the commitment of the branch members the hide is now wardened every Saturday and Sunday from Ocotber through to March.

See satellite map.

    Rogerstown South Hide, by Shay Connolly

New North Hide opens at Rogerstown

Following the successful application for a Heritage award the branch used the funding to construct a new hide on its land on the North side of the inner estuary. The award made up 75% of the cost and the remainder came from branch fundraising. The elevated hide overlooks the flooded field and one of the main roosts on the estuary giving superb views of wintering waders and wildfowl. Within weeks of its completion a juvenile Osprey, Spotted Redshank, the returning American Wigeon and up to 5 Pectoral Sandpipers were all on show along with the regulars visitors.

A lot has been done but there is much more to do as this is part of an ongoing visitor management project on the reserve and as funding becomes available the first thing on the list is to construct a boardwalk and screening on the approach to the hide. 

• New North hide
• Hide viewed from the South Hide
• F. McManus, J. English, S. Pierce, J. Roe, J. Murphy & P. Denny accept award from Simon Berrow of the Heritage Council
• F. McManus & J. Roe (front left) at the Heritage Grants Program ceremony.
• Paul Denny (branch chairman) and Kieran Grace (BWI chairman) cutting the ribbon at the official opening.
• B. Denny, J. Roe, P. Denny and J. Murphy at the official opening.
• View to the West
• Hide interior
• New North Hide
• Ruff
• Osprey
• Hide entrance
• Hide interior
• View to the South

Important:-

Both the hide's are located very close to the main roosting sites for the birds of the estuary and visitors should attempt to get into position 1-2 hours before high tide (this is especially the case for the Northern Hide due to the exposed approach to the hide, roosting birds are easily disturbed). Visitors should also refrain from entering the flooded field to minimize disturbance to feeding and roosting birds. All other lands in the inner estuary area are privately owned and permission should always be sought from landowners before entering. See News for details of hide opening times.

The branch is also working with Fingal County Council in its enhancement of its lands on the southern side of the estuary and we are delighted to be asked on board to assist. Work has already started on thinning out the the various plantations in the area to make them more attractive to wildlife. They had become very dense and overgrown which limits the diversity of birds and animals found there. Again this is just the beginning of a of a very exiting time for the branch in which sees our aspirations for the estuary and surrounding lands start to come to fruition. Watch this space........

Viewing: Rogerstown is ~18km from the city centre on the M1/N1.

The nearest bus service (01-8734222) is the #33 from Eden Quay to the N1/Turvey Avenue junction. Donabate has a train service (01-8366222) from Connolly Station via Howth Junction & Malahide. Donabate village is ~3.5km from the hide.

The outer estuary is quite accessible by public road at Raheen Point, Donabate and The Burrow, Portrane on the southern side and at Rogerstown and Baleally Lane on the northern side. The inner estuary can be accessed from two points. If approached from Balleally Road, cross the style at parking place (limited to 1 or 2 cars) and take the right-of-way down to the reserve. Visiting during spring tides is inadvisable as roosting birds may be disturbed and the visitor may be trapped on the reserve by the incoming tide. If approached from Turvey Avenue turn at BWI sign and park at allotments and travel on foot to the main hide.