Birds of Prey (Accipitridae)
Birds of prey have a hooked beak, strong feet and curved talons to enable them to catch smaller animals. Birds of prey also rely on a range of methods to catch their prey – the falcons use speed; the broad-winged hawks and eagles soar to great heights and use their keen eyesight to spot prey; and the owls use silent flight and excellent hearing to locate their prey, often under the cover of darkness.
Bird of Prey you may see flying over the park is a Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Life Cycle of Butterfly (Lepidoptera)
There are four stages to the life cycle of a butterfly. Life begins as a tiny egg, many of which are glued to specific types of plants. On hatching, the tiny caterpillar will eat parts of the plant upon which the egg was laid and will slowly grow over a period of weeks or months. Once fully grown, the caterpillar will spin a silken cocoon, called a chrysalis, within which it will lie for several weeks to months.
Within the chrysalis, the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly through a process known as metamorphosis. Once this process is complete, the chrysalis will burst open and the adult butterfly will emerge. Its wings will be wet and folded at first, but soon these will flatten out and harden, allowing the butterfly to fly and begin to visit flowers, from where it will gather sugar-rich nectar.
Butterflies you may see within the park, a Peacock Butterfly (Agalis io)
Dragonfly (Anisoptera)
Dragonflies are voracious predators of the insect world. They have huge eyes and excellent eyesight which, together with very fast flight, allows them to spot and catch other flying insects. Once caught, their prey is eaten using their strong, serrated jaws. Dragonflies excel at flying and can even fly backwards!
Look out for the Common Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) within the park.
Irish Hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
Hares live above ground in shallow scrapes called forms, within which they will crouch down to be hidden from predators such as Buzzards and foxes. The large ears give hares very sensitive hearing and their eyes also sit on the sides of their head, which gives them wrap-around vision and allows them to spot danger even if it is behind them.
Hares are also vegetarians, eating only plant material which they chop into small pieces using their sharp, chisel-like front teeth.