Lough Boora Bird Watching

Lough Boora Nature Reserve in County Offaly used to be a commercial bog! Peat was farmed here for about 40 years and it was used for generating electricity. The former bog has been transformed into a nature reserve. Lough Boora also acts as a general recreation area and it is popular with cyclists. Wildlife now thrives here and in addition to many types of birds there are also deer, rabbits and Irish hares roaming free.

Several trails are laid out across the nature reserve and there is a visitor centre with amenities and a café. You can download maps from their website: Lough Boora Park.

Lough Boora Park is now the only site in Ireland where the Grey Partridge breeds and roams free. There is a project running here to protect the existing birds and expand their numbers by extending their habitat. Check at receptions as there are two separate sites in the area where the birds breed.

The water levels in Lough Boora Nature Reserve in County Offaly are lowest in summer when vegetation is at its maximum. Greater numbers of wildfowl and waders visit the park in winter which makes this a popular site for bird watching in Offaly.

You can search for “Lough Boora Discovery Park” in Google and follow the directions. There is a large car park at the visitor centre. Additional parking is available in several areas along the boundary road. Sat-Nav co-ordinates are 53.224944, -7.728203

More information can be found here: Lough Boora Discovery Park