Jenna and I had this trip to Northern Ireland booked for over a year, and it was finally time to go. My main targets were the Cryptic Wood White butterfly and the Irish damselfly, two key species needed to complete my British Isles butterfly, dragonfly, and damselfly list. In preparation, I had been in touch with Ian Rippey, the Northern Ireland County Butterfly Recorder, who kindly kept me updated with recent sightings.
We left Liverpool John Lennon Airport on Friday afternoon and soon landed at George Best Belfast City Airport. After picking up the hire car, we headed straight out for our first target of the trip.
That evening, we arrived at Craigavon Lakes in good weather and made our way along the railway embankment.
Almost immediately, I had my first sighting of a Cryptic Wood White. It felt remarkably easy after so much planning. We soon found another individual that perched well, allowing us to get some excellent photographs.
The Cryptic Wood White is a small, pale white butterfly that closely resembles the Wood White and is notoriously difficult to distinguish from related species. In the UK, it is restricted to Northern Ireland, although it is more widespread across parts of Europe. It inhabits open landscapes such as rough grassland, scrub, hedgerows, and dunes, and tends to avoid dense woodland. The larvae feed on legumes such as vetches and bird ’s-foot trefoil.
While exploring the site, we also recorded Meadow Brown and Common Blue butterflies, and Bee Orchids were flowering in the grassland, adding to an excellent first evening in the field.
Common Blue
Meadow Brown
With one target already achieved, we returned to Belfast to check into our hotel.
The following morning, we were up early and headed to Montiaghs Moss Nature Reserve for the Irish damselfly.
Ian Rippey met us on site, which was greatly appreciated, and spent the morning with us. The reserve is owned by the RSPB and consists of a restored bog habitat with open pools, reedbeds, and wet grassland near Lough Neagh in County Antrim.
In warm sunshine, dragonflies and damselflies were already active. We quickly recorded Variable, Azure, Common Blue, and Large Red Damselflies, along with good numbers of Hairy Dragonflies and Four-spotted Chasers.
Azure Damselfy
Variable Damselfy
Large Red Damselfy
Our main target, the Irish damselfly (Coenagrion lunulatum), was soon located around the larger bog pools towards the rear of the reserve. They were present in good numbers, skimming low over the water.
Males are small blue-and-black damselflies, identifiable by distinctive crescent-shaped markings on the second abdominal segment. The species is rare and highly localised in the UK and Ireland, with a stronghold in western Ireland and a reliance on intact bog habitats.
It was a very satisfying moment to see both of my main targets so early in the trip, completing a goal I had been working towards for two years.
After saying our goodbyes and thanking Ian for his time, we headed south towards Dublin with one more ambition in mind: the Least Tern at Portrane Point.
Me and Ian
Portrane Point
This extremely rare North American vagrant had been associating with a Little Tern colony and had attracted considerable attention. Unfortunately, after a six-hour wait in a cold westerly wind, there was no sign of the bird. While it would have been a fantastic bonus, I wasn’t too disheartened, as even birders I know have dipped it, and our main objectives had already been successful.
We returned north to Belfast that evening and celebrated with a curry and a few pints of Guinness, Jenna’s first experience of it, and possibly her last.
Our final morning was spent at the Giant’s Causeway, a site high on Jenna’s list.
The Giant’s Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic coastal landscapes, formed from interlocking basalt columns created by ancient volcanic activity. The coastal scenery, sea cliffs, and rock formations made for a fitting final visit to the trip.
After a relaxed walk around the site, it was clear Jenna had really enjoyed the visit.
We then began the drive back to the airport for our afternoon flight.
It was a short but unforgettable weekend in Northern Ireland, with two key targets successfully seen and some brilliant wildlife and scenery along the way.
