Seán Ronayne
Irish ornithologist & wildlife sound recordist.
irishwildlifesounds.com
Using bird sound as a tool to spread love for Irish nature.
Albums:
-Wild Silence
-Hope
Book: Nature Boy (Irish biography of the year 2024)
Doc: Birdsong
- My first recording of 2026. The wonderful House Sparrow. I chanced upon a gorgeous flock today and it became my first recording of 2026. Here’s to many more. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. #wildlife #birdsound #birds #wildlifesounds #birding
- Reposted by Seán Ronayne🦊 HEADS UP! 🦊 Ireland has a real chance to ban foxhunting right now. Chasing terrified foxes on horseback with hounds is cruel and barbaric. Please support our campaign on Instagram www.instagram.com/p/DRFtSTVDT6... #banfoxhunting #SpeirGorm
- Reposted by Seán RonayneLAST TICKETS! Join Ruby Free and @seanronayne.bsky.social at this year’s @dublinbookfest.bsky.social to immerse yourself in nature through discussing the stories behind their best-selling books: Nature Boy and #Rathlin, A Wild Life. dublinbookfestival.com/event/immers...
- Reposted by Seán RonayneAbsolutely fantastic weekend,caught up with the brilliant @seanronayne.bsky.social at the @shhomeplace.bsky.social for a truly engaging talk on his work as an ornithologist recording birdsong, talking mimicry & how nature has had such an impact on his life.Dawn chorus at Lough Beg was wonderful.
- Reposted by Seán Ronayne🌅✨ What a magical morning at The Strand at Lough Beg! Huge thanks to @seanronayne.bsky.social for leading our Dawn Chorus Walk yesterday through one of Ireland’s richest ornithological sites, and to @rspbni.bsky.social and everyone who joined - what an unforgettable experience!
- Reposted by Seán RonayneJoin Ruby Free and @seanronayne.bsky.social at this year’s @dublinbookfest.bsky.social to immerse yourself in nature through discussing the stories behind their best-selling books: Nature Boy and #Rathlin, A Wild Life. Tickets have nearly sold out: dublinbookfestival.com/event/immers...
- Reposted by Seán RonayneWhat an incredible evening spent listening to @seanronayne.bsky.social at The Lark in Balbriggan. He spoke so engagingly and movingly about all aspects of bird life & general wildlife in Ireland. Stark+quite depressing statistics were presented alongside ever present hope and optimism. GRMA Seán 🦉
- Thank you so much. Last night was wonderful for me. The venue and crowd were amazing
- Superb 3hrs that flew by in the blink of an eye with @seanronayne.bsky.social at #thelarkdublin tonight. An evening of laughter, tears, joy, awe & hope. Sean's passion is infectious, his delivery charming & his message a stark warning for the challenges ahead for Irelands birds. #Natureboy #birdsong
- I’m back here after an absence. I was trying to cut back on apps. I feel like I’m being shadow-banned on instagram so this seems like a nicer place to revisit Here’s a video from a mic deployment in Barcelona, in the midst of a wonderful thunderstorm. I got so wet it didn’t matter! It was beautiful
- Reposted by Seán RonayneMy most enjoyable summer read yet, #natureboy by @seanronayne.bsky.social. It sums up beautifully what's important to remember, cherish & protect in our world & lives. A must for educators, so we can properly situate nature in schools & also become more inclusive! Autism is rarely explained better!
- Reposted by Seán Ronayne@seanronayne.bsky.social makes the French news! @afp.com 🇨🇵🇮🇪
- Reposted by Seán Ronayne#Springwatch2025 people to follow til next time… @ChrisGPackham.bsky.social Presenter @IoloWilliams.bsky.social Presenter @JABaddams.bsky.social Urban Wildlife @LucyLapwing.bsky.social Props @SeanRonayne.bsky.social Recordist @WillRose.bsky.social Animator @DanFWildlife.bsky.social Fan Admin
- Reposted by Seán RonayneSaw @seanronayne.bsky.social speak tonight in #newbridge & #speirgorm ye all need to go listen, or catch his film on @rte.ie or read his book, his gentle, passionate call to arms is a message of pure hope 3hrs passed in the blink of an eye
- Reposted by Seán RonayneThe last government had an open goal to reform forestry to something resembling a sustainable model - but they blew it. With Coillte abandoning its biodiversity commitments, it seems that the industry now feels the pressure is off. jrnl.ie/6663637
- The start of a new chapter! I’ve been meaning to explore underwater sounds for some time. This recorder will remain submerged for 24hrs as a test. Let’s see what swims around it tonight, when the tide rises and the people leave. Just my mic, the sea, and the fish!
- Thank you everyone for a great night at Cork Opera House! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d fill 750 seats in my home city one day. What a privilege to do that talking about the thing I love so much. Nature. You all give me so much hope. See you at the next! Lots more venues to go.
- Check my website for tickets: www.irishwildlifesounds.com/irish-tour/
- Reposted by Seán RonayneOne man in Ireland has set himself an unusual challenge - to record the sound of every bird species in the country. Many of those birds may soon no longer exist. My report on @theworld.org with thanks to @seanronayne.bsky.social Listen back and read here: theworld.org/stories/2025...
- Reposted by Seán RonayneMyself and @seanronayne.bsky.social are giving a sellout talk in St. Luke's Church, Cork, shortly. Such a very special venue, I'm certain the evening will be too.
- Reposted by Seán RonayneI have a ticket (1 ticket) to tomorrow night's show (21st March) in St Lukes that I can't use anymore if anyone would like it?
- Following on from a sold out Live at St. Luke's, I'll be speaking at the Cork Opera House, March 26th! Tickets: www.irishwildlifesounds.com/irish-tour/ The sound system there is just incredible and I am so excited to showcase the best of what I've captured over the years. See you there!
- Reposted by Seán RonayneHow our noisy world is seriously damaging our health....
- UK friends! Tonight Birdsong makes its UK TV debut on BBC4 at 9pm. It will also be available on BBC Player thereafter. Please spread the word! Extract taken from The Times.
- For any UK followers, our documentary Birdsong airs on BBC4 next Wednesday!
- Birdsong @seanronayne.bsky.social Wed 21:00 BBC Four Film following Irish ornithologist Seán Ronayne’s mission to record the sound of every bird species in Ireland – that's nearly 200 birds. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
- Currently have mics running at three sites here in Catalunya. The lack of human noise at each is astounding. Can’t wait to see what I’ve captured!
- Tour almost ready to go! Lots of new sounds & stories as well as new threads & elements to others. The first two gigs are sold out with most others heading that way. I can’t wait! I have a few mics to collect here before coming home from Catalunya so hope to add even more sounds.
- Tickets available here: www.irishwildlifesounds.com/irish-tour/
- Following on from a sold out Live at St. Luke's, I'll be speaking at the Cork Opera House, March 26th! Tickets: www.irishwildlifesounds.com/irish-tour/ The sound system there is just incredible and I am so excited to showcase the best of what I've captured over the years. See you there!
- The Irish tour is growing! Shows in Clare, Limerick, Galway, Leitrim, Kerry, Kildare & Longford announced! tinyurl.com/mu9bx8kp It looks like we are headed for a lot of full houses - absolutely buzzing. Thank you everyone for your kindness & support. More to announce in coming days!
- Reposted by Seán RonayneThe Cork date is selling fast 🕊️ @seanronayne.bsky.social
- An Irish tour of talks will be starting soon. Hope to see you there! Note that this is just a fraction of venues. I am awaiting on contracts before I announce the remainder. For tickets and details please visit my website: www.irishwildlifesounds.com
- Just a gorgeous lemon-yellow Brimstone moth. A blast from the past from one of my many early teenage nocturnal garden safaris.
- 1/6🧵 It was around this time last year that I was given this chance to talk about the thing that means the most to be on what is a huge national platform (thank you RTE and thank you Tommy Tiernan and team)
- 2/6🧵 What I spoke about was so niche and I’m not so sure people would have listened had they knew what was coming. This opened up a whole world of opportunities to me for which I’ll forever be grateful.
- 3/6🧵 Most importantly of all it allowed me to show people just how gorgeous and never endlessly educational and inspiring nature can be. Nature right now really needs us. It’s not just some lovely thing we need to admire now and then. We need to reconnect with it.
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View full thread6/6🧵 I’m looking forward to continuing this journey in 2025! Lots to come. And I'll see you all around as I go.
- Two song types from a Wood Warbler in an Irish Sessile Oak Woodland. Now both sadly very rare. This bird was a real treat to sit with and listen to. I'd imagine this was once a much more common sound, in the very distant past, when oak woodlands were more common.
- This fast flowing water was almost singing to me. I heard it from afar and tracked it down the the exact source. I just had to record it. I was searching for Dippers again, but I always get distracted. But that's what makes the day - these beautiful distractions.
- 1/3🧵 Setting up my mics one night, I glanced at, but took no particular notice of, a large slug (not the individual in photo - this one I saw in SE Asia!) right by my kit. I finally solved the mystery of the odd scratchy sounds I sometimes heard in my recordings!
- 2/3🧵 This scratchy sound stems from the radula of the slug scraping and breaking down vegetation before it enters the esophagus. It is made up of many denticles, which are hard, tooth-like structures, and is overall akin to the rough tongue of a cat!
- 3/3🧵 In the background, you will heard the roaring surf of the Irish Sea, as well as both Whooper & Mute Swans, Lapwing, & a dog! I really like recording obscurities like this - it always sends me into a deep-dive on Google. Every day spent in the field I learn something new!
- Want to learn about Irish bogs? Jamie is your guy. He shares incredibly detailed posts here. A page well worth following.
