Belcarra is still enjoying bird boost
Pupils from Belcarra National School are pictured at the local riverside walk and biodiversity trail where they were hoping to catch a glimpse of Belcarra's exotic visitor Lorrie. Picture: Trish Forde
A rare North American bird who currently calls a Mayo village home has given tourism to the area a huge boost in the last number of weeks.
‘Lorrie’ is the affectionate name given by locals to the yellow-crowned night heron living above the river in Belcarra, located nine kilometres outside Castlebar. The bird was first spotted in late May by local woman Lorraine Ryan Jennings and its appearance has since brought a veritable flock of birdwatchers to the village as it is the first time the bird has been seen in Ireland and only the second time it has been recorded in Europe.
Chairperson of the Belcarra Community Council, Fionnan Nestor, said the bird has brought local, national and international attention to the village, resulting in coverage on RTÉ's and the BBC. It has also brought up to and around 500 visitors in the last month, many of them day-trippers coming to get a once-in-a-lifetime photo of the heron but some have stayed locally at the Carra Caravan and Camping Park.
The visitors are still arriving every day. What is seldom has become the norm in Belcarra; it is not unusual to see new faces walking through the village carrying impressive-looking, high-tech cameras and scopes, all chatting excitedly. The bird is the word.
“It has created such a buzz for everyone here,” said Fionnan.
“It has obviously been a great boost to the economy here which is very welcome but it has re-ignited an interest in our local natural heritage.
“You are now as likely to see a local family by the river with a camera or binoculars as you are a birdwatcher from the UK. It has brought the community together to celebrate the wonder of our natural surroundings and the wildlife in abundance around us. We feel very lucky to share this space with the natural world.”
What is notable is that many of these visitors, most of whom probably never imagined visiting a small village in the west of Ireland, are planning to make return journeys in the future.
“Visitors have been wowed by how pretty, green, clean and friendly the village is. One of the ladies I was speaking to told me she’d love to move here from England,” said Fionnan.
“Belcarra is a real hidden gem in Mayo. The riverside walk, the lush green trees, the friendly welcoming residents, the local amenities such as the new MUGA (multi-use games area), playground and pitch, the community centre, remote working hub, sports centre, tennis court, school, shop, pub and campsite all make this a really wonderful place to live, work, and visit.”
Belcarra locals would love for their guest to stay but there is no real way of telling when Lorrie will leave for good. There are plans in place for a mural by the river in the village depicting the rare visitor but Fionnan said they will enjoy Lorrie’s visit while it lasts.
“We feel really privileged that Belcarra has been his home, if even for a short while. The most important thing though for us is to look after him while he is here. We don’t want to capitalise on his presence if it means disturbing him in any way.
“We love that visitors and enthusiasts are coming here and we want that to continue. We would also like to thank everyone for being so considerate and respectful both of the bird and our lovely village.”
