The cache is located in a section of the Killarney National Park
which is only a short walk from the centre of Killarney itself.
There are several entrances to the park, but the best for this
cache is across the bridge opposite the Cathedral which brings you
to a quaint little cottage.
While on the way, have a look for the nearby
Killarney Micro #1 cache.
From here, follow signs for "Knockreer House Gardens" and let
the GPS take you from there.
In June 2007, 15 white-tailed eagle chicks were introduced to
Killarney National Park from Flatanger, Norway. It was the start of
a programme by wildlife rangers to bring a total of 100
white-tailed eagles to Ireland over the following five years.
The
white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus Albicilla) - also known as the
sea eagle - is a huge bird with a wingspan of up to 245cm (8
feet). Adults have a beige coloured head, a huge bill and a
short, wedge-shaped white tail. Young eagles are much darker,
gradually gaining adult plumage over 5 - 6 years.
White-tailed eagles start to breed when they are around 5 years
of age. They spend the winter in courtship and eggs are laid in
March. Females normally lay 1 - 2 eggs, which are incubated for
about 38 days. When hatched, the egrets remain in the nest for 10 -
13 weeks before fledging. Once they survive their first winter,
they can be expected to live for up to 20 years.
Fish, birds and ducks are among the most important items in
their diet. When hunting for fish, they prefer to watch from a
suitable perch, then swoop and pluck the fish from the surface of
the water without getting wet. The eagles also scavenge, scouring
locations for washed-up fish and often steal food from other birds
and animals.
In Ireland, they have no natural predators and the only threat
to their existence in Kerry is from human activity. In 1910 the
white-tailed eagle was driven into extinction in Ireland by
hunting. Indeed, upon their re-introduction almost 100 years later,
farmers in the area were already expressing their concerns that the
eagles might attack lambs.
On average, the white-tailed eagle's territory ranges from 30 -
70 km2. While the location of this cache should be safe enough,
they still managed to leave their mark on it before the initial
hide, so beware! As the re-introduction programme continues over
the years, listen out for their call, which sounds like a mixture
of a bark and a yelp - rather strange coming from such an
impressive bird.
- Contents of the original cache
included
- Colourful plastic slinky spring
- Battery-operated Sudoku game
- Mobile phone necklace holder
- Ireland sticker
- 10c and 25c coins from Trinidad & Tobago
- Smily bean bag
- Ireland/USA pin badge
- Whoopee cushion
- Kerry air freshener
- "Subway Séamus" TB
- Log book with a pen, pencils and a sharpener
The cache itself is wrapped in black cloth to help it blend in
with its surroundings. When replacing it, beware of passing muggles
and perhaps throw a few leaves over it just to be sure. To retrieve
the cache requires a bit of blind faith. Close your eyes,
outstretch your hand and hope for the best - if you dare!