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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Kayla Moldy Supernova


    Talking to lad here in the pub who walks the featherbeds a lot and said past few days he's seen a couple of stoats about. Didn't know they were that frequent in Leinster.

    The stoat is widespread in Ireland, including islands, and is limited only by suitable cover and sufficient food. I see at least one per week here in north Leinster. Lovely little things and a joy to watch.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    The stoat is widespread in Ireland, including islands, and is limited only by suitable cover and sufficient food. I see at least one per week here in north Leinster. Lovely little things and a joy to watch.

    Unfortunately I've only seen two and both were caught by Harris hawks.
    They are lovely little things. I must take a walk up and have a look to try spot them


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Kayla Moldy Supernova


    Unfortunately I've only seen two and both were caught by Harris hawks.
    They are lovely little things. I must take a walk up and have a look to try spot them

    Please leave the hawks at home if you do go. :)

    Look for an area of rocky scrub and with a sunny aspect. If you see one remain still as they often come back to ha e a look at you!


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,603 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    The stoat is widespread in Ireland, including islands, and is limited only by suitable cover and sufficient food. I see at least one per week here in north Leinster. Lovely little things and a joy to watch.


    I've only ever seen 2 stoats(alive!!) in all my time and I spend a alot of time out and about. I'm sure theres plenty about, just I keep missing them - I'm not a morning person so that might account for my lack of success:confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 586 ✭✭✭Desmo


    The last one I saw was charging out of the reeds in Tacumshin, carrying a dead moorhen chick. This was preceded by a moorhen parent exploding out of the same reeds. I was on the road and it had to get past me. It stopped about 2 metres away and left the dead chick on the road and ran into the ditch beside me to check it out to see if it was clear; I was blocking its normal route on trh road. It could see that it could get past me that way and it ran back for the chick and dragged it into the ditch and ran past me under cover.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭MeteoritesEire


    heard first cuckoo today---thats early


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Kayla Moldy Supernova


    heard first cuckoo today---thats early

    Are you sure? The BTO tracking project shows none further north than just south of the sahara as of 27th February. Also, none yet reported from any mainland Europe country?


  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭MeteoritesEire


    well it's fairly unmistakable--now in saying that I only heard it the once down at the spar in Annagry and I stood for another few minutes but there seemed to be an endless flow of traffic after that and I never heard it again.If they're about I'll hear them again within a day or 2 most likely as there's always loads about here


  • Registered Users Posts: 348 ✭✭Pie Man


    Might it be a Collared Dove your hearing.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Kayla Moldy Supernova


    well it's fairly unmistakable--now in saying that I only heard it the once down at the spar in Annagry and I stood for another few minutes but there seemed to be an endless flow of traffic after that and I never heard it again.If they're about I'll hear them again within a day or 2 most likely as there's always loads about here

    Almost every year somebody tells me of a cuckoo only for it to be a wood pigeon.

    It is very unlikely that there would be a cuckoo this early as far north as Donegal. Also you say there are a!ways loads about there, but cuckoo numbers have plummeted throughout the country since 1970 and very few have been recorded from Donegal in the past 30 years.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭MeteoritesEire


    Almost every year somebody tells me of a cuckoo only for it to be a wood pigeon.

    It is very unlikely that there would be a cuckoo this early as far north as Donegal. Also you say there are a!ways loads about there, but cuckoo numbers have plummeted throughout the country since 1970 and very few have been recorded from Donegal in the past 30 years.

    I suppose it's possible it wasn't a cuckoo, wouldn't bet my life on it as it was just the once and then I left after waiting for few minutes.

    As far as cuckoo numbers in Donegal , the relevant information collectors either haven't been here or aren't asking the right questions to the right people.I've seen dozens every year for the past 4 years I've lived here.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Kayla Moldy Supernova


    I suppose it's possible it wasn't a cuckoo, wouldn't bet my life on it as it was just the once and then I left after waiting for few minutes.

    As far as cuckoo numbers in Donegal , the relevant information collectors either haven't been here or aren't asking the right questions to the right people.I've seen dozens every year for the past 4 years I've lived here.

    You should let Birdwatch Ireland or the BTO know if you have definate sightings of Cuckoo. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭Capercaille


    You should let Birdwatch Ireland or the BTO know if you have definate sightings of Cuckoo. :)
    It's sad the way the cuckoo has declined. Twenty years ago when I was a young fellow you could hear loads of them. You don't really appreciate something till it's gone.:(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Woodville56


    It's sad the way the cuckoo has declined. Twenty years ago when I was a young fellow you could hear loads of them. You don't really appreciate something till it's gone.:(

    Ditto the Corncrake and, in my case here
    , the Yellowhammer !!
    Next on the list ...Curlew as a breeding species !!


  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭MeteoritesEire


    I will indeed let them know-also plenty of curlews here and the odd yellowhammer.I do have pics of all although the cuckoos are particularly spooked by movement and I don't have a zoom lens.Can never get a good shot of them although I do have some where the shape is very evident.I've never posted any(of cuckoos) on the pics thread because they really aren't good enough.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Kayla Moldy Supernova


    Ditto the Corncrake and, in my case here
    , the Yellowhammer !!
    Next on the list ...Curlew as a breeding species !!

    30 years ago and longer, the fields surrounding my home were regularly visited by Yellowhammers but since 1989 there has not been a single one recorded.
    Curlew we have in quite decent numbers but I believe nationally they are certainly a concern from a breeding perspective. Unfortunately people see Winter congregations of curlew and assume numbers are still good.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    A look at the water levels on the Shannon last October, and today March 3rd.

    drought1.jpg

    flooded1.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Just spotted two butterflies fluttering through the garden. There are a few pics posted online around the country today as well.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ Kayla Moldy Supernova


    whyulittle wrote: »
    Just spotted two butterflies fluttering through the garden. There are a few pics posted online around the country today as well.

    I was just going to post that I had two small tortoiseshells among the bumble bees in the garden today. For me spring has arrived!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Woodville56


    Spring definitely in the air these days ! Just been watching a pair of buzzards in display flight only to be interrupted by 3 very noisy passing ravens. A bit of an ariel standoff followed, with both species circling for a few minutes before the ravens moved on. Competitors sharing the same patch most likely ?

    Been out and about these days listening for the first chiffchaff but all quiet so far - any day now I reckon from past experience!
    Similarly awaiting the first sand martins , had them here on my local patch by St Patrick's Day a few years ago.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,003 ✭✭✭Zoo4m8


    Resurrecting hard learned skills today:), doing some ploughing for a friend and had a pair of Buzzards for company all afternoon, picking worms from the furrows , would only fly into the trees if my dog got too close for comfort...


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,423 ✭✭✭V_Moth




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,764 ✭✭✭Bsal


    Another disgraceful act of cruelty towards wildlife in this country.


  • Registered Users Posts: 514 ✭✭✭paulusdu


    Why anyone would want to shoot a bird like a fulmar is beyond me, I have spent hours watching those graceful birds along the cliffs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭Capercaille


    paulusdu wrote: »
    Why anyone would want to shoot a bird like a fulmar is beyond me, I have spent house watching those graceful birds along the cliffs.

    A harmless creature if there ever was. Just shows some people have a total disrespect wildlife and will happily shoot anything that moves.:(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Woodville56


    Seen that posting about the fulmar on Irishbirding also , was looking to see if it was on the protected list , assume it is as are most birds with exception of a few corvids ? Beautiful bird the fulmar, wonder will it survive ?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,026 ✭✭✭Amalgam


    I'm using a treadmill in our kitchen, with the birds at the feeders as a distraction..

    Last few weeks 'something' has been buzzing the garden, which I later found out was a Sparrowhawk.

    Sparrowhawk buzzed again this morning, flying between the feeders and the kitchen window, less than 3 feet away.. blink and you'd miss it.

    All that was milling about were a bunch of finches/bullfinches, a few tits and blackbirds (at ground level).

    My question is, at what point will a Sparrowhawk 'not bother', are small birds enough of an attraction for it?

    Delighted to have the bird around, lovely hint of russet red about the chest.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,067 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Amalgam wrote: »
    I'm using a treadmill in our kitchen, with the birds at the feeders as a distraction..

    Last few weeks 'something' has been buzzing the garden, which I later found out was a Sparrowhawk.

    Sparrowhawk buzzed again this morning, flying between the feeders and the kitchen window, less than 3 feet away.. blink and you'd miss it.

    All that was milling about were a bunch of finches/bullfinches, a few tits and blackbirds (at ground level).

    My question is, at what point will a Sparrowhawk 'not bother', are small birds enough of an attraction for it?

    Delighted to have the bird around, lovely hint of russet red about the chest.

    Tbh I'd say it depends on how hungry the Sparrowhawk is, and how good an opportunity prevents itself, but it wouldn't be unusual at all for a Sparrowhawk to go for finches and sparrows etc. - food is food!


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,067 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Seen that posting about the fulmar on Irishbirding also , was looking to see if it was on the protected list , assume it is as are most birds with exception of a few corvids ? Beautiful bird the fulmar, wonder will it survive ?

    Yeah it definitely is protected alright. Hopefully it survives - I'd be optimistic and say it will, and fairplay to the person who stopped and collected it from the dual carriageway.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Daily Mail have a pull-out on Top 20 Garden Birds in the paper today.

    Not sure how good it is, just saw an ad on TV for it.

    You occasionally get people asking for that sort of ID guide on here.


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