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    #662
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNey35PTW-o


    Some type of heron using bread to catch a fish.


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    #663
    Capercaille
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭Capercaille


    trebor28 wrote: »
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNey35PTW-o


    Some type of heron using bread to catch a fish.
    Green heron. There was one in Skull Co.Cork in 2003.


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    #664
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    Good show on bbc2 now about France.
    France : The wild side - Natural World.
    episode 3 of 10.


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    #665
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    Saw my first Cockchafers of the year last night.


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    #666
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Anyone know how to tell the difference between a Dunnock egg and a Robin egg? Both seem to be small blue eggs!


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    #667
    freedominacup
    Registered Users Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    I'm new to this forum so apologies in advance if this is the wrong thread. I need a bit of advice. What would cause a pair of Choughs to abandon a nest? We have a pair around our yard for the past few years. The nest they had been using fell over the winter 12/13 and they moved to another spot last spring. This nest was destroyed we assume by magpies before they hatched any young last year. We put up a platform for them near their original nest this spring and after about three weeks surveying they moved in. Everything seemed fine until the end of last week when they abandoned it. They are still around the yard and we'd love if they had another go. It may be too late for this year, any advice?


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    #668
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Dunnock eggs area pale blue and shiny. Robin eggs are a cream, buff or white speckled or blotched with reddish-brown colour.


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    #669
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Who doesn't like getting goodies in the post?! :D

    20140506_141020.jpg


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    #670
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Aren't they something like €6 each? Or have they started giving them away, as I always felt they should?


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    #671
    bernard0368
    Registered Users Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭bernard0368


    Listening to the traffic on the news this morning, they mentioned there was a deer loose at Bushy park this morning. I have walked the dogs in Bushy for ages and I have never once seen any signs of deer in it.
    Any ideas as to where it may have come from.


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    #672
    Zoo4m8
    Registered Users Posts: 1,003 ✭✭✭Zoo4m8


    freedominacup wrote: »
    I'm new to this forum so apologies in advance if this is the wrong thread. I need a bit of advice. What would cause a pair of Choughs to abandon a nest? We have a pair around our yard for the past few years. The nest they had been using fell over the winter 12/13 and they moved to another spot last spring. This nest was destroyed we assume by magpies before they hatched any young last year. We put up a platform for them near their original nest this spring and after about three weeks surveying they moved in. Everything seemed fine until the end of last week when they abandoned it. They are still around the yard and we'd love if they had another go. It may be too late for this year, any advice?

    Once they have abandoned its unlikely that they will have another go this year, the fact they are still about means that they haven't gone looking elsewhere and they could well have another go next year. They could have abandoned for all sorts of reasons but basically if they don't feel secure they won't go ahead.
    We have Jackdaws in old chimneys in outhouses and quite often one pair will spend ages adding sticks to a nest and then for some reason best known to them will just disappear .
    You are very lucky to have these birds about, did your Choughs feature on a wildlife tv program a while ago by any chance?


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    #673
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Choughs that lose a clutch have been known to have a second brood, so don't rule it out.
    The only real reason for choughs to abandon a nest is, as was said, disturbance.


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    #674
    freedominacup
    Registered Users Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    Zoo4m8 wrote: »
    Once they have abandoned its unlikely that they will have another go this year, the fact they are still about means that they haven't gone looking elsewhere and they could well have another go next year. They could have abandoned for all sorts of reasons but basically if they don't feel secure they won't go ahead.
    We have Jackdaws in old chimneys in outhouses and quite often one pair will spend ages adding sticks to a nest and then for some reason best known to them will just disappear .
    You are very lucky to have these birds about, did your Choughs feature on a wildlife tv program a while ago by any chance?

    Not a chance. My father contacted one of the more official bodies about these lads a few years ago and officially they aren't there as we are too far from the coast and have no traditional agri buildings only steel frame for them to nest in. Similar to the jackdaws they spent weeks surveying the platform we put in for them. We're very fond of them and I was just checking if there was something we could/should do extra to ensure they stay around.

    They have actually started working on the nest that was destroyed last year in the past few days. It's a long way from a safe site and is very close to a lot of human activity but they seem to have gotten used to our presence and do not nessecarily fly off if we happen to be passing close by esp in the last couple of months.


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    #675
    Zoo4m8
    Registered Users Posts: 1,003 ✭✭✭Zoo4m8


    I'd say you have already helped them as much as possible and as they seem prepared to put up with day to day farming activity I reckon you just leave them to it..
    I remember nearly forty years ago a Buzzard appeared on the place and as an enthusiastic young(ish) lad I rang the relevant people to report it to be told I didn't know what I was talking about and that it couldn't possibly be a Buzzard..first and last time I reported anything unusual or rare :mad: it kept me company for about three weeks till the village moron shot it...
    I recall a tv program that included Choughs nesting in a steel shed , in fact there was some concern as it was a hot summer and the youngsters were very close to the corrugated roof.
    Anyway , as I said you are very lucky and I hope they are round for years to come.


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    #676
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,766 ✭✭✭Bsal


    My first fledglings of the season, 2 house Sparrows, 2 Blackbirds and 2 Collared doves. Won't be long until the Starling youngsters are out and about I can hear them in the neighbours roof :D


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    #677
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,631 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Saw some young Blackbirds about the place. Pretty early for these parts


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    #678
    Ulmus
    Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Ulmus


    Saw and heard my first starling fledgling today. I love their "churr" calls. Tried to order 10 kg dried mealworms from the UK (too expensive here) but they were sold out. So no treats for starlings.


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    #679
    Woodville56
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Woodville56


    Anyone rising for the Dawn Chorus in the morning - weather looking dodgy here in the north midlands !


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    #680
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Woodville56 wrote: »
    Anyone rising for the Dawn Chorus in the morning - weather looking dodgy here in the north midlands !

    I rise for it many mornings a week but I don't get the idea of doing it specifically for a Dawn Chorus Day to be honest. It was the same chorus this morning and it will be there next Monday or Tuesday as well.


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    #681
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    The ESB were out last week cutting hedges around wire and poles etc.
    Smack bang in the middle of breeding season!


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    #682
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    trebor28 wrote: »
    The ESB were out last week cutting hedges around wire and poles etc.
    Smack bang in the middle of breeding season!

    I had this about 5 years ago. They are contractors technically and not ESB staff. I contacted ESB Networks and in fairness the cutting was stood down within an hour with an apology from the local Networks manager.


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    #683
    Woodville56
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Woodville56


    Kayla Moldy Supernova wrote: »
    I rise for it many mornings a week but I don't get the idea of doing it specifically for a Dawn Chorus Day to be honest. It was the same chorus this morning and it will be there next Monday or Tuesday as well.

    I've done a few early morning woodland walks myself over the past month and the birdsong was just magical ! But I also like to support the BWI folk who put in the effort of organising the early morning walks - I just wish the dog lovers would leave the mutts at home though ! It's a bit of a social gathering as well and, if well managed, isn't really intrusive for the birds

    Edit: PostScript to above - didn't manage to make the local Dawn Chorus outing after all - raining heavily at 4am so stayed in the leaba , but opened the bedroom window and waited : @4.20 am swallows twittering on wires outside my window, 4.25am two blackbirds started up followed by wood pigeon a minute or so later ! Then wren, blackcap, dunnock and song thrush in quick succession, all singing in the rain ! Very uplifting ! also enjoyed the Mooney Dawn Chorus programme until 6am! Planning an early morning woodland walk first dry dawn !


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    #684
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    The local Starlings and House Sparrows all fledged over the weekend. The garden is alive with their demands for food from their parents:D


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    #685
    Woodville56
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Woodville56


    The garden alive with noisy fledglings these days ! House sparrows , assorted tits, a juvenile robin and just now watching 4 young Siskins on a branch of the apple tree being fed by a parent - a party of adult Siskins have been regulars at the nyger seed feeder throughout the winter/ spring and now into summer !
    On another note, walking by the lake last evening, watching a buzzard being mobbed in turn by a variety of other birds- first 3 lesser black backed gulls, then joined in the pursuit by 2 noisy common terns ! and as it flew away a party of hoodies joined in the attach - you would almost feel sorry for the bird having to put up with all the hassle but it didn't seem too bothered, just kept on circling ! Also a pair of snipe drumming in the still evening - sounds of summer all around !'


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    #686
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Likewise, fledged house sparrows, blackbirds, song thrush, robins all around the garden this week. The huge numbers of St mark's flies are proving to be a real bounty with adult birds hovering them off the lawns.
    Cockoo calling since yesterday. Swallows and house martins wizzing through the garden. Chiffchaff calling. A lovely spell.
    Still no swifts or grasshopper warblers but early yet I suppose.


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    #687
    Woodville56
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Woodville56


    Kayla Moldy Supernova wrote: »
    Cockoo calling since yesterday. Swallows and house martins wizzing through the garden. Chiffchaff calling. A lovely spell.
    Still no swifts or grasshopper warblers but early yet I suppose.

    A few swifts around the local villages here and appears to be a good few cuckoos about too , hearing them almost daily lately ! Still waiting for my first spotted flycatcher , had them ticked by this time last year !


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    #688
    Pie Man
    Registered Users Posts: 348 ✭✭Pie Man


    Woodville56 wrote: »
    A few swifts around the local villages here and appears to be a good few cuckoos about too , hearing them almost daily lately ! Still waiting for my first spotted flycatcher , had them ticked by this time last year !

    The slieve blooms is alive with Cuckoos at the moment. Had the pleasure of hearing a female calling back for the first time.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sbz27


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    #689
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    Opened the door of my bathroom last night and something moved about over my head.
    The window was open so for some reason a swallow had made his way in and was roosting in there.
    I left him there over night and opened the same windows for him to go out in the morning.
    He wasnt that impressed to be sharing the same roof as me for some reason.


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    #690
    Ulmus
    Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Ulmus


    Maybe the swallow was checking your bathroom as a potential nest site.
    http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/nesting-swallows.html#cr


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    #691
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Great pic.

    https://twitter.com/MarkHughesPhoto/status/469581157815037953


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