Some pictures I took recently

Bonedigger

Garlic Mustard





Wild Strawberry





Forget-me-not



White Bluebells




Three different colours of Bluebell



Germander Speedwell

keps

@ Bonedigger-

Really fantastic photos-

splish

Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana

Bonedigger

Robin


Orange-tip


Hairy Shieldbug


Small Tortoiseshell


Ladybird hitching a ride!

keps

Celandine Ficaria verna.
( I hope)

Tiercel Dave

Sliabh Aughtys tonight! :eek:

Tiercel Dave

Proven Hen Harrier Breeding area!

Jayzesake

keps wrote: »

Today: Big enlargement of a small segment of a photo - but I kinda like it

That is one amazing image. Thank you for sharing it.

Capercaillie

Tiercel Dave wrote: »

Proven Hen Harrier Breeding area!

Is it burning now?

splish

Meadow Foxtail Alopecurus pratensis



Andrena carantonica



Common Ramping-fumitory Fumaria muralis

Tiercel Dave

Capercaillie wrote: »

Is it burning now?

I think it was burning 'till 3.30 am, didn't see the full extent yet. Rain this morning, but damage is done!

dodderangler

Tiercel Dave wrote: »

I think it was burning 'till 3.30 am, didn't see the full extent yet. Rain this morning, but damage is done!

My he same was happening up in the bohernBreena hills 2 weeks ago. Area that contains some grouse.

amber2

Gathering nuts in May ! Wish I had a better camera, was taken with my phone.

vistafinder

keps wrote: »

Today: Big enlargement of a small segment of a photo - but I kinda like it
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Me too. Very nice

Capercaillie

Tiercel Dave wrote: »

I think it was burning 'till 3.30 am, didn't see the full extent yet. Rain this morning, but damage is done!

Practical all hen harrier breeding areas have been torched this year.

keps

Lucan Demesne today

keps

Bluebell

keps

Capercaillie wrote: »

Practical all hen harrier breeding areas have been torched this year.

When you say torched- do you mean a deliberate act to eradicate??

Capercaillie

keps wrote: »

Is there a worry that this is deliberate?

Virtually all deliberate. For farmers to get Single Farm Payment (SFP) on land, it must be in agricultural use. Land such as scrub, tall heather, gorse, rushes, marshy ground is not eligible for SFP. Farmers are destroying these areas which also happen to be prime hen harrier breeding areas. The most common means of destroying scrub in Ireland is by burning it, hence all the "wild"fires. Eventhough it is illegal farmers to burn after Feb 28th, however unless farmers/landowners are caught setting fire to the land they will get the SFP on the land.

Ongoing problems with designations (Natura 2000 sites) in Ireland. Designations restrict farmers in farming the land, ie in Hen Harrier SPA there are restrictions on reseeding and planting forestry. This has fermented much anger which has been directed at Hen Harriers in certain areas. The shooting of 12 Hen Harriers in Kerry in Spring being a probable example. The tagged Hen Harrier "Heather" was found, but 11 Hen Harriers in 2 winter roosts all disappeared at the same time.

The future of Hen Harrier in Ireland is bleak as is all upland birds.

keps

Thanks for that Capercaillie -really makes me sad to read that- and to think that while you are doing such great work to improve the landscape for our native wildlife - others are contriving to kill off our lovely birds.

Tiercel Dave

And today, by pure coincidence, a shiny new fence appears!

Capercaillie

Tiercel Dave wrote: »

And today, by pure coincidence, a shiny new fence appears!

Some brass neck there.

splish

Leucozona lucorum



Myathropa florea

Zoo4m8

Capercaillie wrote: »

Some brass neck there.

So he should add insult to injury by first burning his land and boundary hedge illegally and then allow his cattle on to the road to cause an accident and maybe take someone's life?

Capercaillie

Zoo4m8 wrote: »

So he should add insult to injury by first burning his land and boundary hedge illegally and then allow his cattle on to the road to cause an accident and maybe take someone's life?

Your correct, he/she was sound to put the electric fence up. Pity about the Hen Harrier nest that is now probably destroyed. Lucky somebody wasn't killed when driving through the area when the fire was burning.

Gaspode

Came across this critter this evening - A Cockchafer I think

keps

Lucan Demesne this morning

keps

Treecreeper





Grey Wagtail




Bullfinch( I hope)

keps

This morning

Lambsbread

Free Lunch by AindriuH, on Flickr