Birds Prey

ronbyrne2005

Wheres best to see some in/near Dublin? Thinking Perigrin Falcons even sparrowhawks.

boneless

Without wanting to sound smart OP, it's just a matter of looking up in the air. I see sparrowhawk, peregrine, kestrels etc on a weekly if not sometimes daily basis.

Are you familiar with the birds in question? If not I am sure we can recommend a good field guide which can describe them and the tell tale traits which aid identification.

If you really want to see a peregrine though, look no further than the Temple Bar area. I have seen one (possibly the same bird) on three days in a row last week!

stevoman

boneless wrote: »

Without wanting to sound smart OP, it's just a matter of looking up in the air. I see sparrowhawk, peregrine, kestrels etc on a weekly if not sometimes daily basis.

Are you familiar with the birds in question? If not I am sure we can recommend a good field guide which can describe them and the tell tale traits which aid identification.

If you really want to see a peregrine though, look no further than the Temple Bar area. I have seen one (possibly the same bird) on three days in a row last week!

lucky you boneless. i once had the pleasure of watching a sparrowhawk swoop and take a young rabbit.

falconry would be something i would love to do, but it is way too demanding on top of the hobbies i already have.

boneless

I have heard of sparrowhawk taking rabbits before but I am dubious. I can't rule it out of course but I always wonder if it was a buzzard that was seen. Or maybe a kestrel.

I have the habit of looking up all the time now. It is amazing how much is going on above us if only we take a few minutes to stop and look up. I see sparrowhawks all over Dublin. Kestrels are not as common though I fear but maybe I am just missing them.

stevoman

boneless wrote: »

I have heard of sparrowhawk taking rabbits before but I am dubious. I can't rule it out of course but I always wonder if it was a buzzard that was seen. Or maybe a kestrel.

I have the habit of looking up all the time now. It is amazing how much is going on above us if only we take a few minutes to stop and look up. I see sparrowhawks all over Dublin. Kestrels are not as common though I fear but maybe I am just missing them.

definititly it was a sparrowhawk boneless, granted he w.as preying on kiuts the size of your palm at the time.

yes, i love to sit and watch nature around me when im out and about. i always make a point to stop, sit down and enjoy whats around me before i get up on my feet again.

boneless

It's the nearest thing to having a spiritual side for me. I am a born again atheist but I never cease to be amazed by the world.

stevoman

boneless wrote: »

It's the nearest thing to having a spiritual side for me. I am a born again atheist but I never cease to be amazed by the world.

here here!!!!!

tricky D

I saw 2 Kestrels on the coast road the other day. I was driving at the time so can't be sure of the identification. One on the Clontarf Rd near the bottom of Seafield Ave and the other on the Howth Rd near the bottom of Kilbarrack Rd. Both were hovering over the high tide mark probably after rats.

donalglackin

theres a pair of kestrels that live on bull island i see the most times when i'm down there sometimes they hunt along the sanddunes as well. i often hear of people saying they see sparrowhawks all the time and yet ive never seen one ive seen loads of kestrels though. i always look out for the peregrine falcon around temple bar as well and still havent seen it. i could probabl do with brushing up on how to identify the birds though.

lightening

Do sparrowhawks make a piercing sort of scream? If so, there is two of them every morning in St. Annes Park in Raheny. They seem to be playing, chasing pigeons and flying around the place, making lots of screaming noises. They are small with a V shaped tails that go from a V to a straight tail.

Experts, I presume they are sparrowhawks?

dogmatix

Here's hoping the pigeon fanciers don't get them. There used to be a pair resident on the Gasometer in the early 90's until they got poisened by the aforementioned. My boss at the time was coming into the office early one morning to spot one of the birds having a pigeon breakfast on the fire escape outside. By the time I got in there was just a mass of sticky feathers.

tricky D

donalglackin wrote: »

theres a pair of kestrels that live on bull island i see the most times when i'm down there sometimes they hunt along the sanddunes as well.

Saw one of them again about an hour ago at the top of Baldoyle Road. It was doing the classic windhovering at about 30 feet over the high tide line and the tide was almost fully in. The proximity to traffic and cyclists on the seafront was remarkable. Next time, I'll make sure to have my camera.

Hackman

I was working in an industrial estate in Finglas recently and saw Buzzards soaring one sunny day. I was amazed to see them so close to the city.

boneless

Hackman wrote: »

I was working in an industrial estate in Finglas recently and saw Buzzards soaring one sunny day. I was amazed to see them so close to the city.

They are a common enough sight in north County Dublin these days. I saw many earlier this summer near enough to Finglas. I was working around Kilshane Cross. How close to Finglas were you?

Judgement Day

In another life I was big into bird watching (feathered, of course) but I haven't been active for many years however I think you are mistaken if you are seeing buzzards about. According two the Irish Birding site www.irishbirding.com there have only been two recent sightings of buzzards in Ireland. That's it - no rant - CIE aren't involved so I will go back to my beer and chill out. Night. :):):)

boneless

Judgement Day wrote: »

In another life I was big into bird watching (feathered, of course) but I haven't been active for many years however I think you are mistaken if you are seeing buzzards about. According two the Irish Birding site www.irishbirding.com there have only been two recent sightings of buzzards in Ireland. That's it - no rant - CIE aren't involved so I will go back to my beer and chill out. Night. :):):)

Buzzards are and have been on the way back in the past ten years. There are an estimated 200 breeding pairs in the leinster region alone. I know because I took part in the survey with the Irish Raptor Study Group. And that was a number of years ago so the figures are probably higher now.

Judgement Day

Sorry about that I have been trainspotting too long and should have kept out of this particular thread! It's funny that buzzards get so little mention on Irish Birding because plenty of other common birds regularly feature. :o

boneless

It's probably that they are so ubiquitous that they don't .

I even see them in Wexford. In fact, Wexford and Waterford were early strongholds in the re-population of the island. It is thought they were blown over from Cornwall and south Wales and fell in love with the rabbits.

Hackman

boneless wrote: »

They are a common enough sight in north County Dublin these days. I saw many earlier this summer near enough to Finglas. I was working around Kilshane Cross. How close to Finglas were you?

I was in Rosemount. That's almost Blanchardstown too.

lightening

I see them when I am on motorways, have they adapted to road kill?

stevensi

A pair of buzzards were seen flying over Inchicore heading towards Phoenix Park a few weeks ago. So they are certainly moving southwards.

In fact a red kite was seen quite close to Dublin city recently.So they may be a familar site in the future as well as buzzards!

Judgement Day

Ah well the failed birdwatcher/trainspotter will throw in his thruppence worth again.. I spotted what I think was a red kite from the train (what else!) south of Rathdrum station last week. I have queried Irishbirding.com about this but haven't heard back yet. Hawks were never high on my list when I was an active birdwatcher - there being so few about - that my powers of identification in that area are limited. I am 99.9% certain that it was a red kite - they do still breed in Wales don't they? :):)

Alun

I've not spotted a Red Kite here in Ireland yet, but I've seen dozens of them (literally) in Wales, specifically in the southern Welsh Border region. They're pretty unmistakeable with that big fan-shaped forked tail.

I'm seeing quite a few buzzards here though recently. I've seen a pair circling high overhead my house here in Bray on a couple of occasions, and also heard and spotted a pair up in the Wicklow Mountains (above Mullacor) the other week.

stevensi

There were Red Kites released around the Wicklow/Wexford area as well as in the North. Have a look at this http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=470

Unfortunately one was shot and this is a major problem here in Ireland in relation to Birds of Prey. Which is such a shame.

boneless

stevensi wrote: »

A pair of buzzards were seen flying over Inchicore heading towards Phoenix Park a few weeks ago. So they are certainly moving southwards.

In fact a red kite was seen quite close to Dublin city recently.So they may be a familar site in the future as well as buzzards!

I saw a buzzard in the Park last year too. I get the feeling there may be a colony there at this stage. I live 20 minutes walk from there so I really should survey it. Getting the time though is the problem.

Where was the sighting of the kite?

stevensi

I live close to the park myself and go around there now and then but have not seen a buzzard there yet myself. I've seen a sparrowhawk there a good few times though.

As for the red kite sighting in the city this was reported on the following site

http://www.goldeneagle.ie/news_viewnews.php?x=3&z=165&f=4&news_id=10&start=1

boneless

stevensi wrote: »

I live close to the park myself and go around there now and then but have not seen a buzzard there yet myself. I've seen a sparrowhawk there a good few times though.

As for the red kite sighting in the city this was reported on the following site

http://www.goldeneagle.ie/news_viewnews.php?x=3&z=165&f=4&news_id=10&start=1

Excellent! I find that really interesting on two levels; as a keen and passionate birder and as an archaeologist!! I tend to agree that the river was the focus of the kites attention too.

Hammiepeters

Judgement Day wrote: »

Ah well the failed birdwatcher/trainspotter will throw in his thruppence worth again.. I spotted what I think was a red kite from the train (what else!) south of Rathdrum station last week. I have queried Irishbirding.com about this but haven't heard back yet. Hawks were never high on my list when I was an active birdwatcher - there being so few about - that my powers of identification in that area are limited. I am 99.9% certain that it was a red kite - they do still breed in Wales don't they? :):)

Yep. Thats right in the middle of the release area. From Glenealy to Arklow over farmland you will see them swooping for crane flies at this time of year. Think 30 plus were released. Big bird, red, forked tail, rusty look, unmistakable

Judgement Day

Wow - thanks for that. You have boosted my self belief no end. Identifying a song thrush was one thing but probably being correct about the Red Kite well!! Happy days.:):):)

boneless

lightening wrote: »

I see them when I am on motorways, have they adapted to road kill?

Sorry, I missed this post and it deserves an answer as it is a very important question.

Assuming you are referring to buzzards, the answer is they were always known for taking carrion so road kill could be classed thus. I have never seen this but I can see no reason why they wouldnt exploit such resources. Also, one reason why they almost became lost to our native fauna was the fact they took carrion. Landowners and game keepers used to leave out carcasses seeded with toxins to control foxes etc. but the buzzards would take them too. This can also be a reason why the red kite also disappeared from the record.

caz34

I saw what I think was a sparrow hawk this evening in the grounds of UCD eating a pigeon. Does this sound right?

Hammiepeters

Yes, quite likely.

pipeliner

About a year ago I was driving through the country when I disturbed a flock of crows eating carrion. One of these birds was twice or 3 times the size of the others. Could this have been a buzzard?

Hammiepeters

Yes. I have seen Buzzards eating road kill. Kites are also carrion eaters but the location would have to have been in south Wicklow somewhere. If you are sure it was a bird of Prey; my money would be on Buzzard.

boneless

caz34 wrote: »

I saw what I think was a sparrow hawk this evening in the grounds of UCD eating a pigeon. Does this sound right?

UCD is home to a couple of sparrowhawks. I once saw two in the air chasing a mixed flock of gulls near the playing fields on the richview side.

karlkop

no not mistaken there buzzards alright and lots of them anyone into birds that live all along the east coast will tell you the same they have being missing for a long time yeah but there back big time now fantastic birds

Rite Kite in Wicklow

I've seen this bird a fair few times, in Wicklow since the summer, I haven't seen it perform any of the dramatic displays, for which it's famous.

stevensi

Within the space of 5 minutes on the Cashel bypass in County Tipp I saw 3 birds of prey. A kestrel hovering along the verge of the road, a sparrowhawk and another smaller bird of prey that i didn't recognise. It might have been just a kestrel but it looked smaller in flight (a bit like a swift in shape(but bigger)). I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas what it might have been...i looked up the rspb site and the description of a merlin and hobby sounded like it but don't know how common these are in the country..and hobbies would normally have departed now?

Hammiepeters

Merlin most likely. Not as rare as hobby. In fact theres quite a few about. Ground nesting bird that likes moorland/heather for nest. Saw one on Curragh last week sitting on a post. Took a photo on my phone which I will try to post later.