Have you ever seen any of these Irish animals

Valmont

I'm just curious if anyone has ever seen a pine marten, an otter, a long-eared owl, or a grouse?

I haven't but I know they're out there somewhere.

boneless

I have...

deman

Used to see otters fairly often esp dead ones on the roadside. Nasty looking creatures with their sharp teeth.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Yes to all 4.

Half-cocked

I've never seen a pine marten but I have seen the other 3.

Alun

I've only ever seen grouse (plenty of times though!). Saw an otter in the UK for the first time this year though.

The Hill Billy

I saw an otter in the sea off Connemara.
I also saw my first barn owl 2 weeks ago - scared the bejaysus out of me. Was dark & hadn't a clue what the huge silent thing was that was heading right towards me.

I've not seen the long-eared owl or any of the others though.

deman

Hill Billy wrote: »

I also saw my first barn owl 2 weeks ago - scared the bejaysus out of me.

They can do that alright. Last time I saw one, my sister was driving and it gave her such a fright that she nearly went off the road.... several times. But she was ok again once she got her hands back on the steering wheel.

Valmont

boneless wrote: »

I have...

Which ones? Any interesting stories behind the sightings?

I've seen plenty of sea otters but never a river otter. I've hunted grouse outside of Ireland but have never come across them here. There is (or was) a barn owl living behind the store where I work. It is Lord Meath's land and on more than one occasion I've seen the ghostly flash of it flying overhead at great speed. It's a fantastic sight! I would really like to see these animals I've mentioned, does anyone know any good spots? I don't want to look at roadkill though!

cuddlycavies

Otters- Plenty in Dargle valley from Bray upward to Powerscourt.
Grouse- A walk up Maulin or Djouce at this time of year . You will see them.
Long Eared Owl- hard to see. Illusive and nocturnal, Short eared on Bull island are diurnal and easy to see.
Pine marten- Glenmalure and Wicklow Gap. You'll need to be lucky.

marlin vs

I see the river otters fairly regular, also have seen the long eared owl and grouse, but the only pine martin was stuffed.

Cul a cnoic

Valmont wrote: »

I'm just curious if anyone has ever seen a pine marten, an otter, a long-eared owl, or a grouse?

I haven't but I know they're out there somewhere.

Have seen them all:
Seen an Otter cross the road in front of me last Sun morning (in Leitrim).
Seen a young Pine Marten last August walk towards the house in the middle of the day, my brother watched it eat the cat food for a few weeks. Was killed on the road a few weeks ago (in Leitrim).
Long Eared owl has been nesting just up the road from us here in Donegal for the last 3 years, seen it a few times.
Seen Grouse a few times while hill walking here in Donegal, I would say about April was the last time.

When i was pulling into the house last night, a hare ran out of the lawn and while watching him run, a snipe, or could have been a woodcock rose and flew away.

There all there, just get out and keep the eyes open.

Mothman

Otter in my garden yesterday
Long-eared Owl occassioanally including couple daylight sightings.
Never a Pine Martin, though I hope they're local to tackle the Grey S
Grouse in the hills

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Valmont wrote: »

I've seen plenty of sea otters but never a river otter.

All the one species. It's in America that you get the Sea Otter. Here they are just Otters that can be seen in sea and fresh water..

Dusty87

Hill Billy wrote: »

I also saw my first barn owl 2 weeks ago - scared the bejaysus out of me. Was dark & hadn't a clue what the huge silent thing was that was heading right towards me.

I saw a barn owl on the road one night. It looked at the car for a sec before flying off. But i was surprised at how small it was. I imagined them a lot bigger. Did you not think they were rather small as apposed to other owls?
Maybe i seen a young one

boneless

Valmont wrote: »

Which ones? Any interesting stories behind the sightings?

I've seen plenty of sea otters but never a river otter. I've hunted grouse outside of Ireland but have never come across them here. There is (or was) a barn owl living behind the store where I work. It is Lord Meath's land and on more than one occasion I've seen the ghostly flash of it flying overhead at great speed. It's a fantastic sight! I would really like to see these animals I've mentioned, does anyone know any good spots? I don't want to look at roadkill though!

I have seen all of them over the years... best and most interesting one was on an archaeological excavation in Co. Wicklow; had a pine marten walk right across the trench at sunset .

Valmont

Nasir Muscular Bum wrote: »

All the one species. It's in America that you get the Sea Otter. Here they are just Otters that can be seen in sea and fresh water..

I know, I saw the sea otter in America. I saw about 12 different ones actually! I would really like to see one of our native river otters though, I must head up the dargle valley soon.

wildwolf1

I have never seen a long-eared owl in Ireland, but i have seen the other three.

visaman

This is a pine marten and we are lucky to have it visit about 4 or 5 times a week. i have a video posted on youtube but i am unable to use the link, maybe someone could help me out. if you type in "pinemarten in the west of ireland" you will find it on youtube

cuddlycavies

visaman wrote: »

This is a pine marten and we are lucky to have it visit about 4 or 5 times a week. i have a video posted on youtube but i am unable to use the link, maybe someone could help me out. if you type in "pinemarten in the west of ireland" you will find it on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0isVvKHtL8

Just go to the url address http// etc. and click, highlight, copy and paste here.

rwcFM

Valmont wrote: »

I'm just curious if anyone has ever seen a pine marten, an otter, a long-eared owl, or a grouse?

I haven't but I know they're out there somewhere.

Had two long-eared owls nesting in a field opposite me a few summers ago. Reared about three chicks from what I could tell. Amazing to see the parents go off to hunt at night and call from long distances when coming back. The chicks had a very loud call from which you could easily find the nest. I was there the night they left the nest as I could hear them calling spread out all over the field.

Unfortunately, I've never seen them since but fascinating while they were here.

visaman

thanks cuddlycavies, exactly what i was trying to do

tfak85

i have never seen any of these :mad:
i would love so much to see a pine martin!!!

this summer my mum saw an otter eating a lobster on the beach in kerry, of course she didn't have camera or phone - i'm still so jealous!

Valmont

great video visaman!

Connacht

Have seen them all in Mayo, except Long Eared Owl. But have heard one in Roscommon.
Listen to it here :
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/l/longearedowl/index.aspx

Graces7

Lived a few years in the hills where a pine marten had adopted the long-empty house as part of her territory. She stayed and bred, and her babies were in and out of the cottage. We fed them of course. Lovely creatures.

SeaFields

I have never seen a pine martin and although i have seen numerous owls in different settings I couldn't tell one from another in terms of species.

Best encounter from the species listed by the op was a family of otters, which on a summers night, swam past me as I was fishing a pool on a local river. I was in waders up to my hips at about 1am and they came towards me, oblivious to my presence until they got within a few feet and the young otter touched the fly line floating on the water, squeaked and they all dived.

Edit: have seen grouse a few times while out hill walking.

Day Lewin

Last year on Christmas Eve I got a phone call from a friend in the Irish Wildlife Trust, saying that there was an otter swimming in the River Liffey just upstream of the Quill pub, diving and resting on steps nearby.
This was about lunchtime on Christmas Eve, broad daylight, crowded streets!
Alas, I could not go to see it but my informant watched it for quite a while.
About a month later, we heard a radio interview with someone from the Zoo claiming that a wild otter was entering their lake and eating fish, but had not yet bothered the flamingoes etc, thank goodness.
I had to guess it might have been the same otter, there are some small rivers culverted in that area.