Local Wildlife

recedite

Heres a starter; if you see a biggish bird of prey with a forked tail circling on thermal air currents over hills around Kindlestown to Delgany areas or Glen O' The Downs; it's a Red Kite.

cuddlycavies

recedite wrote: »

Heres a starter; if you see a biggish bird of prey with a forked tail circling on thermal air currents over hills around Kindlestown to Delgany areas or Glen O' The Downs; it's a Red Kite.

Havn't seen them yet. Release area is centred on Rathdrum-Glenealy. About 30 of them down there. Common Buzzards are now a fairly common sight around Charlesland. Saw one landed in the field above last week. Goshawk also around Glen in summer as is Woodpecker. You can see pretty much the whole cross section of Irish wildlife within short sistance of here. Otters in Bray for instance. The only thing I havn't seen is a Pine Marten, but I'm told they're in the Glen.

Huntthe

Three buzzards live up by me, quite a sight to see them on the thermals, make a sound like from a spaghetti western. Plenty of grey squirrels (rats)
I've never seen a pine marten around here but have up roundwood way.

cuddlycavies

Poor old badger hit by a car at eden gate today. I found a sett up there last year. A few of them around.

LEIN

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Poor old badger hit by a car at eden gate today. I found a sett up there last year. A few of them around.

Seen a few unfortunates on my drive to work this morning.

cuddlycavies

Funny ,on my way back up there a few hours later, he was gone. Have seen this before. Very strong animals and can self induce torpor/hibernation if subject to a trauma. It's quite possible he just got up and walked off.

NarkyBoots

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Funny ,on my way back up there a few hours later, he was gone. Have seen this before. Very strong animals and can self induce torpor/hibernation if subject to a trauma. It's quite possible he just got up and walked off.

He was definitely there at 7am this morning and I'm nearly sure he was there at about 4.30pm.

LEIN

TBH it didn't look capable of moving when I seen it. If you catch my drift.

cuddlycavies

NarkyBoots wrote: »

He was definitely there at 7am this morning and I'm nearly sure he was there at about 4.30pm.

was gone 8pm

heavyballs

i know it's a bit further out but there is some type of bird of prey just off the N11 before the first exit for Bray on the left as you drive south
i know it's not a red kite as the tail is different but it's almost as large as a kite,maybe 4 foot wing span
it could be a buzzard,not sure

cuddlycavies

Yep, it's a buzzard. There's a breeding pair in Kilruddery estate. One of last years offspring is still in the area. So some days you will see the three around the head, glen or kilmac soaring like eagles. They are a big bird of prey and regularly mistaken for eagles. You will see them over charlesland often also. There are many differences between them and kites but the most obvious is the tail. Kite has a forked swallow like tail. Her is abuzzard photo.


http://img264.imageshack.us/i/dsc3227.jpg/

heavyballs

yeah you can spot a red kite a mile away,there's one in particular in Avoca that i've seen every time i'm down there
thought i missed him there last week,had the kids in the car,they were a bit sad
then i look up above the car and there he is no higher than about 40 feet just hovering,what a sight,i stopped the car dead and enjoyed it for about 2 mins,deadly

pixbyjohn

Huntthe

Countryside is alive with them looking for Wives at the moment. Beautiful bird, especially with sauce.

ciaran67

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Just look over the wall into the empty field next to Charlesland Park. He's in there every morning, giving it large. Hes going to get it, i can tell you!

heavyballs

was up near the hotel in Druids Heath the other day,there were 3 large buzzards hovering in the adjacent field,amazing sight,they were going way up with the aid of the thermals,still not as impressive as one of the re-introduced Red Kite's in Avoca who is amzing to watch,all i need now is a good camera

Huntthe

They're my Buzzards:mad:

heavyballs

Huntthe wrote: »

They're my Buzzards:mad:

doesn't seem like there your's:mad::mad::mad:

Huntthe wrote: »

Three buzzards live up by me, quite a sight to see them on the thermals, make a sound like from a spaghetti western. Plenty of grey squirrels (rats)

Huntthe

I live the other side of the road from Druids Glen. I haven't seen them in ages, tell them I'm looking for them

heavyballs

Huntthe wrote: »

I live the other side of the road from Druids Glen. I haven't seen them in ages, tell them I'm looking for them

sound,you should keep animals indoors if their yours:rolleyes:

Huntthe

thanks for that, they turned up shortly after I posted, seemed to be having a domestic

pixbyjohn

Huntthe

No shortage of the little Grey invaders.

Haven't seen my Buzzards in a while, I hope they're ok

bogtreader

The buzzards were around the environs of Druids glen today
I see them regularly usually around lunchtime

Huntthe

Good to hear, I did hear them later but couldn't see them.

I saw a badger near the Burnaby Inn last night and a fox down by the Cove. The moon was very bright and the good weather probably has them out looking for mates.

pianoman_ie

Hi - newbie here. You ladies and gents are from my neck of the woods, keep posting on anything you find! especially woodpeckers, which I've get to see or hear in the area though I know they're there. Feel free to PM me..

cuddlycavies

One reported on Church Rd this year. they're about. Hard to spot.

http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web

useful site

dudmis

I would love to see a reintroduction of the red squirrel in the area - similar to what they've done in Dun Laoghaire. I wonder if theres any chance of that happening?

cuddlycavies

They're still in the glen, kilmac and also a couple of spots in Bray. Not really too much suitable habitat in Greystones itself. Greys have taken over the Burnaby. The evidence that our increasing Pine marten population are eating the greys is encouraging. It may become confined to urban areas in time. Although I've seen reports of Martens in gardens in sandyford.

Taltos

Spotted a young fox earlier today in Mountain View - looked healthy enough and encouragingly wary of dogs and humans.

dudmis

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Not really too much suitable habitat in Greystones itself. Greys have taken over the Burnaby.

are there any reds in Kindlestown Woods? I assume that would be ok habitat for them?

cuddlycavies

Could be but haven't seen them. Wicklow is probably a stronghold for the species. plenty around Lough dan, Roundwood, Glendalough.

cuddlycavies

Otters at Kilcoole

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151365235076183&set=vb.178145885603837&type=2&theater

pianoman_ie

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Otters at Kilcoole

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151365235076183&set=vb.178145885603837&type=2&theater[/QUOTE]

Great! Was lucky enough to see one at the Breeches a couple of times but never this kind of view. Kudos to whoever took the video

pianoman_ie

dudmis wrote: »

are there any reds in Kindlestown Woods? I assume that would be ok habitat for them?

I've seen reds at Kindlestown some years and not others. The population seems to swing between red and grey

Zoo4m8

Haven't seen a red at Coolagad/Kindlestown woods or thereabouts for at least ten years, certainly not since the greys arrived.

On a brighter note, there was a Long Eared Owl in a hawthorn in the hedge by the house at 8.30 yesterday morn, know they are about, nice to see one again..

cuddlycavies

They cant be too far away anyway. They're on part of little sugarloaf. Wicklow is a stronghold for them. the greys have never taken hold as strongly here as in England. Lord masseys wood was always a great spot years ago. I visited last year and sure enough they're still there. Saw 3

Zoo4m8

Didn't think there was much cover left on little sugarloaf, maybe the lower east side , Belmont and Kilruddery is where you have in mind

pianoman_ie

Reds have certainly been in Kindlestown within the last 3 years, Didn't see them last year but there were several in Glen o' Downs.

cuddlycavies

Otters at the Breeches Kilcoole

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151365235076183&set=vb.178145885603837&type=2&theater[/QUOTE

cuddlycavies

At least 5 Red Kites at top of Farrankelly rd today 4pm

bobwilliams

cuddlycavies wrote: »

At least 5 Red Kites at top of Farrankelly rd today 4pm

wha!!!!!!!!.....i'm up there all the time and never seen a kite,just buzzards and once a long eared owl

cuddlycavies

Was surprised to see them there too. Usually see them at Avoca. Great to see them so locally.

Huntthe

cuddlycavies wrote: »

They cant be too far away anyway. They're on part of little sugarloaf. Wicklow is a stronghold for them. the greys have never taken hold as strongly here as in England. Lord masseys wood was always a great spot years ago. I visited last year and sure enough they're still there. Saw 3

Lord Masseys wood ? Lived here all my life, know the name but never heard of Lord Masseys wood, educate me please.

Have seen a deer (yes a deer) a badger and an unidentified bird of prey (not a buzzard) in the area recently.

dr ro

don't know one bird of prey from the next but 3 were flying around over charlesland this afternoon. Heard them before we saw them.

bobwilliams

dr ro wrote: »

don't know one bird of prey from the next but 3 were flying around over charlesland this afternoon. Heard them before we saw them.

Buzzards

cuddlycavies

Huntthe wrote: »

Lord Masseys wood ? Lived here all my life, know the name but never heard of Lord Masseys wood, educate me please.

Have seen a deer (yes a deer) a badger and an unidentified bird of prey (not a buzzard) in the area recently.

Sorry was just using as an example. Lord masseys is near mount seskinin the Dublin section of Wicklow mountains. You urn identified bird. Kite if tail was forked and colour red.very large bird. Other possibility, Harrier. Floppy type flight pattern usually low to the ground. There's a couple about.

Maudi

Huntthe wrote: »

Lord Masseys wood ? Lived here all my life, know the name but never heard of Lord Masseys wood, educate me please.

Have seen a deer (yes a deer) a badger and an unidentified bird of prey (not a buzzard) in the area recently.

good spotted..ive seen deer above there on downshill where did you spot yours?

Huntthe

Must have been a harrier. I'm familiar with most of them but I don't think I've seen a harrier before.

The deer was in a small wooded area near Druids Glen resort.

recedite

Massy's Woods
Decline and Fall of the Massy family

Interesting parallels with Bellevue Woods and the La Touche family. Wandering around in both woods nowadays, you can still find bits of old walls and masonry, and icehouses, but nature takes back control very quickly when it is allowed to.

cuddlycavies

I've seen every wild Irish mammal in Wicklow ( except bank vole) except one that eludes me, the Pine Marten. Might have glimpsed one at Glendalough but not sure. Anyone knows where they are, let me know.its my holy grail