Nature in the News

OpenYourEyes

An article today with some figures about deer culled in the Phoenix Park: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/phoenix-park-deer-culls-generate-10-000-for-state-coffers-1.2841448

And on that topic, an article about not feeding the deer in Phoenix Park: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/oblivious-phoenix-park-visitors-warned-not-to-feed-deer-as-rutting-season-begins-35109094.html

I was there over the weekend and the amount of people feeding and disturbing the deer, not to mention walking dogs right by big groups of them and on one occasion a small dog chasing the deer. There were three or four distinct groups of deer when I got there, each with bellowing stags moving throughout the females, and within a short space of time with people walking up to them etc the groups all got pushed into one - no doubt not doing the stags or social dynamics of the groups any favours! At another time two toddlers were chasing a big stag!

It really would be great to have some sort of dedicated warden or education officer on duty for half the year, helping people enjoy the deer without causing them problems!

keps

Really sad news- but no great surprise

Today's Guardian


https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/27/world-on-track-to-lose-two-thirds-of-wild-animals-by-2020-major-report-warns

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Worldwide decline in wildlife populations.

No good reading.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1027/827305-wildlife/

whyulittle

A rippling line of lapwings, freshly risen from wetland, can be a mesmerising sight on a winter’s day. As their dark, floppy wings rise and fall the broken flicker of sun along their brilliant white bellies could be a lighting effect for a Eurovision stage – but is more justly affecting and sublime.

It’s a sight, perhaps, for later in the year, when the cold really bites into Europe, for Ireland’s winter lapwings are now, almost entirely, migrants from the east. Like the curlew, the lapwing, Vanellus vanellus, is being squeezed out of the island as a native bird needing somewhere safe to nest.

Read more here.

OpenYourEyes

'Surge in number of birds of prey being 'poisoned and persecuted''

http://www.thejournal.ie/birds-prey-poison-3085472-Nov2016/?utm_source=shortlink

OpenYourEyes

Some great letters submitted to the Irish Times on the plans to dredge the Shannon:

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/making-room-for-the-shannon-1.2904441?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

keps

Home for Christmas

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/14973657.Booby_bird_flown_home_in_time_for_Christmas

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Increase in some bird numbers. I know other species have declined but, as it's Christmas I like to accentuate the positive.

https://www.bto.org/about-birds/birdtrends/2016/key-findings/positive-changes?dm_i=NXK,4OBV0,3JRHVV,HGMC3,1

OpenYourEyes

Not exactly brand-new information, but the results of the 2015 Whooper Swan Survey were published recently.

Ireland had almost 12,000 Whooper Swans in January 2015, which is around 35% of the Icelandic population. Flocks were found to be more spread out than had been anticipated, likely due to the mild winter that led up to the census weekend. The largest numbers here were in counties Galway, Roscommon, Mayo and Cavan. Our overall numbers went up by around 13% from the previous census in 2010, which is similar to the increase in the population as a whole. Total numbers in ROI increased from the previous census, but there was a decline in Northern Ireland.

The write-up of the study is available at the link below:
http://wildfowl.wwt.org.uk/index.php/wildfowl/article/view/2645/1761

(I recommend downloading the pdf and searching for the word 'Ireland' to get to the interesting stuff!)

OpenYourEyes

'Future of the Environment desperately needs a new storyline' - Paddy Woodworth in the Irish Times. Mentions plenty of stories from during the year that are worth re-reading and reminding ourselves about, and a nice list of 'christmas wishes' for the environment at the end.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/future-of-the-environment-desperately-needs-a-new-storyline-1.2903931

Ulmus

https://www.thesun.ie/news/359236/irishman-who-stamped-fox-to-death-defends-his-actions-saying-id-do-it-again/

Looks like an adult fox. It is the mating season for foxes and if it's a dog fox maybe he was hyped up sexually and aggressive. But attacking people is not normal behaviour for a fox. Any ideas?

cd07

I couldn't see a fox attacking a full grown adult. And the sun broke the story....

Tiercel Dave

An acquaintance had ducks and a Pug dog killed. Next night there was uproar again and a fox had wounded another Pug. As he went to intervene the fox attacked him, biting his arm quite badly, even though it wasn't cornered and had a clear route of escape. He, too, managed to kill the fox.......
So, I've been pondering this for a while. Could these have been rescued cubs that have become imprinted, to an extent, and have lost their natural fear of man. Just a thought to throw into the mix. Friend was in Roscommon by the way........

Base price

Unfortunately a case of avian flu confirmed in Wexford. DAFM is asking the public to report sightings of multiple deaths. See report:-
http://www.farmersjournal.ie/breaking-bird-flu-found-in-wild-duck-in-wexford-245844

recedite

Tiercel Dave wrote: »

Could these have been rescued cubs that have become imprinted, to an extent, and have lost their natural fear of man.

I think you are along the right lines, but not necessarily "hand reared". A lot of "city-folk" are feeding foxes, and they especially love to see the vixen bringing her cubs over to the food when they first leave the den.
These kind of foxes are very problematic for farmers and poultry keepers on the outskirts of towns because they are so "cheeky" and have no fear of humans.

The question of why the fox did not run away is a strange one though. It would be quite difficult to kick a fox to death if it was not in a confined space.
Assuming the fox was not after cash from the ATM machine, why did it stick around? Even if the woman had food in her handbag, that does not seem a sufficient reason. Territorial based aggressive behaviour should not extend to humans.

recedite

cd07 wrote: »

I couldn't see a fox attacking a full grown adult. And the sun broke the story....

Similar to the "buzzard eats dog" thread, its easy to just dismiss the story, "head in sand" ostrich-like. But ultimately, counterproductive.

magicbastarder

http://www.thinkorswim.ie/toothless-watchdog-lets-its-standards-slip/

cameramonkey

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/03/live-bald-eagles-wait-second-egg-hatch/?playlist=structure%3Anews%2Fworld-news

bald eagles nest Florida.

cameramonkey

http://wicklownews.net/2017/01/pet-attacked-while-out-walking-with-family/

Harris hawk silent swoop strikes Sinn Fein shih tzu into shocking state.

recedite

I wonder if the Harris hawk is any relation to local Fine Gaeler, Simon Harris?

Del.Monte

Is the Harris Hawk becoming a new status symbol for scumbags in the same way that certain breeds of dogs have? Falconry used to be be the preserve of those with a genuine interest in the countryside.

cd07

The owner is purely at fault here. You must have permission to fly your birds from the landowner much like a shooting permission. As the dog owner says the bird has no blame in this story. Harris hawks are reasonably powerful hunters and owners should be aware of that. They are also becoming fairly easy to obtain unfortunately, not like some of the other birds used in falconry such as Peregrines and Goshawks.

recedite

I hope the dog is recovering. In fairness we have not heard the falconer's side of the story, but it seems he could have acted in a more sympathetic way. I would liken this to a "dog on dog" fight, where the owner of the aggressive dog should apologise profusely. At the same time, it might be foolish to give personal details out, because there are people who like to sue for as much as they (and their solicitor) can get.

As for permission, I wonder did the Bradys obtain permission to bring their dog into Kilruddery, and were they too asked to leave? If you had a dog in there and it was chasing rabbits, would it be any different to having a hawk doing the same?
The estate is large, and while it is private, the owner's are usually generous about allowing reasonable public access to the parts that are far away from the house.
Some parts of Bray Head and the Little Sugar Loaf mountain are included in the outer regions of the estate.

magicbastarder

recedite wrote: »

I would liken this to a "dog on dog" fight, where the owner of the aggressive dog should apologise profusely.

you would liken a hawk on dog fight to a dog on dog fight?
you do understand what dimensions are? that a hawk attacking a dog has a dimensional advantage that a dog attacking a hawk would not enjoy?

recedite

A Rottweiler has a dimensional advantage over a Shih tzu.
I don't think the owner of the hawk intended it to attack the dog, but he was negligent, in that he was not in full "control" of it. The owner of an aggressive dog, off the lead, might be in a similar position.
BTW I'm not saying Rottweilers are always aggressive, and I know there is a muzzle requirement for them when in a public place.

BoltzmannBrain

Some seals and a porpoise washed up on a Waterford beach.

http://coastmonkey.ie/four-seals-and-a-porpoise/

OpenYourEyes

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/hunter-fined-after-best-day-ever-facebook-boast-showed-he-shot-protected-birds-35423794.html

A man was fined €200 for shooting two protected birds - a Brent Goose and a Shelduck. From reading the article it seems like it was a genuine mistake, but I still think it's a miniscule fine and the fact that nothing is mentioned about banning him from hunting or shooting in the future is a bit of a joke too. In all honesty the above named species are not very similar to Canada Geese, and there's an onus on the shooter to know what they're shooting. Ignorance is no excuse.

Half-cocked

The only species of geese you will see in north Co Dublin in the numbers that he claimed are Brent Geese (he stated a flock of about 600). And a Shelduck is unmistakeable for anything that you are allowed shoot. And no self respecting hunter would fire both barrels into a big flock of birds like that. How many birds were wounded and died later? Thinking they were Canada Geese is no excuse either. They do not look very similar and there aren't any Canada Geese in north Dublin apart from the occasional feral bird. An experienced hunter would know all this. The fines may be tiny but if there is any justice his firearms licenses will be taken off him (the super up that way is well known for being anti gun).

Half-cocked

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

there's an onus on the shooter to know what they're shooting. Ignorance is no excuse.

Unfortunately the Courts do seem to allow ignorance as a mitigating factor when sentencing. The chances of getting caught shooting protected species are so slim and the sanctions so small when you are caught that there is little to deter the cowboys out there. I wonder how many man hours this episode cost the NPWS and the court service just to result in a derisory fine? And the culprit obviously didn't give a damn if he had the cheek to ask for one of the protected birds back to get it stuffed.

Capercaillie

Half-cocked wrote: »

Unfortunately the Courts do seem to allow ignorance as a mitigating factor when sentencing. The chances of getting caught shooting protected species are so slim and the sanctions so small when you are caught that there is little to deter the cowboys out there. I wonder how many man hours this episode cost the NPWS and the court service just to result in a derisory fine? And the culprit obviously didn't give a damn if he had the cheek to ask for one of the protected birds back to get it stuffed.

Raithlin Island population of Chough were exterminated by one lad and his shotgun. He said they were just crows.:mad: