The Hide (chat thread)

OpenYourEyes

I have limited experience with nest boxes but I'd be skeptical about those tbh!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I just don't see it being very successful. It would sway too much, in my opinion.

Mickeroo

Kayla Moldy Supernova wrote: »

I just don't see it being very successful. It would sway too much, in my opinion.

Yeah that's what I was afraid of.

Bsal

Blackbirds singing for the first time tonight

Hotei

Bsal wrote: »

Blackbirds singing for the first time tonight

............. and a Song Thrush singing its heart out here just before dark. Wonderful to hear!

Birdnuts

Hotei wrote: »

............. and a Song Thrush singing its heart out here just before dark. Wonderful to hear!

Same here - and you can't blame them atm as it feels more like the middle of April, not Feb. Knowing such years in the past, we will probably be battling snow and frost next month:rolleyes:

vistafinder

First few bumble bees flying around the garden here today.

fryup

what bird is making these tweets ??

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1EQ7VJae8Pz

Hotei

fryup wrote: »

what bird is making these tweets ??

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1EQ7VJae8Pz

It sounds like a Dunnock to me.

Half-cocked

5 Red Kites circling over the M11 near Redcross this afternoon!

whyulittle

Nice Spring day out there, even spotted my first few butterflies on the wing.

Hotei

whyulittle wrote: »

.......... even spotted my first few butterflies on the wing.

Small Tortoiseshell by any chance? Saw one during the week.

whyulittle

Hotei wrote: »

Small Tortoiseshell by any chance? Saw one during the week.

Small Tortoiseshell or Peacock, they were too quick and too high up to say for definite. Took advantage of the nice day though and went for a walk around the local bog and spotted Brimstone and Peacock. 4 Buzzards tumbling in the distance, and frogs still spawning in some of the drains, so not a bad afternoon.

whyulittle

24 bird species recorded down along the Shannon today, including a Treecreeper bringing nesting material back to a nestbox, and my first couple of Chiffchaffs of the year.

downwesht

Buzzard at Pedlars cross near Clonakilty today.3rd time seeing it there!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

downwesht wrote: »

Buzzard at Pedlars cross near Clonakilty today.3rd time seeing it there!

Four buzzards circling the garden here all afternoon.

Base price

Was visiting a friend this afternoon (NCD) and we watched 3 (1 large, 1 medium and a smaller one) riding the thermals. Arrived home a hour later about 10 odd miles away and heard peew call from above as I got out of the jeep. Looked up and saw 4 wheeling about. 2 were smaller which I presume are last years chicks. Thankfully there is a healthy population of Buzzards in NCD along weekly sightings of Red Kites.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Base price wrote: »

Was visiting a friend this afternoon (NCD) and we watched 3 (1 large, 1 medium and a smaller one) riding the thermals. Arrived home a hour later about 10 odd miles away and heard peew call from above as I got out of the jeep. Looked up and saw 4 wheeling about. 2 were smaller which I presume are last years chicks. Thankfully there is a healthy population of Buzzards in NCD along weekly sightings of Red Kites.

Last years young are now adult size. You can get some variation in size but the Irish population are fairly standard in size. The difference in size is probably just down to distance and perspective.

magicbastarder

Base price wrote: »

Thankfully there is a healthy population of Buzzards in NCD along weekly sightings of Red Kites.

a first for me in NCD today - three red kites circling together; i'd only ever seen them in plural in wicklow before.

fryup

a lot of wasps about ..i thought september is there time.....or is it the queens i'm seeing?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

a lot of wasps about ..i thought september is there time.....or is it the queens i'm seeing?

At the moment Queens are on the move looking for nest locations.

Half-cocked

Went for a short walk in Father Collins Pk, Clongriffin. Reed Buntings nesting in the reed beds, plenty of Mallard and Moorhens. A pair of Mute Swans with a nest in a very vulnerable spot. And then I spotted a large terrapin which I have now ID'd as a Yellow Bellied Slider. The shell was about 8-10 inches long. These abandoned pets seem to be popping up everywhere nowadays.

Half-cocked

3 Sandwich Terns flying over my garden in Baldoyle just now. First terns I've seen this year.

whyulittle

Peregrine, Buzzard and Raven all seen from my urbanish garden today.

Cool

Hotei

About a dozen or more Sand Martins have arrived back to a local sand and gravel quarry. The area where they nested last year has since been obliterated. Hopefully they'll find somewhere in the quarry where they can nest peacefully this year.

magicbastarder

just been out to confirm that the flattened bird on the road outside our house is, as feared, a bird of prey. and given the size and yellow legs, a sparrowhawk. such a pity, we don't get that many round here (dublin 9/dublin 11 area).

TopTec

Such a majestic bird.

The local male Sparrowhawk lost it's mate here, last year, to a window strike. I think they had been a pair for a couple of years. The Male stayed around though and I have just seen him with a female in my trees out the back of the cottage. Flew off towards the forestry where they usually nest so, crossed fingers, they will do well.

TT

Capercaillie

Chough after moving into my nest into my nest box!

Woodville56

Plenty of noisy swallows back here now - a homecoming of sorts ? Always a source of wonder - they've travelled so far and survived all the obstacles en route - natural and man made

vistafinder

Woodville56 wrote: »

Plenty of noisy swallows back here now - a homecoming of sorts ? Always a source of wonder - they've travelled so far and survived all the obstacles en route - natural and man made

Long may it last and long may we keep the wonder.