The Hide (chat thread)

gzoladz

Eddie B wrote: »

Excellent! I'd say you'd get great footage on a trail cam, but probably way too busy on the Dodder to chance something like that.

Funnily enough, a few weeks ago one IWT volunteer mentioned in an outing that they got nice footage of an otter on a trail cam under the Ballsbridge bridge. I was surprised as I live in the area and had never seen otters that far down the river, and conincidentally I saw the cubs this Tue at 6/630pm.

The same Tue I went back at 930/1000pm and nothing, and the following day a friend and I walked the Dodder at night up and down from Irishtown to Milltown, and again nothing.

These are the mother and cubs from exactly one year ago in Donnybrook.

bernard0368

Hi Gzoladz

I spotted her on Saturday up by the Kiosk and she has a new cub. Same time and place I spotted her last year.

Bernard

gzoladz

bernard0368 wrote: »

Hi Gzoladz

I spotted her on Saturday up by the Kiosk and she has a new cub. Same time and place I spotted her last year.

Bernard

Great to here Bernard! I am actually just back from my night walk along the Dodder, no luck

Remind me, by what Kiosk?

bernard0368

gzoladz wrote: »

Great to here Bernard! I am actually just back from my night walk along the Dodder, no luck

Remind me, by what Kiosk?

The one on the bridge at Orwell rd. 100 ft upstream.

gzoladz

:rolleyes:

bernard0368 wrote: »

The one on the bridge at Orwell rd. 100 ft upstream.

I wonder if it is the same I saw opposite Aviva, there were 2 cubs there.

I will try to go tomorrow.

Bsal

Had a Dunnock in the garden today haven't seen one for probably two years.

Ulmus

I heard the drumming of a woodpecker in the woods of Ordnance Survey Ireland, Phoenix Park this afternoon. I didn't see the bird.

Half-cocked

Recording the sad slow disappearance of House Sparrows from our area.

Previous winters we recorded up to 40 on the feeders, this year we have peaked at 8. Previous summers we would see large numbers of juveniles being fed, last summer there were 3. I don't know if it was just a bad breeding season for them or if they have lost their nesting sites (there has been a lot of rebuilding of older houses around here). I put up nest boxes built to the right spec for House Sparrows a couple of years back but they don't use them. The only good news is that several other flocks in the Baldoyle/Sutton area seem to be doing OK.

Our hedgehogs all disappeared about 4 years back and several moth species have gone too. It's depressing, but shows the importance of keeping records.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Half-cocked wrote: »

Recording the sad slow disappearance of House Sparrows from our area.

Previous winters we recorded up to 40 on the feeders, this year we have peaked at 8. Previous summers we would see large numbers of juveniles being fed, last summer there were 3. I don't know if it was just a bad breeding season for them or if they have lost their nesting sites (there has been a lot of rebuilding of older houses around here). I put up nest boxes built to the right spec for House Sparrows a couple of years back but they don't use them. The only good news is that several other flocks in the Baldoyle/Sutton area seem to be doing OK.

Our hedgehogs all disappeared about 4 years back and several moth species have gone too. It's depressing, but shows the importance of keeping records.

House Sparrow numbers are holding here, although those nesting under my roof tiles didn't have a terrific breeding season this year.

Half-cocked

Kayla Moldy Supernova wrote: »

House Sparrow numbers are holding here, although those nesting under my roof tiles didn't have a terrific breeding season this year.

There was no sign of first broods last summer, just the 3 juvs that showed up around about the time we'd expect 2nd broods to fledge:( Here's hoping they bounce back this year. Only problem is the numbers are so low and there will be fatalities over the rest of the winter, might not have enough breeders left to sustain the flock. I wonder how much movement there is between flocks, will we get some outsiders coming in to raise numbers?

WildIreland

Half-cocked wrote: »

Recording the sad slow disappearance of House Sparrows from our area.

Previous winters we recorded up to 40 on the feeders, this year we have peaked at 8. Previous summers we would see large numbers of juveniles being fed, last summer there were 3. I don't know if it was just a bad breeding season for them or if they have lost their nesting sites (there has been a lot of rebuilding of older houses around here). I put up nest boxes built to the right spec for House Sparrows a couple of years back but they don't use them. The only good news is that several other flocks in the Baldoyle/Sutton area seem to be doing OK.

Our hedgehogs all disappeared about 4 years back and several moth species have gone too. It's depressing, but shows the importance of keeping records.

House sparrow flock here in my West Cork garden is doing quite well... always between 30-40 birds on and around the feeders. If anything there seems to be a slight increase in numbers year-on-year.

They always used to be vying for position with an approximately equal number of greenfinches... alas, so far this winter I've had a single lone greenfinch at the feeders.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I see a report from the BTO

A study of genetic differences between Great Tits in the UK and in the Netherlands showed that British birds had longer bills, and it was suggested that this could be because they are adapted to feed on the higher number of garden bird feeders in the UK.

Food for thought.

whyulittle

The Heritage Council just shared this story on FB, not sure if they actually read the full article though!

http://wildirelandtour.ie/new-midlands-tourism-initiative-launched/

recedite

whyulittle wrote: »

The Heritage Council just shared this story on FB, not sure if they actually read the full article though!

http://wildirelandtour.ie/new-midlands-tourism-initiative-launched/

The whole combined greenway/blueway/ecotourism idea is great.
Whats not so great is when most of available funding to develop these ideas is squandered on lucrative contracts for the boys.

It is understood that he is looking at creating a special supplementary fund to enable the Department to draw on the knowledge and expertise of the Healy-Rae’s, as they have considerable experience in this area. ‘These Kerry lads do not come cheap, but they are quality operators’ he said.

Yes, I hear their machinery and plant hire business has sucked up a huge number of public contracts in Kerry over the years, so they must be ready for expansion to other counties now.

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/HerpSocIreland/status/965235602424725504

Capercaillie

magicbastarder wrote: »

https://twitter.com/HerpSocIreland/status/965235602424725504

Jesus Christ, what is wrong with these wasters..................:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Ulmus

Article in Irish Times about destruction of amphibian habitat in Phoenix Park.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/phoenix-park-drainage-works-causes-incalculable-harm-to-frogs-and-newts-1.3398055

Half-cocked

^^^^

Can some one from the HSI report this to the NPWS and will any action be taken? Too late to save the habitat this year but might make people think twice if there is the possibility of prosecution.

OpenYourEyes

Half-cocked wrote: »

^^^^

Can some one from the HSI report this to the NPWS and will any action be taken? Too late to save the habitat this year but might make people think twice if there is the possibility of prosecution.

OPW responded to HSI today and a meeting has been scheduled, so hopefully something can be salvaged from this breeding season.

I think once OPW responded and will be seen to be making some attempt at remedying the situation then it's very unlikely NPWS will choose to get involved or take it further.

emo72

Really bad cold weather forecast from Monday and frogs spawning! Bad timing.

magicbastarder

yep, they spawned in our pond today.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

emo72 wrote: »

Really bad cold weather forecast from Monday and frogs spawning! Bad timing.

It's forecast as ranging from +2c to -2c: this shouldn't have much impact on frog spawn.

magicbastarder

this was the statement from the OPW, btw:
https://twitter.com/opwireland/status/965938958193524737

i would wonder precisely what is meant by 'no visible signs of wildlife habitats for frogs and newts' means. were the ditches dry? or that frogs and newts were simply not observed?

recedite

"no visible signs of wildlife habitats" can only mean the person in question was blind

I'd say the real problem here is that in the office they schedule works based on "an ecological window", which is based on time the deer are breeding, and nothing else.
Once the guy driving the machine is sent in, he has no interest in anything except getting the job done, and then getting home to his dinner.

magicbastarder

yeah, probably a 'do everything related to vegetation removal in spring' approach, no matter the context.
god knows, someone probably looked up the hedge cutting restrictions to determine when to do this work.

magicbastarder

Kayla Moldy Supernova wrote: »

It's forecast as ranging from +2c to -2c: this shouldn't have much impact on frog spawn.

they're getting excited/dramatic about this over on the weather forum. very significant cold snap according to the models, apparently.

emo72

Kayla Moldy Supernova wrote: »

It's forecast as ranging from +2c to -2c: this shouldn't have much impact on frog spawn.

its not this weekend im worried about. its the major coldspell from monday onwards srameen. you should be aware of this by now i guess. dont want the poor blighters frozen. some serious minus figures forecast next week.

magicbastarder

i'm worried about the fresh spawn in our pond, but nature is nature. maybe we could take it in and leave it beside the fire.

recedite

magicbastarder wrote: »

maybe we could take it in and leave it beside the fire.

Not good, it would artificially accelerate the spawn and the tadpoles would be too early.

Watch what level it hangs in the water. In sunny weather, the spawn can be at the surface and it can be warmer than the water because the black spots in transparent gel pick up solar heat.
At other times it can sink. Once water temp drops below 4 degrees, the warmest water is at the bottom. So down at the bottom of a decent sized pond, the water will never drop below that temperature. Its a peculiar characteristic of water that makes pond life possible in northern latitudes.

magicbastarder

ah, that was a joke.