The Hide (chat thread)

magicbastarder

you mean in terms of the virus?
dogs especially. getting loads more attention.

Base price

fryup wrote: »

i wonder would animals sense there's something going on? dogs especially

The cities seagulls and pigeons are getting hungry at this stage.

fryup

magicbastarder wrote: »

you mean in terms of the virus?
dogs especially. getting loads more attention.

i mean i wonder can they sense that something is a bit off, humans are acting strange

Fakediamond

fryup wrote: »

i mean i wonder can they sense that something is a bit off, humans are acting strange

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-52057543

magicbastarder

we spotted a wren collecting moss off the lawn in our back garden yesterday, but today i realised it's actually building its nest in my shed - which is used quite a lot, i do a good bit of woodturning out there.
there would often be a lot of dust in the air, and powertools being used out there - i suspect if i evict them (for their own sake), i need to do it now?

magicbastarder

rang a chap i know who is better educated on such things than me, and he said to close up access now, which i have done.
one of the main concerns i'd have had would have been at fledging time, they could have easily been trapped. it wouldn't be a healthy place for them to be, i regularly use a breathing mask out there; so hopefully they'll find a new home quickly.

Alun

Have a great battle going on in our nest box at the moment. Two blue tits vying for it, one brings in a few bits of nesting material, and the next minute the other one comes in and carefully removes it!

Originally when I first saw two birds in at once, I thought they were a pair as they seemed to be OK with each other being in there at the same time, but it's starting to get a bit rougher with the new one chasing the other out.

magicbastarder

tragic news from zoe devlin (wildflowers of ireland):

https://twitter.com/zoedev1174/status/1242790683259179008

Alun

Alun wrote: »

Have a great battle going on in our nest box at the moment. Two blue tits vying for it, one brings in a few bits of nesting material, and the next minute the other one comes in and carefully removes it!

Originally when I first saw two birds in at once, I thought they were a pair as they seemed to be OK with each other being in there at the same time, but it's starting to get a bit rougher with the new one chasing the other out.

Currently we have one bird starting to nest, bringing in moss and bits of dried grass and the next day the other bird comes in and empties it completely and starts over again, Rinse and repeat

Birdnuts

Spotted a flock of migrating Golden Plover resting on some spring tillage land near my parents place in North Kildare. They really are a stunning looking bird when the Males are coming into their breeding plumage. These birds appeared to be of the "Northern" variety as the black patch extended totally down their chest and belly

New Home

gzoladz wrote: »

Surprising turn of events...I checked the roosting site this afternoon, and there was a male who was NOT Cyrano (check his much smaller bill) and a female. I wondered if maybe Cyrano was the female but if that is the case, it is not the same bird as Cyrano has quite a bit of orange and this female has no orange at all.

Both birds were interacting quite a lot and they checked a half built nest in the same site. The female sat in the nest for about 15 minutes and her head was occasionally visible from the other side of road. I was actually surprised they were checking that nest as it looked too exposed to me.

DSCN2115-01 by Gustavo, on Flickr

DSCN2026-01 by Gustavo, on Flickr

Not Cyrana. Roxanne.

gzoladz

New Home wrote: »

Not Cyrana. Roxanne.

We need a second male name...there is Cyrano and another younger looking male. This morning both were collecting nesting material for the same nest. I didn't see the female.

New Home

To remain in theme, Christian?

Eddie B

gzoladz wrote: »

We need a second male name...there is Cyrano and another younger looking male. This morning both were collecting nesting material for the same nest. I didn't see the female.

Bet you have the chicks named already:D

gzoladz

Eddie B wrote: »

Bet you have the chicks named already:D

New Home is actually who names them!

Lunch break...only Cyrano there, perching at his favourite branch. There was a few Blue Tits feeding an calling 2 or 3 mts away from him...I don't know if they did not see him or they don't respect him.

I am hoping to check it again this evening.

gzoladz

Brief update...after a quite Wednesday, M and F Sparrowhawk were very active yesterday morning...more mating, more nest building, etc.

I submitted an application to obtain a license to photograph activity on the nest, as this will be required from when eggs are laid until the youngs fledge...it is a long shot as I don't know if I qualify, and if these are granted given the current situation (and if I am not too late requesting it, but who would have expected this!).

In any case, the nest location is getting very leafy, so I don't know how much longer will be visible (all my observations are from a busy road, not accessing the roosting/nest site).

under Section 22 (9)(f) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) a licence is required for a person to take or make photographic, video or other pictures of a wild bird of a species specified in the licence on or near a nest containing eggs or unflown young.

fryup

gzoladz wrote: »

M and F Sparrowhawk were very active yesterday morning...more mating,

tell them to get a room

magicbastarder

spotted a kingfisher on the tolka yesterday, first time i've seen one in several years. it was at the bridge on mobhi road.

Deja Boo

Odd question please... Might anyone be able to know how I might help a frantic bird off a balcony, draped in netting (so birds wont get in, but occasionally they do) ?

New Home

Can you remove part of the netting? Sorry DB, I'd need a picture or a better description, I can't quite visualise it.

Deja Boo

I can't, its stapled from roof to sides of building. I tried coaxing him to the floor with seeds, cos that must be where he flew into, but he is just too spastic to even catch with net on a stick

New Home

A single bed sheet might help.

Deja Boo

ok, will try that, ta new home!

New Home

And wait until dark. It might be easier to catch it then. What kind of bird is it? You might be able to keep it in a large cardboard box until dawn, but not all birds will be able to withstand that.

Deja Boo

BIRD IS FREEEEEEEEE ! Thanks for all your help New Home!

New Home

YAAAAYYYY!!!

vistafinder

I saw a Kestrel take a small bird in mid air today. Unbelievable manoeuvre to catch it. It looked like it had escaped for a second.

Not sure was it the flock of small birds were chasing it off which I have seen plenty times and it turned on them or if it just had a go at them.

fryup

quick question - do swans fly at night? was in the back garden last night and heard that unique swish swish sound you get from swans wings overhead

ZX7R

fryup wrote: »

quick question - do swans fly at night? was in the back garden last night and heard that unique swish swish sound you get from swans wings overhead

Yes swan's fly at night

gzoladz

I think I have found another sparrowhawk nest on the edge of my 2km, area of mixed decidious and coniferous woodland. Potential nest in a huge coniferous tree, m&f seen and heard calling and interacting. Male left and came back a few times.

I have not seen the actual nest this time.