IDs Needed

whyulittle

First one, audio (it's easier to process video from my phone than audio).

It seemed to be coming from the bushes/trees. I couldn't get any closer as it was too soggy and didn't have boots on. It was going for a good five minutes while I was there. Located between a small canal and small wetlands. There are another two videos below from a little further back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MimX-QwBZ0

http://youtu.be/M_dneRmhp3c
http://youtu.be/Jx52BzFwz1k


This was left on a post about 3 or 4 foot high.



While this was left under a pine tree. I mashed it up and it looked like it had beetle remains in it.










And this I'm thinking was a rabbit?

Pie Man

pretty sure thats pine marten scat in 2 and 3.

whyulittle

Nice. The one on the post is relatively in the open on the way into the forest/plantation.

swifts need our help!

The audio track could be a rabbit that has been caught by a predator

Mark

whyulittle

I didn't hear any commotion before it, but it is pretty covered. There are fox and stoat in the general area.

V Bull

Pie Man wrote: »

pretty sure thats pine marten scat in 2 and 3.

WUL, if that scat was photographed in your usual spot, then I'd also agree with the Pie Man as I have seen pinemartins in that area (LB)

whyulittle

LB but over the other side near the stage, thing.

whyulittle

Greylag Goose?

Spotted it on it's own the other day. There are geese at Lough Boora, (V Bull would probably know what type) but I've only ever seen them around the main lake.

V Bull

V Bull is going to stick his neck out and have a guess....:D

Yeh, I think it's a Greylag Goose, I think the lighting in the photo is a bit off putting however it does have the heavy set beak, lighter large head and neck colouring than that of the back which also has the broad fringe stripes accross it.

whyulittle

Ah no didn't mean to put you under pressure to answer, just thought you might know what the regulars at the lake are.

I normally stay away from them after they started hissing and chasing me the one time I did go up to them!

whyulittle

A little stumped on this one, but having checked out a couple of possibilities I'm going with Linnet? They seem to look different every time I see one!

swifts need our help!

yes a hen linnet

V Bull

Coming into their breeding plumage, more colour than their winter plumage.

whyulittle

Thanks guys.

Traonach's thread reminded me of the photo below. Walking along a large drain/small canal, there were a couple of runs from the bank down into the water. At one of them, there were a load of mussels, I presume, scattered along the water's edge. Left there by otters?

Birdnuts

whyulittle wrote: »

Thanks guys.

Traonach's thread reminded me of the photo below. Walking along a large drain/small canal, there were a couple of runs from the bank down into the water. At one of them, there were a load of mussels, I presume, scattered along the water's edge. Left there by otters?

Yeah - I would go with otters. They do the same thing to mussels on my smallholding by the sea in Erris Co. Mayo.

whyulittle

Cool, cheers!

whyulittle

Walking along a path today at LB, when all of a sudden there was squeaking coming from both sides.

These were the culprits, a Shrew of some description I assume. They definitely have a 'snout' at the front.

Fast little things, couldn't see exactly what they were in real time! Didn't realise I let my shutter speed go so low.





Linnet?

Traonach

A handsome Linnet:)

whyulittle

Was never in doubt!

No sign of the Shrews today unfortunately. No huge surprise as I'd been past the spot plenty of times and never heard or seen them before yesterday.

whyulittle

I put my camera down in some grass for a minute, it came back up with this attached. It fell as I was turning it to get a head-on shot. It was only a tiny little thing.

whyulittle

Anyone familiar with rearing Pheasants?

Can't distinguish if this is a Pheasant or Partridge chick. I'm leaning towards Partridge as there was an adult nearby.






Not sure about this one so it must be a Linnet.

Traonach

Don't know whether it's a partridge chick or a pheasant chick. Are there many pheasants around Lough Boora? I hope there's not because they have a negative effect on Grey Partridge numbers.

whyulittle

Couldn't tell you numbers wise, but as you are walking around you certainly hear and see plenty of them.

I was chatting with one of the gamekeepers yesterday (before taking the shots of the chick) and he was saying all is going well with them so far this year.

swifts need our help!

I wouldnt know the difference other than it looks only days old and a partridge chick should be quite small

The finch is a juvenile Linnet

Mark

whyulittle

I see on the Grey Partridge FB page reports of broods of Partridge and Pheasant found during the week. A brood of 20 Partridge in one of the captive breeding pens.

Meanwhile, while along the canal yesterday I noticed what looked like a relatively large, dark bird flying into a hole in the bank. Didn't look like a Sandmartin or Kingfisher. Anything else it might have been? Little Grebe is what it looked like most.

whyulittle

Have been told the chick was a Pheasant.

Are these all Newts?







Crayfish?

F.R.

Male and female smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris).
I think the tadpoles are frogs.

whyulittle

Thanks, the simple reason I thought they might be Newts as well was because there was a fully formed frog in the pool as awell, but it was smaller than them.

F.R.

whyulittle wrote: »

Thanks, the simple reason I thought they might be Newts as well was because there was a fully formed frog in the pool as awell, but it was smaller than them.

Newt tadpoles have feathery gills which I cannot see on the picture so I am leaning to frogs.
Have a look at ARKive for some pictures of tadpoles.

whyulittle

Thanks again - after looking at ARKive, I'm changing the Crayfish to a Great Diving Beetle larva!

whyulittle

Any thoughts on this? Spotted just one or two bushes along a long wooded walk. Stood out like a sore thumb.



Also, this Warbler. One in and fed some chicks in a tree/bush. I'm not sure if they were in a nest or just gathered in the tree - could just hear them begging as the adult came in. The one pictured could even be one of the young, the bill looks very yellow?

Birdnuts

Some type of Dog rose for the plant while the bird looks like a Chiffchaff

swifts need our help!

The rose is Rosa rugosa. Did you smell it? It has a wonderful scent

Mark

whyulittle

whyulittle wrote: »

First one, audio (it's easier to process video from my phone than audio).

It seemed to be coming from the bushes/trees. I couldn't get any closer as it was too soggy and didn't have boots on. It was going for a good five minutes while I was there. Located between a small canal and small wetlands. There are another two videos below from a little further back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MimX-QwBZ0

http://youtu.be/M_dneRmhp3c
http://youtu.be/Jx52BzFwz1k

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I think I might have solved this one!

Watching Springwatch this afternoon, they had a mystery sound - it was a Manx Shearwater but the presenter mentioned thinking it was a Water Rail at first. So I checked out what a Water Rail sounds like, and this old video immediately came to mind.

Anyone familiar with them, am I right?

Capercaille

Water rail often sound like piglets. Could be one.

Hotblack Desiato

Can anyone identify this little fella?



An hour ago we were out looking at the ISS pass over, and saw something moving in the gloom at the end of the garden. Body about 50cm long, didn't see any tail. Suburban garden in Dublin.

Tiercel Dave

That's a Hedgehog, Ninja. Regards, Dave

Hotblack Desiato

Doubt it. We've seen hedgehogs before here, but only about a third as big. Looked furry not spiny. Could move quick enough when he wanted to (close to a metre per second) which I've never seen a hedgehog do.
You never know though, about a year ago I saw a fox on the decking that was nearly as big as a labrador... :eek:

Zoo4m8

Hedgehog. Definitely , has his spines flattened. Don't know the 0 to 60 times but speedy little lads when they want to be.

Reisman

Can anybody id these two?

Never before seen in the garden feeding from the feeder this morning, not a great picture, apologies.

I'm aware it has the look of a thrush, but is more grey than the spotted cream/brown you'd expect.

Looks like a pair of spotted flycather?

Edit - better pictures.

V_Moth

They are young Starlings.

Reisman

Thanks V Moth, a quick google image and I see you're correct. Very different to the elders, I had no idea. Was hoping I had an exciting new bird in the garden. Ah well.