birdies

babser doyle

Hey folks,new to this so please bear with me!
Just wondering if anyone has any idea whats happened to the 3 buzzards that were flying around the Glen? Vanished a few weeks ago. A few gone from Kilcoole too. Any ideas?:)

.243

id say with the warm weather that has come in recently they're off hunting,
they fly and hunt in warm air using less effort so they end up travelling further than normal

babser doyle

oh thanks maybe thats it. Hope it is!!!;)

cuddlycavies

They're still about. Saw them last week and one around farankelly on thursday.

babser doyle

ok thanks everyone

Jimjay

There was a very large bird circling above our house in charlesland wood this afternoon. By the time i got my canera ready it had gone. Dont know what it was.

Maudi

Jimjay wrote: »

There was a very large bird circling above our house in charlesland wood this afternoon. By the time i got my canera ready it had gone. Dont know what it was.

Kites have been seen recently.by myself over charlesland..they hang around the top of the farankelly road alot.white under the wings is a give away.buzzards also reported around..

bobwilliams

Jimjay wrote: »

There was a very large bird circling above our house in charlesland wood this afternoon. By the time i got my canera ready it had gone. Dont know what it was.

probs a buzzard,often seen close to Charlesland,above the field on the left (coming from charlesland)before the Gogym roundabout,good little hunting ground it seems.

cuddlycavies

bobwilliams wrote: »

probs a buzzard,often seen close to Charlesland,above the field on the left (coming from charlesland)before the Gogym roundabout,good little hunting ground it seems.

Saw him fly across the road one day swinging a rat from his talons. Incidentally I saw a bar owl over that same piece of scrub.

babser doyle

thats geat news.Think I saw one myself this morning in the Glen. I'm nearly sure it was one. I'm glad they haven't gone away:cool:

Maudi

babser doyle wrote: »

thats geat news.Think I saw one myself this morning in the Glen. I'm nearly sure it was one. I'm glad they haven't gone away:cool:

The kite was directly over the main green in charlesland today lunch time getting divebombed by crows.

rik 0 shay

Im new[ probably more shiny than bright]
I have been watching a pair of Buzzards in Windgates but they also have vanished in the last month. I worry as through ignorance in this country, we have a habit of shooting or poisoning anything that moves!
We could learn a lot from our nearest neighbours who cherish there enviroment much more than we do.
Its lovely to find people who do care!

bido

Are you refering to our neighbours across the Irish sea?
Nuclear power station has been leaking radioactive waste - Daily Mail
Enough said.;)

Zoo4m8

rik 0 shay wrote: »

Im new[ probably more shiny than bright]
I have been watching a pair of Buzzards in Windgates but they also have vanished in the last month. I worry as through ignorance in this country, we have a habit of shooting or poisoning anything that moves!
We could learn a lot from our nearest neighbours who cherish there enviroment much more than we do.
Its lovely to find people who do care!

Don't worry, in my experience they always return and in some cases with a youngster or two in tow..:)

cuddlycavies

rik 0 shay wrote: »

I worry as through ignorance in this country, we have a habit of shooting or poisoning anything that moves!
We could learn a lot from our nearest neighbours who cherish there enviroment much more than we do.
!

Would concur with that view. Yes as you say they are lying low. One may be on the nest. Saw one at Newtown exit yesterday and a pair over charlesland last week. They were very active whilst courting. That is normal. I know one was hit by a car near Bray last winter which is a shame however at least around here, I dont think any have met any deliberate harm.

Huntthe

The Wexford lads love the birds alright.

legrand

There's a lone Gannet I see cruising and occasionally diving off the South Beach. Wonder where it 'roosts' as I'm not aware of any local colony's in the area. Think Irelands Eye has a colony - perhaps there.

cuddlycavies

Yep, we get them here all the time especially when the water warms up. The Greystones birds seem to come from the south and are therefore birds ex gt Saltee. I think we'll see them on Bray head before long.

rik 0 shay

I see Gannets off bray head regularly. Was watching a pair diving on Sunday.
I used to go to Irelands Eye as a kid. Can you still go there or have health and safety done for that as well? Any info appreciated.

cuddlycavies

AFAIK no problem. Boats from Howth. Dalkey island also and Saltee if you go south is no problem.Gt Saltee well worth doing.

cuddlycavies

babser doyle wrote: »

Hey folks,new to this so please bear with me!
Just wondering if anyone has any idea whats happened to the 3 buzzards that were flying around the Glen? Vanished a few weeks ago. A few gone from Kilcoole too. Any ideas?:)

Your three Buzzards were over Kilmac this morning at 10am

babser doyle

I know its great to see them back! They used to be here every day and hover around the tops of the trees for hours. Now I see them maybe every second day so they're obviously very busy this weather!

Thanks for keeping your eyes peeled

rik 0 shay

Spotted a buzzard yesterday on Cooligad Hill [Kindlestown Wood] so thats good news.
Im facinated by the Barn Owl sighting! Ive never seen one in the wild.
Hope it wasnt nesting in the old mill at Killencarrig as the powers that be removed all the ivy from it right in the middle of the nesting season!
How sad!
love to know where I could see a Barn Owl locally?
Nice to know that there are people who care! Thanks!:)

rik 0 shay

Thanks for the information! I knew about the Saltees.Irelands eye and Dalkey Island would be lovely. Fancy a row?
Thanks!

cuddlycavies

Barn owls are probably the easier of our nocturnal owls to see. Being white and active late evening or dusk. I wouldn't like the task of finding one as they are just such a chance sighting. That area of scrub around Globogym is a good spot as it has its share of rodents and there are many suitable buildings nearby. Maybe take a few walks up there these long evenings.

rik 0 shay

Ive seen Long eared owls in Newcastle nature reserve. They fly during the day quiet often. The release programme for Barn Owls is a well kept secret for obvious reasons.
Its possible to put up nesting boxes in woodland for them. I would be happy to get involved in that.
They are such beautiful creatures and were nearly hunted to extinction in times past as they were assoiated evil.
Thanks your for your advice! Ill go looking over there.

.243

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Barn owls are probably the easier of our nocturnal owls to see. Being white and active late evening or dusk. I wouldn't like the task of finding one as they are just such a chance sighting. That area of scrub around Globogym is a good spot as it has its share of rodents and there are many suitable buildings nearby. Maybe take a few walks up there these long evenings.

ive called in a cpl of barn owls while on fox control at night over the years,one night i nearly had to get a second pair of jocks,we were scanning the lamp and using a rodent caller when this pure white owl appeared from behind us flew just over our heads and hovered about 8 feet in font of us and about 4 feet off the ground,

cuddlycavies

rik 0 shay wrote: »

Ive seen Long eared owls in Newcastle nature reserve. They fly during the day quiet often. The release programme for Barn Owls is a well kept secret for obvious reasons.
Its possible to put up nesting boxes in woodland for them. I would be happy to get involved in that.
They are such beautiful creatures and were nearly hunted to extinction in times past as they were assoiated evil.
Thanks your for your advice! Ill go looking over there.

You sure about that Rick? Short ear is your more diurnal bird. Winters every year in Newcastle . Biggish owl usually low to ground. There are long ears there but they are very nocturnal
Didn't know there was an owl programme
The real reason for decline is habitat and secondary poison. Even the silliest farmers have regard for them as rat controllers.

FirstIn

.243 wrote: »

ive called in a cpl of barn owls while on fox control at night over the years,one night i nearly had to get a second pair of jocks,we were scanning the lamp and using a rodent caller when this pure white owl appeared from behind us flew just over our heads and hovered about 8 feet in font of us and about 4 feet off the ground,

Shooting foxes, now that is something I really don't agree with. Barbaric. And before you start they take damn all lambs.

cuddlycavies

FirstIn wrote: »

Shooting foxes, now that is something I really don't agree with. Barbaric. And before you start they take damn all lambs.

Not a hunter myself but they are out of control, pretty destructive and need to be culled. It's not lambs. One fox could pretty well wipe out the Kilcoole ternary in a couple of nights. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing them but they were never meant to live in the densities that they do.

.243

FirstIn wrote: »

Shooting foxes, now that is something I really don't agree with. Barbaric. And before you start they take damn all lambs.

if you dont agree with it thats your opinion,
but if you are going to come to that conclusion please edcucate yourself with ALL the facts on the subject,
what i do is painless and instant,
what other guys do with chasing them with dogs running them into the ground and digging them out is barbaric,(know the differences)
ill give you a little test,
what i do is in second place to the amount of foxes that are killed in this country,
whats in first place ????
answer that correctly and i might give you a liitle more credit,than to your your first response

FirstIn

It is my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Foxes take damn all lambs (actually it's the birdies that do more damage).
As for the terns, the ones that nest on the beach. That is very much an exception.

This country has lots of rednecks shooting foxes, having convinced themselves that they're doing some good. What a joke.

It's barbaric. It's not pest control. It's a horrible perverse way to get ones kicks. So to are lots of the other so called country activities, hare coursing, badger baiting etc. Backward.

.243

FirstIn wrote: »

It is my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Foxes take damn all lambs (actually it's the birdies that do more damage).
As for the terns, the ones that nest on the beach. That is very much an exception.

This country has lots of rednecks shooting foxes, having convinced themselves that they're doing some good. What a joke.

It's barbaric. It's not pest control. It's a horrible perverse way to get ones kicks. So to are lots of the other so called country activities, hare coursing, badger baiting etc. Backward.

ignorance is bliss !!!

cuddlycavies

But nobody mentioned lambs. You did! There is a hunting forum. I don't know if theres an anti hunting one? Facts speak for themselves. There are many foxes in Greystones and every other town and townland in Ireland. There are no hares between here and Bray head or sugarloaf for example. Not even in the Kilcoole reserve. rabbits are scarce as are most large ground nesting birds outside of the reserve. Some balance needs to exist. Shooting is probably the most effective way to control foxes humanely. It has nothing to do with torturing animals a la badger baiting. Poison (the other option) has many side effects on the foodchain. Badger, Buzzards, kites, eagles have all been affected by this.
We would all love a world where everything and everyone got on and ate lentils but it's simply not practical. Conservation is not an emotive subject. Sometimes hard decisions need to be made to address imbalances.
As i said, I don't shoot or hunt but have found that in my experience most shooters love wildlife and enjoy being amongst it and most understand balance.
I'm peed off with myself now for getting drawn into this.

FirstIn

What rubbish. The damage foxes do pales in to insignificance compared to modern farming practices.
Rabbits? I find it very hard to believe there's a declining number of them. Unless of course the myxomatosis is still working well. And if we weren't running about shooting all the foxes they (nature) would have kept the rabbit numbers in check.

rik 0 shay

I do think we need balance. I havent seen a fox in Greystones for the past 3 years. I think native species should be preserved. Magpies are a non native species and kill so many of our native birds.They were introduced by the victorians and should be exterminated. Also the American mink which has destroyed so much native wildlive.The Dodder river is now barren because of their predation and of course the Grey squirrel which has all but wiped out our native Reds.
Trouble is, where do you draw the line? its difficult and I do no many people who shoot and do love wildlife.
As long as people are prepared to debate it, it means that we are aware and thats a good thing!

cuddlycavies

rik 0 shay wrote: »

I do think we need balance. I havent seen a fox in Greystones for the past 3 years. I think native species should be preserved. mink which has destroyed so much native wildlife.The Dodder river is now barren because of their predation and of course the Grey squirrel which has all but wiped out our native Reds.
Trouble is, where do you draw the line? its difficult and I do no many people who shoot and do love wildlife.
As long as people are prepared to debate it, it means that we are aware and thats a good thing!

Theres an earth at the top of Farrenkelly road where it joins the n11 north. Theres heaps about. I've even seen them in the village in daylight. Magpies arrived in Ireland about 1676 as an invasive species due to population explosion. A bit like the collared dove did in the sixties. So not introduced.It is a problem though and I'd support a cull. Mink are a nuisance but the Dodder is far from barren. It now has a salmon and sea trout run, otters, kingfishers, dippers to name a few. Red squirrels are making quite a comeback as have Pine martens. there is growing evidence that the Martens are eating the greys and preventing the same invasion that britain has had. Reds are quite plentiful in Wicklow. mink are an ecological disaster and need to be exterminated no question. the last 50 years has seen an explosion in fox numbers as they adapted well to modern urbanisation. Wheely bins have halted them a bit but there are still far too many of them. There are some noteable exceptions but in general, wildlife in around Dublin/Wicklow is doing better now than when I was growing up. Have a look at the blackboard the lads have drawn up down at the ternery. Theres lots of stuff around.

.243

FirstIn wrote: »

What rubbish. The damage foxes do pales in to insignificance compared to modern farming practices.

do you come from a farming background ?

.243

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Theres an earth at the top of Farrenkelly road where it joins the n11 north.

if its the one on the upper side of the bridge under the gorse you mention,its actually a badgers set (a good indication of badgers is rubbish wrappers and heaped mound outside the earth,they like to refresh their sleeping quarters regulary,to where a fox will just bring the food itself)

cuddlycavies

Yep, they co habitate sometimes and have seen foxes just outside but never the badgers. But yes, it looks like a Sett

Maudi

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Yep, they co habitate sometimes and have seen foxes just outside but never the badgers. But yes, it looks like a Sett

Theres a huge set in the fields on the right at the top of fk road..not the ones ye are on about..ive fed a fox up there too.(sorry)and i found a set in the la touche woods..magpies.mink and cats do the most damage i.m.o

.243

Maudi wrote: »

ive fed a fox up there too.(sorry)

you seem to mean well maudi by feeding them,but its dangerous

FirstIn

Very dangerous , especially when .321 and his pals are sneaking about trying to shoot them. Innocent people have been mistakenly shot by these countryside heroes.

Maudi

.243 wrote: »

you seem to mean well maudi by feeding them,but its dangerous

How do you mean dangerous?getting to brave etc.

cuddlycavies

Maudi wrote: »

Theres a huge set in the fields on the right at the top of fk road..not the ones ye are on about..ive fed a fox up there too.(sorry)and i found a set in the la touche woods..magpies.mink and cats do the most damage i.m.o

No need to apologise for liking animals. We all do. I like to watch lambs. And they are also nice with gravy and mint sauce. I agree re all those pests. Mink are just killing machines and feral/non native. i remember after that kid was mauled by a fox in hackney, there was a report on the numbers killed over the next few nights by hunters in the neighbouring gardens. the numbers would surprise you. Foxes exist in staggering densities sometimes but it's not obvious during the day. Like the mink, they lack that switch off/overkill button. When they get into a henhouse or bird colony....carnage. They have a place, are beautiful creatures but need control. Thats all.

.243

FirstIn wrote: »

Very dangerous , especially when .321 and his pals are sneaking about trying to shoot them. Innocent people have been mistakenly shot by these countryside heroes.

You still haven't answered my previous question i put to you,
And the above justs shows how little you know about the countryside life,

.243

Maudi wrote: »

How do you mean dangerous?getting to brave etc.

In a way yes,they get used to humans and then associate humans=food,
It has happened where people feeding foxes over time try to feed them off hand,
They are an opportunist hunter and will snatch and run given the chance to take food, normally its a hand thats holding back the food
Next thing its off to A&E
The intentions may be genuine but nature sees what it sees differently

FirstIn

"what i do is painless and instant," So you manage a clean kill every time? , bs. Some of the foxes you shoot run away to die a slow painful death from the wounds you inflict.
Some of the foxes you shoot have cubs that are then left to starve and die.

What you do Mr .321 is barbaric and cruel. Yes , we see plenty of foxes killed on the road, but that is not intentional. What you do is very intentional.

.243

FirstIn wrote: »

"what i do is painless and instant," So you manage a clean kill every time? , bs. Some of the foxes you shoot run away to die a slow painful death from the wounds you inflict.
Some of the foxes you shoot have cubs that are then left to starve and die.
.

And you know this how ????

LEIN

Right guys, this has gone somewhat off topic now and to be honest the whole thread belongs in the Nature & Bird Watching forum anyway.


Nature & Bird Watching