Unusual summer sightings?

aidoh

The lack of a well defined spring season combined with an unusually lovely heatwave has led to me seeing a few weird things this summer.
I saw some cockroaches on a walk in Howth last week. I only saw my first tiny wasp of the summer today when they're usually out much earlier in the year and should be massive (and really annoying) by now. I've been seeing frogs hopping about at night time and hedgehogs, badgers and foxes marching around the streets of Dublin during the day.
Still haven't seen any lizards unfortunately, despite being in very lizard-friendly areas on very lizard-friendly, beautiful days.

What are your unusual wildlife sightings this summer?

endacl

aidoh wrote: »

What are your unusual wildlife sightings this summer?

People with natural tans!

Capercaille

Corncrake calling on my farm. The first one in 20 years:)

endacl

Less flippant answer....

Varieties of moth that I've never seen before. When I look them up, some are relatively rare. There's a separate thread I must drop some pics into...

Mickeroo

aidoh wrote: »

The lack of a well defined spring season combined with an unusually lovely heatwave has led to me seeing a few weird things this summer.
I saw some cockroaches on a walk in Howth last week. I only saw my first tiny wasp of the summer today when they're usually out much earlier in the year and should be massive (and really annoying) by now. I've been seeing frogs hopping about at night time and hedgehogs, badgers and foxes marching around the streets of Dublin during the day.
Still haven't seen any lizards unfortunately, despite being in very lizard-friendly areas on very lizard-friendly, beautiful days.

What are your unusual wildlife sightings this summer?

Where's generally good to spot lizards? I'm pretty sure I saw one when I was hillwalking once but can't be certain.

aidoh

All around the Wicklow mountains. I've a friend who runs up there every morning who says that on a sunny day they're out basking in massive numbers on the roads. In Dublin, the Bull Island apparently has a population, as well as the Phoenix Park and Liffey Valley park. You probably did see one, Mickeroo. They're apparently common (although no Irish census has ever been carried out) but good at staying hidden, unless the weather is irresistible.
That's great news about the corncrake too.
I've been seeing a lot of falcons around on the M1.
Also I'm 99% sure I heard a boar in Co. Armagh on Saturday. It was at the very least an escaped pig, anyway.

locum-motion

aidoh wrote: »

...
I've been seeing a lot of falcons around on the M1.
...

If they're hovering over the verge of the motorway, they're almost certainly kestrels, not falcons.

Capercaille

locum-motion wrote: »

If they're hovering over the verge of the motorway, they're almost certainly kestrels, not falcons.

Kestrels are falcons.

locum-motion

Capercaille wrote: »

Kestrels are falcons.

Sorry. Correct.
Kestrels are members of the falcon family.

I meant "kestrels, not peregrine falcons" cos I thought that's the other poster meant by "falcons".

aidoh

I meant falcons, just wasn't sure what type of falcon.
Lots of dead crows too. I always thought crows would be clever enough to hop out of the way of cars. Maybe sunbathing on the hot motorway tar is too relaxing for them!

dodderangler

aidoh wrote: »

I meant falcons, just wasn't sure what type of falcon.
Lots of dead crows too. I always thought crows would be clever enough to hop out of the way of cars. Maybe sunbathing on the hot motorway tar is too relaxing for them!

Problem with the hot weather is birds aren't as aware of cars because they are exhausted by the heat and unable to have the strength to stay in the air as long so that's usually the main cause of being hit by cars.