south kerry wildlife

gentian

Hi, I am new on here, i am hoping to move to south kerry, kilgarvan area in May, I am keen on wildlife and would love to join some local groups etc. to know where the wildlife is in the area and what kind, also to meet new people as i won't know anyone....if anyone can point me in the right direction i would appreciate it ...:) I like walking as well so if i could combine the both all the better !:)

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

For birding -
http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=292

gentian

thanks for that smareen

gentian

I am also interested in wild flowers etc. .....anyone know of a group or people with similiar interests?

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

I am also interested in wild flowers etc. .....anyone know of a group or people with similiar interests?

I am skilled in much of this but I am not really accessible. I live almost in the Killarney National Park and see so many critters and birds up here and in the park..

Have you thought of internet groups eg yahoo groups? Or contact via web sites? There used to be a great Irish butterfly site and I corrseponded with the man who did that for a while.

Could start a yahoo group even! Easy enough. Maybe check though if there is one already locally

gentian

you sound like you live in a great spot for wildlife as a matter of interest what do you see close by /in your garden ?:)I am moving around may to kerry after being abroad a long time, i don't know anyone but always loved kerry...and it's wildlife. will check out the yahoo groups to see if there is any and if you ever start up a group count me in ! also any pointers of where to visit etc. i would love to know, i will be between killarney and kilgarvan. thank you !

SeaFields

[QUOTE=gentian;89605690 I like walking as well so if i could combine the both all the better !:)[/QUOTE]

The Geopark is based in sneem as far as i know, which wouldnt be too far from kilgarven and does lots of walking activities.

Graces7

SeaFields wrote: »

The Geopark is based in sneem as far as i know, which wouldnt be too far from kilgarven and does lots of walking activities.

That is more of a social group than nature focussed. Does walking marathons and walking festivals. Ends in the pub...

Not a walker myself but a watcher and learner in quiet places.

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

you sound like you live in a great spot for wildlife as a matter of interest what do you see close by /in your garden ?:)I am moving around may to kerry after being abroad a long time, i don't know anyone but always loved kerry...and it's wildlife. will check out the yahoo groups to see if there is any and if you ever start up a group count me in ! also any pointers of where to visit etc. i would love to know, i will be between killarney and kilgarvan. thank you !

All manner of birds and as I drive early, deer, wild goats in the National Park

Around the house, birds of all kinds,, wagtails just now and two robins.. crwos, magpies, blackbirds and soon swallows will swoop in,, last year a pair of siskins.

There is a pet farm near Kilgarvan... way out in the wilds... I was met by a huge horned ram.

Here for you of course.And will think seriously re a group; thank you for the idea...

gentian

SeaFields wrote: »

The Geopark is based in sneem as far as i know, which wouldnt be too far from kilgarven and does lots of walking activities.

i will look it up, it hasn't come up so far in my google searches...walking marathons is not up my street

gentian

Graces7 wrote: »

All manner of birds and as I drive early, deer, wild goats in the National Park

Around the house, birds of all kinds,, wagtails just now and two robins.. crwos, magpies, blackbirds and soon swallows will swoop in,, last year a pair of siskins.

There is a pet farm near Kilgarvan... way out in the wilds... I was met by a huge horned ram.

Here for you of course.And will think seriously re a group; thank you for the idea...

i have so much to look forward to then ....when does the swallows arrive ? do you get woodpeckers in kerry ? has the cuckoo arrived yet ?
sounds like you have a lovely drive everytime you go out !
yes a group sounds a wonderful idea, i am sure there are people like me out there with lots of questions and in time would like to share.

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

i will look it up, it hasn't come up so far in my google searches...walking marathons is not up my street

google "geopark sneem" then "images" when that search comes up. The group are keen walkers, They usually advertise on the Sneem Community Notice Board which you can get online...

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

i have so much to look forward to then ....when does the swallows arrive ? do you get woodpeckers in kerry ? has the cuckoo arrived yet ?
sounds like you have a lovely drive everytime you go out !
yes a group sounds a wonderful idea, i am sure there are people like me out there with lots of questions and in time would like to share.

I saw one swallow already

I am pretty sure there are no woodpeckers in Ireland?
Someone here will know best

I heard cuckoos last year up here; am in the mountains.

Let me think re the group. Getting ready to start market trading again when the weather lets up.

cuddlycavies

Graces7 wrote: »

I saw one swallow already

I am pretty sure there are no woodpeckers in Ireland?
Someone here will know best

I heard cuckoos last year up here; am in the mountains.

Let me think re the group. Getting ready to start market trading again when the weather lets up.

Woodpeckers are well established in Wicklow and surrounding counties

cuddlycavies

Follow Vincent Hyland on facebook. he organises all kinds of wildlife events

https://www.facebook.com/Derrynane?fref=ts

Graces7

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Follow Vincent Hyland on facebook. he organises all kinds of wildlife events

https://www.facebook.com/Derrynane?fref=ts

I met him but am not into events like that myself.

Might fit what the OP is seeking although a long haul from the other side of Kilgarvan

gentian

excellent new link .....anything around kenmare itself though, or killarney ?:)

gentian

Graces7 wrote: »

I met him but am not into events like that myself.

Might fit what the OP is seeking although a long haul from the other side of Kilgarvan

yes it is a bit far..

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

yes it is a bit far..

Worry not... There is the National Park , Killarney nearby.

Depends if you seek organised activity. I am semi housebound and live a very quiet and secluded life so groups etc are not for me.

When I go to Killarney it is in the early morning when the wild goats etc are around

And up here it is very quiet.

Around Killarney there are so many designated quiet walks well signed. You can just park and walk in the silence. Watching and listening. I park with the windows open.

You might enjoy the Traditional Farms at Muckross, a great favourite of mine. The place is so peaceful that there are many birds and the pet farm is great fun.

Plenty to see

Not Kenmare greatly. Killarney is almost as near if you drive to the main Cork road from where you will be.

From there in reach of the Dingle etc and the mountains.

gentian

absolutely love the national park...i am not great into groups either but it can be very educational going out with a group leader who know their stuff... i too am not in the best of health so can't run up mountains anymore but being new to the place, i thought it might be a good way to meet like minded people as well aslearn.
looking forward to seeing the wild goats, i was visiting last year and saw the stag rut one early morning near muckross, spellbinding.

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

absolutely love the national park...i am not great into groups either but it can be very educational going out with a group leader who know their stuff... i too am not in the best of health so can't run up mountains anymore but being new to the place, i thought it might be a good way to meet like minded people as well aslearn.
looking forward to seeing the wild goats, i was visiting last year and saw the stag rut one early morning near muckross, spellbinding.

Most of the walkers I see are clearly seeking privacy..they chat little and are intent on their walking which is fine.

Probably learn more by watching and on the internet.

And yes the early hours are best.. off out to Killarney imminently and when the days lengthen will start at first light. Often see hares also and pheasants.

Shores in the early hours are alive with birds.

Always had an ambition to see puffins but that is far too arduous now I think.

At one house I lived in I had a pine marten visiting. She had used the house while it was empty and I fed here and her young.

She arrived at my fruit bowl one night having come down the chimney! Scared my cats witless.

gentian

pine marten, now they are a treat to see....timid ? so in your opinion where is the best place to watvh wildlife ?

Graces7

Where you are simply. I was in Dunnes car park last week chatting to someone and noticed a crow flying in. He was building a nest in a tall tree above us, Fascinating to watch.

I trade at a small street market and lastery week and I watched his full plumage grow in until he was a fine fellow indeed. Hoping to be there net week and will watch for him.

All takes time for you in a new place but the National Park is grand.
Also wood and forest walks on the Cork road to Kilgarvan route.

gentian

good point ! you never know what you may see when you step out the door ...what do you sell on the markets ?

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

good point ! you never know what you may see when you step out the door ...what do you sell on the markets ?

Hand made work; own design hand knitting, rosaries, gourmet preserves etc etc etc,, plants. All goes to support the work of my family with the homeless and we prefer to sell good work than to ask for money in these days of hardship. I am too old and unwell to do that work with the street folk but I can do this, knitting etc.

Back to you; there are probably groups in Killarney and maybe the Citizens Info and or the Tourist Board will have more info. on locval groups. Cannot imagine there will be much in Kilgarvan etc but Killarney is almost as near.

I see less wildlife here now at the house since I took the dogs on. No deer at the house thankfully as I am a gardener, and I think the hares keep their distance as my cats are keen hunters, but the birds are a delight. I know there are many species flying high whose names I know not.

gentian

you do work for a good cause graces7.

i see there is a gardening group in kenmare, will have to check them out .....will chase up the other places when i get there, just trying to find out what i can online before i get there as afterwards i won't be having internet for awile. thanks for your help.

Graces7

planning and research are great and a pleasure.. been offline as broke my wrist saturday and been in hospital.... maddening...

do keep in touch and not long till may now!

and the library in kenmare has free internet access for members. carmel is great

gentian

sorry to hear about your wrist, sounds very painful ?, hope it mends soon...

good pointer on the library in kenmare !

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

sorry to hear about your wrist, .

sounds very painful ?, hope it mends soon...

good pointer on the library in kenmare !

wrist maddening but not painful; the migraine that came from preop fasting was far worse.
have k wires in for another three weeks..

planning to be out trading in sneem tomorrow...weather not too bad

carmel atthe library is a lovely person. i use the mobile library now but when i first moved to kerry was without digiweb for weeks and she looked after me

gentian

oh good, so do you join and go in and use the libaray computer or do they have free wifi where you can take in your own laptop?
migraines are a stink

Graces7

gentian wrote: »

oh good, so do you join and go in and use the libaray computer or do they have free wifi where you can take in your own laptop?
migraines are a stink

yes they have computors.

there are abundant freewifi places in the area. if you go to the kerry baord here on boards ie, we have a thread listing them.

in my digiweb fast, i took my laptop everywhere and found so many

my favourite is the outlet centre in killarney. when my satellite dish got damaged in the st stephens night gale i spent a happy while there.

i get all phone calls through the modem via blueface with excellent overseas rates, so if digiweb goes down,,,mobile reception is patchy hereabouts

agree re migraines;fasting before surgery will do it every time of course.

had a good day in sneem trading ; so many visitors already

i know the lady in the geopark office there so will call in next week

OpenYourEyes

Can you guys take the chat about library internet access etc to a private mail coversation perhaps?