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Nature on your farm.

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    #662
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Mushrooms and two old milk bottles i found in the ditch that probably my oul fella fcked out about 30 years ago. :D

    The big one mushroom coming out of the beech tree must be the size of a bin lid.


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    #663
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Pheasants, trees that have seen better days and crab apples. Ate one of the crab apples and didn't notice until I looked at the brown streak running through it that I probably ate a maggot as well.


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    #664
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    NcdJd wrote: »
    Pheasants, trees that have seen better days and crab apples. Ate one of the crab apples and didn't notice until I looked at the brown streak running through it that I probably ate a maggot as well.

    Those apples look a little too large and yellow for true crabs. That might be an old apple tree that is self-regenerating and could be a sign that there was once a house or cabin near there many years ago where the owner planted the parent of that apple tree.


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    #665
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    forgottenhills wrote: »
    Those apples look a little too large and yellow for true crabs. That might be an old apple tree that is self-regenerating and could be a sign that there was once a house or cabin near there many years ago where the owner planted the parent of that apple tree.

    There's loads of them trees all along the hedge. Each one a different looking apple. Them are about the size of a golf ball. Most are smaller but there's another one that's streaky red so ya could be right.


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    #666
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,180 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    The lapwing's are back for Winter. I saw a flock of about 25 this morning in one of the fields.


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    #667
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,556 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    Saw 3 pheasants in my field this week. Also found these strange creatures :) not a farmer!


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    #668
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    Dead hedgehog in the hayshed stuck in the netting on a bale :(
    Not the lad I was feeding, this guy was smaller.

    Oh and a gang of whoopers flew over last week.


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    #669
    feartuath
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭feartuath


    Deer have taken up residence in the wild bird cover by night, but yet to hear a stag call.

    Last of the Swallows flew around the 1st week of the month.


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    #670
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    feartuath wrote: »
    Deer have taken up residence in the wild bird cover by night, but yet to hear a stag call.

    Last of the Swallows flew around the 1st week of the month.

    Was very surprised to see 3 swallows still around the weekend gone. Thought they'd be well gone. Wonder are they a late brood and the parents had to stick around for the young ones to be ready.


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    #671
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,658 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    NcdJd wrote: »
    Was very surprised to see 3 swallows still around the weekend gone. Thought they'd be well gone. Wonder are they a late brood and the parents had to stick around for the young ones to be ready.

    In recent years a small population of swallows appear to be wintering in this country - Galway bay seems to be a hotspot for whatever reason


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    #672
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    In recent years a small population of swallows appear to be wintering in this country - Galway bay seems to be a hotspot for whatever reason

    Never heard of that birdnuts. Must see if they are still there over the weekend.


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    #673
    amadangomor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭amadangomor


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    In recent years a small population of swallows appear to be wintering in this country - Galway bay seems to be a hotspot for whatever reason

    Heard that they started staying in SW Kerry and in Cornwall when we had a run of very mild winters up until 2010.


    Galway bay/West and South coast probaly would be more likely to be frost free and have midges etc all year.


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    #674
    feartuath
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭feartuath


    amadangomor wrote: »
    Heard that they started staying in SW Kerry and in Cornwall when we had a run of very mild winters up until 2010.


    Galway bay/West and South coast probaly would be more likely to be frost free and have midges etc all year.

    You would be eaten alive by midges in the bogs of Connemara.


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    #675
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    In recent years a small population of swallows appear to be wintering in this country - Galway bay seems to be a hotspot for whatever reason

    Swallows feed on a lot of dung beetles.

    A big reason dung beetles find it tough in this country is that cattle are housed during the winter depriving the beetles of a food source during those lean months.
    If there's cattle or horses or sheep outwintered near Galway bay it would provide lots to the beetles and keep them going year on year.
    The swallows would have them too for the winter.

    Edit: I'm not talking the big earth dwelling dor beetles but the small overground fly type ones.
    The Dors build up a larder source underground for the winter and for the young.


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    #676
    endainoz
    Registered Users Posts: 4,803 ✭✭✭endainoz


    It's an ambition of mine to attract a barn owl into a high part of the bedded area of the slatted house. It will involve making a nesting box out of a sheet of ply but hopefully it will work.

    Have a wooded area at the back of the land and have heard the distinct screech of the barn owl a couple of times already.

    Id be delighted if I could coax one of them the come down to the shed to keep an eye on vermin around the yard but I understand they are probably quite happy where they are already.

    Any suggestions would be appreciated!


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    #677
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,631 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Rough white grass area is where owls like to hunt, high hedges help as well I think. I'm no expert though.
    I saw a buzzard sitting on a round bale at sunset last night but too far away for a decent photo. I wonder what phones will be like in another 10 years, hard to believe the first iphones arrived 10 years ago.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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    #678
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    We had a barnowls here a couple of times. They like going around the grass margins of hedges and ditches. Beautiful graceful birds. None since the fields beside me were ploughed. Neighbour had cattle but once the cattle went the barnowls also disappeared.

    I'm halfway though putting up a big shed and was going to do something similar with a barnowl nest box.


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    #679
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    Say my name wrote: »
    Swallows feed on a lot of dung beetles.

    A big reason dung beetles find it tough in this country is that cattle are housed during the winter depriving the beetles of a food source during those lean months.
    If there's cattle or horses or sheep outwintered near Galway bay it would provide lots to the beetles and keep them going year on year.
    The swallows would have them too for the winter.

    Edit: I'm not talking the big earth dwelling dor beetles but the small overground fly type ones.
    The Dors build up a larder source underground for the winter and for the young.

    Bruce Thompson showing the beetles here.

    https://twitter.com/Friesian_man/status/1316461196766257152?s=20


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    #680
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Say my name wrote: »
    Bruce Thompson showing the beetles here.

    https://twitter.com/Friesian_man/status/1316461196766257152?s=20

    H ise doing a lot of work on dung beetles. He regulary does faecal egg counts on dung samples so he knowes whether to give an anthelmintic dose or not, rather than a blanket dosing regime. Anthelmintic use is one of the biggest drivers in dung beetles decline.


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    #681
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    H ise doing a lot of work on dung beetles. He regulary does faecal egg counts on dung samples so he knowes whether to give an anthelmintic dose or not, rather than a blanket dosing regime. Anthelmintic use is one of the biggest drivers in dung beetles decline.

    Housing has a lot of an impact too.
    Sally Ann made that point as well.

    The dosing has a big near total impact but lots if they really wanted to have high total impact could do worse than have one or two Shetlands or donkeys out wintering on the farm.

    Faecal egg counts are nice for all involved but it's really just noticeable by eye whether a dose is needed or not. It is easier for dairy farmers just rearing replacements though than the beef growers.


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    #682
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Say my name wrote: »
    Housing has a lot of an impact too.
    Sally Ann made that point as well.

    The dosing has a big near total impact but lots if they really wanted to have high total impact could do worse than have one or two Shetlands or donkeys out wintering on the farm.

    Faecal egg counts are nice for all involved but it's really just noticeable by eye whether a dose is needed or not. It is easier for dairy farmers just rearing replacements though than the beef growers.

    Lack of outwintered cattle has led to decrease in chough breeding numbers. Chough feed on dung beetles....


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    #683
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    Lack of outwintered cattle has led to decrease in chough breeding numbers. Chough feed on dung beetles....

    Do dung beetles also feast on sheep dung? Pretty much all sheep still outwinter I would imagine so if that's the case there should be enough around to support dung beetles.

    From https://www.rspb.org.uk/

    "Choughs feed in pairs or flocks. A specialist feeder on invertebrates, they will take beetles and their larvae, fly larvae (especially leatherjackets), ants, their grubs and pupae, spiders, sand hoppers, and sometimes earthworms. In the winter, cereal grains may be taken, especially just before birds go to roost."

    So a reasonably varied diet and all may not be lost.


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    #684
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users Posts: 2,142 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    H ise doing a lot of work on dung beetles. He regulary does faecal egg counts on dung samples so he knowes whether to give an anthelmintic dose or not, rather than a blanket dosing regime. Anthelmintic use is one of the biggest drivers in dung beetles decline.

    How long Capercaillie after you dose will it continue to kill dung beetles?

    Like, is it the first 24-48hrs as they pass the worms out? Or is it the effective length of the dose (so a few weeks potentially?)


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    #685
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    amadangomor wrote: »
    Heard that they started staying in SW Kerry and in Cornwall when we had a run of very mild winters up until 2010.


    Galway bay/West and South coast probaly would be more likely to be frost free and have midges etc all year.

    A major issue with smaller migratory birds coming overland - is that many are netted and caught across regions of North Africa. They never make it here.

    This type of unrestricted netting and deliberate killing of birds needs to be stopped imo.


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    #686
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    gozunda wrote: »
    A major issue with smaller migratory birds coming overland - is that many are netted and caught across regions of North Africa. They never make it here.

    This type of unrestricted netting and deliberate killing of birds needs to be stopped imo.

    And glue traps. I remember reading that a couple of years ago and feeling so angry, disgusted & sad.
    Morning birdsong here has declined rapidly, most mornings now I hear one very cheerful robin & a hape of crows squabbling over the apples left on the tree.
    And the whoopers on the lake add a nice backdrop of squalking.


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    #687
    Kickstart1.3
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 186 ✭✭Kickstart1.3


    https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/biodiversity-irelands-top-10/10-species-risk-losing/

    Worth a look just in case you come across any


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    #688
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,658 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    endainoz wrote: »
    It's an ambition of mine to attract a barn owl into a high part of the bedded area of the slatted house. It will involve making a nesting box out of a sheet of ply but hopefully it will work.

    Have a wooded area at the back of the land and have heard the distinct screech of the barn owl a couple of times already.

    Id be delighted if I could coax one of them the come down to the shed to keep an eye on vermin around the yard but I understand they are probably quite happy where they are already.

    Any suggestions would be appreciated!

    Don't rule out a Long Eared Owl either in that kind of habitat. Actually the more commoner of the 2 breeding owl species in the country atm. Attracting Barn Owls is a tough task that even experts in the area do well to see a 10% occupancy of new boxes within 5 years. Your best bet is to maintain as much suitable habitat on your farm ie. rough meadows and grazing with good tall hedgerows, and of course avoid the use of rodenticides!!


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    #689
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Was looking at something like this some time ago for a corner of a field that i can't do anything with. They have down a cost of 10 k.. i can't figure out how this costs 10k to put up ? I've alot of blocks and sand left over..

    https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-nestbox/wildlife-tower


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    #690
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,658 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    NcdJd wrote: »
    Was looking at something like this some time ago for a corner of a field that i can't do anything with. They have down a cost of 10 k.. i can't figure out how this costs 10k to put up ? I've alot of blocks and sand left over..

    https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-nestbox/wildlife-tower

    Seems a bit steep alright - some good advice in that link all the same


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    #691
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    Seems a bit steep alright - some good advice in that link all the same

    They've been about a long time. Plenty of advice about constructing nest boxes and placement etc

    I might go ahead with something like that but like everything it's getting the time!


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