Nature on your farm.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120267416#Comment_120267416

The little bit I know about bees is that it's a bumble bee and not a honey bee. More experience people might be able to identify it from that photo but most would also need to see the tail end.

Below is a link to Biodiversity Ireland's link to their bumble bee monitoring scheme.

https://biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/bumblebee-monitoring-scheme/

Birdnuts

Everything is weeks ahead of scheduled - which is why I hope we don't get a beast from the East next month!!😯

blue5000

I saw a bat at dusk in in the yard last night so have to agree things are a bit early so far this year.

Does anyone know do buzzards affect crows or rooks? Normally we would have a good few crows roosting in mature trees near the yard but they are not there this year.

Lime Tree Farm

I looked around for flowers, there was no access to sugar. All that was in flower were daisy's or the snowdrops. I had seen dandelions earlier but couldn't remember where. It was probably too long in the water anyway.

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Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120269068#Comment_120269068

The recommendation to revive a bee is to mix 2 parts granulated sugar with one part clean water and leave it close to the bee on a tea spoon so it can drink.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120269064#Comment_120269064

Apparently buzzards do predate on crows but I imagine only young ones. I wonder did bird flu affect your crows. We lost one of the resident mute swans on the lake a few weeks ago. I saw it in a neighbours field one day and it was gone the next. I didn't see any evidence of it until I was out fencing the other day and there was feathers scattered over a big area of one of our fields. I presume a fox got it.

893bet

I am considering setting up a bee hive somewhere. Something small to dip my toes. Going to attend a local county meeting next month.

I don’t really have time but….I do like honey…..and it’s doing something positive for the environment.

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120269064#Comment_120269064

They do predate "Brancher" rooks alright who are just out of the nest, so they do influence the locations of rookeries in that respect

893bet

A herd in my broken bucket. Tiny little fellas

whisky_galore

Early the other morning I was firing a few things into the car. Heard one of the cats growl at something behind me and she ran past me like a flash. Turned around to see whatever it was that frightened her and up rocks this fox. It stopped just a few yards away from me, it looked at me and I looked at it for a few secs and instead of panicked running away, it just turns and lopes off like what you'd expect from an urban fox. Wonder if they predate on cats?

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120353335#Comment_120353335

They will kill kittens and old/frail cats that cannot defend themselves. In fairness most healthy fit cats are pretty ferocious at defending themselves. It would take a very desperate fox to try and take one on.

RockOrBog

I saw a stoat this afternoon jumping the ditch, lovely red colour, quick lil fellow.

Base price

The NPWS are to start the reintroduction of Osprey back into Ireland. Hopefully the reintroduction goes well and we regularly get to see these beautiful birds. I saw one about 10 years ago flying along the route of a river in NCD. It was been mobbed by a red kite and rooks.

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/npws-to-reintroduce-osprey-to-to-ireland-this-summer-minister/

Base price

I see the house martins at the gable end of the house have returned this morning but no sign of any swallows yet. Last year the swallows were here about a week before the house martins.

Lime Tree Farm

While driving I saw what was i thought was a swallow fly past - I will check dash cam later

Lime Tree Farm

Same location, now there are two swallows. They were chased off by the arrival of starlings.

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Deub

I saw swallows in Cork last Sunday. Happy to see them back.

Lime Tree Farm

I saw two house Martins doing aerobatics around my neighbours house yesterday. They nest every year in the same spot, under the bargeboard on the gable

Birdnuts

Swallows just arrived back on my place in North Mayo this week, which is about average for this location. Sister in Kildare had them for the past 2 weeks. Seems to be generally more about then this time last year when I think problems on migration with cold weather over Spain hit numbers quiet hard in areas further North

Base price

Thankfully the first pair of swallows arrived this afternoon into the garage at the house. I've left the small door open for the last couple of weeks in anticipation of their return and when I went to feed the dogs just now the two are happily perched on the rafters. Hopefully the other two pairs arrive soon.

On the downside, the house martins have disappeared and there has been no activity around the nest under the gable since.

Base price

The pair of house martins were back this afternoon under the gable doing repairs on last years nest.

Base price

I counted 11 jackdaws on the bull as he was lying down picking beakfuls of his hair to line their nests.

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557942#Comment_120557942

Yep - there busy lads atm, along with the likes of starlings who appear to be hoovering up a bumper crop of leatherjackets atm, based on what i see being transported by adults birds around the place

peek a boo

Pheasant has taken up residence in the garden

RockOrBog

About 2 weeks ago I found a robins nest with 4 blue eggs, in one of the small sheds I don't use this time of year. I keep all the doors closed to keep the he cats out.. There are 2 robins drawing in worms flat out

blue5000

Have a starling's nest in the vent of a tractor cab, they're messy little fookers.

Lime Tree Farm

These ones won't make it. Had walked passed the spot 10 mins earlier, noticed them on my return. Hard to figure out, were they dropped from on high, who could carry both? Just on the roadway, no building or trees nearby. They were cold and leaking, I moved them to the side, some creature may as well have a feed.

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RockOrBog

A lot of hares around this year on my hilly ground, way more than normal. Lots of foxes shot last year by the contract killer.

minerleague

Let bullocks into field of grass and saw them all surrounding 1 spot after a few moments, unfortunately two baby hares, they must have walked on one and killed it ( managed to fence off area with white cord electric fence, other one never moved an inch throughout it all ). Years ago wetter fields were hay meadows and not grazed in spring time - probably not cut till late june or later - giving hares and ground nesting birds somewhere to have young. Now the experts want you to finish cattle younger ( see ABP are to bring in " sustainability " payment ) based on it being lower carbon footprint, but that requires better silage ( drainage/ grazed early/ cutting May) and no store period. Have a couple of fields that I already farm more traditionally, think I will pick a few more wetter fields and leave alone till later in year.

kevthegaff

Hilly land here, have spotted minks, pine martens, red squirrels, buzzers, badgers, foxes, deer, haven't seen owls but their on neighbouring farms. Haven't seen as many hares, perhaps buzzers took care of them!