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Nature on your farm.

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    #182
    Biscuitus
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭Biscuitus


    In the last week:
    2 foxes
    Countless pheasants, mostly male
    One buzzard
    A few rabbits
    Lots of squirrels
    Hundreds of birds, many I don't know the name of

    No rats, mice or pygmy shrews this Winter but I think that's down to the invasion of cats recently

    Even the streams are full of small fish.


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    #183
    CHOPS01
    Registered Users Posts: 758 ✭✭✭CHOPS01


    Biscuitus wrote: »
    In the last week:
    2 foxes
    Countless pheasants, mostly male
    One buzzard
    A few rabbits
    Lots of squirrels
    Hundreds of birds, many I don't know the name of

    No rats, mice or pygmy shrews this Winter but I think that's down to the invasion of cats recently

    Even the streams are full of small fish.

    2 kids just spent last 5 mins observing/playing with a shrew


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    #184
    CHOPS01
    Registered Users Posts: 758 ✭✭✭CHOPS01


    The Rabbi wrote: »
    If they are bigger than the crows and the crows are chasing them.They are
    probably buzzards.

    How common are buzzards ?
    My next mission is the spot the Owl that was around last year.


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    #185
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,636 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    CHOPS01 wrote: »
    How common are buzzards ?
    My next mission is the spot the Owl that was around last year.

    Probably one of your commonest BOP's now along with Sparrowhawks - if u want to encourage owls maybe look into suiteable nest boxes for large old trees or outbuildings. They also benefit from traditional hay meadows and WBC for hunting in. Also go with traps for rodent control given the risk of secondary poisoning with rodenticides. A pair orf owls will quickly take care of any vermin issues in any case


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    #186
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,636 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Biscuitus wrote: »
    In the last week:
    2 foxes
    Countless pheasants, mostly male
    One buzzard
    A few rabbits
    Lots of squirrels
    Hundreds of birds, many I don't know the name of

    No rats, mice or pygmy shrews this Winter but I think that's down to the invasion of cats recently

    Even the streams are full of small fish.

    Unfortunatly they are in stready decline as the invasive White-toothed shrew spreads after its accidental introduction into the South Midlands about 20 years ago.


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    #187
    Stationmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    Probably one of your commonest BOP's now along with Sparrowhawks - if u want to encourage owls maybe look into suiteable nest boxes for large old trees or outbuildings. They also benefit from traditional hay meadows and WBC for hunting in. Also go with traps for rodent control given the risk of secondary poisoning with rodenticides. A pair orf owls will quickly take care of any vermin issues in any case

    I thought you had to have some mice around the place or else the owls mightn't come/stay? (Not that that is any reason to actively get vermin around!).

    I'd love to attract owls to the farm. Have an outbuilding that would be perfect for a nest box I reckon.


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    #188
    theaceofspies
    Registered Users Posts: 577 ✭✭✭theaceofspies


    Amazing how wildlife works.


    At back of house today were two hen pheasants flirting/fighting over a cock pheasant who was standing still and watching it all happen about 3 feet away from them.



    This went on for 1 hour.


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    #189
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,636 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Stationmaster wrote: »
    I thought you had to have some mice around the place or else the owls mightn't come/stay? (Not that that is any reason to actively get vermin around!).

    I'd love to attract owls to the farm. Have an outbuilding that would be perfect for a nest box I reckon.

    Having good habitat within a mile or 2 would be key ie, rough pasture, spring tillage etc,


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    #190
    jeffrey
    Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭jeffrey


    Several swallows flying about today, this seems alot earlier than other years.
    Anyone else notice them.


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    #191
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,274 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    jeffrey wrote: »
    Several swallows flying about today, this seems alot earlier than other years.
    Anyone else notice them.

    I thought I saw one, only one but it was so early I haven't mentioned it.

    Next few days are warm, I'll know more then.


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    #192
    JoeCasey
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭JoeCasey


    I heard a Corncrake at 10 pm a few nights go.
    Quite an unusual sound.
    Never heard one before, dad confirmed it.


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    #193
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    JoeCasey wrote: »
    I heard a Corncrake at 10 pm a few nights go.
    Quite an unusual sound.
    Never heard one before, dad confirmed it.

    Excellent! Where in the country are you Joe?

    Our housemartins are back today :D


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    #194
    JoeCasey
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭JoeCasey


    North Kerry on the cork border.
    We are also in a hen harrier area, i hope there is no conflict between the two.


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    #195
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,069 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    jeffrey wrote: »
    Several swallows flying about today, this seems alot earlier than other years.
    Anyone else notice them.

    Yea I saw one today. (Wexford).

    Thought I heard one yesterday. So it seems that was confirmed by today.


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    #196
    kollegeknight
    Registered Users Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭kollegeknight


    We have a cock pheasant in our back yard and last night a very large hair came to the front of the house, sniffed around where the small lady’s bedroom is- she’s convinced it’s the Easter bunny scoping out entry points.


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    #197
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,069 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    theaceofspies wrote: »
    Amazing how wildlife works.


    At back of house today were two hen pheasants flirting/fighting over a cock pheasant who was standing still and watching it all happen about 3 feet away from them.



    This went on for 1 hour.


    https://youtu.be/5ssFr62l7U4


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    #198
    Water John
    Registered Users Posts: 21,130 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    kollegeknight wrote: »
    We have a cock pheasant in our back yard and last night a very large hair came to the front of the house, sniffed around where the small lady’s bedroom is- she’s convinced it’s the Easter bunny scoping out entry points.

    The good news is Simon Harris has said the Easter Bunny is an essential worker.
    https://www.thejournal.ie/easter-bunny-simon-harris-5068604-Apr2020/


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    #199
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,069 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    Water John wrote: »
    The good news is Simon Harris has said the Easter Bunny is an essential worker.
    https://www.thejournal.ie/easter-bunny-simon-harris-5068604-Apr2020/

    Remember the times when Easter was about our Lord carrying a cross up a hill while being flogged by Roman soldiers.
    And being crucified between two thieves and having a Roman soldier pierce his side with a spear.

    Those were good times in primary school.


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    #200
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,069 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    There's resident starlings and jackdaws in the farmyard.
    Few pigeons and a sparrowhawk that comes in for his/her feed on the pigeons.


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    #201
    jphoulihan
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭jphoulihan


    It's sad to see the hawks targeting peaceful and harmless pigeons. They are so sneaky and cowardly! They should take on grey crows and magpies!


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    #202
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,069 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    jphoulihan wrote: »
    It's sad to see the hawks targeting peaceful and harmless pigeons. They are so sneaky and cowardly! They should take on grey crows and magpies!

    I'm not sure nature works like that.


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    #203
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,152 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    Say my name wrote: »
    Remember the times when Easter was about our Lord carrying a cross up a hill while being flogged by Roman soldiers.
    And being crucified between two thieves and having a Roman soldier pierce his side with a spear.

    Those were good times in primary school.
    Brian 🙄


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    #204
    SmartinMartin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,937 ✭✭✭SmartinMartin


    jphoulihan wrote: »
    It's sad to see the hawks targeting peaceful and harmless pigeons. They are so sneaky and cowardly! They should take on grey crows and magpies!

    Sad, peaceful, harmless, sneaky, cowardly? Some first post, attributing human traits to birds. Get a grip man, pigeons are their natural prey. Do you think they have meetings to decide which species they'll pick on this week?


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    #205
    Markcheese
    Registered Users Posts: 8,428 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    jphoulihan wrote: »
    It's sad to see the hawks targeting peaceful and harmless pigeons. They are so sneaky and cowardly! They should take on grey crows and magpies!

    It'd be a bit different if it was people targeting Hawks , those people would be sad gitts,sneaky and cowardly ...
    How many types of Hawks actually go for pigeons anyway ? A sparrow hawk is probably a bit small , a buzzard goes for ground animals ,
    Falcons yup ...

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



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    #206
    Biscuitus
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭Biscuitus


    Pheasant in the front field beating up all the other contenders. Its quite entertaining and somewhat comical at times to see him run a lad across the field.


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    #207
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    Cock pheasants EVERYWHERE! Seen one with two hens on the outfarm, prancing about the WBC though so he's happy. Also seen a vixen & two cubs in the next field so hope Mr Pheasant isn't complacent :pac:

    One cuckoo belting away on the outfarm, one beside the lake & one across the moor fields as we call them. There's usually one in the forestry on the Drumlish road too but haven't heard that one yet.
    Couple of stonechats around an old quarry which is surrounded by whins. They're never around our farm so it's nice to see them elsewhere.

    Almost walked on two snipe yesterday too, in two different corners of this field. Not sure if they nest there but they always appear there in spring & frighten the bejaysus out of me numerous times.

    1eWMlYah.jpg


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    #208
    PoorFarmer
    Registered Users Posts: 525 ✭✭✭PoorFarmer


    Spotted a hen harrier this evening. Flew down the middle of one of my fields and landed in the neighbours. Not a HH designated area but he has plenty of cover in his fields.
    All the birds on the power lines with absolutely crazy when they spotted it and scattered.


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    #209
    tabby aspreme
    Registered Users Posts: 3,851 ✭✭✭tabby aspreme


    A couple of last year's fox cubs running around here during the day, doing stuff that the older ones wouldn't dream of, haven't seen any of this year's cubs yet.
    The badgers have been spring cleaning recently, and the place is alive with rabbits, haven't seen so many in years


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    #210
    Buford T. Justice XIX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,633 ✭✭✭✭Buford T. Justice XIX


    This might interest some of you.
    https://twitter.com/agriculture_ie/status/1252272194727657476?s=19


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    #211
    Mooooo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,611 ✭✭✭Mooooo


    Spotted this in a drain a few weeks back


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