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Nature on your farm.

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    #1022
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,208 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    NcdJd wrote: »
    True Base, we've a good few around the area. I notice too that they to be digging alot of little holes near the edges of the fields. I thought they were rabbits but now I'm convinced it's the badgers rooting for food.

    My neighbour has livestock but never had any hassle touch wood.
    I've a sett at the home place and thankfully never had a issue with TB in cattle.


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    #1023
    PoorFarmer
    Registered Users Posts: 551 ✭✭✭PoorFarmer


    Base price wrote: »
    I've a sett at the home place and thankfully never had a issue with TB in cattle.

    I've 3 setts in 3 different parcels and have never had a problem. Closed herd though and all water troughs would be much too high for them


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    #1024
    Charolois 19
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭Charolois 19


    The grandfather always said that if you have badgers and no t.b to leave them be, that if you got rid of them new badgers might take over their set and bring it in with them, had 2 badgers sets at home for as long as we can remember and never thankfully went down on a test


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    #1025
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    Done, takes about a minute.

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



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    #1026
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Spot the lapwing, there was about 6 or 7 on freshly ploughed ground today but had to zoom in so photo is not great.


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    #1027
    ganmo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,748 ✭✭✭ganmo


    Saw a flock of starlings out 'grazing' in the lashing rain. They must of been hungry after yesterday's snow


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    #1028
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Must have been a 100 lapwings in this flock today. Also plenty of yellow hammers in the fields with stubble left in them.


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    #1029
    Genghis Cant
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,980 Mod ✭✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    NcdJd wrote: »
    Also plenty of yellow hammers in the fields with stubble left in them.

    A little bit of bread and no cheese :D


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    #1030
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,691 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    NcdJd wrote: »
    Must have been a 100 lapwings in this flock today. Also plenty of yellow hammers in the fields with stubble left in them.

    Spring Tillage stubbles are one of the best winter habitats for so many birds. The ones near my parents place in North Kildare always hold impressive numbers of wintering,skylarks,finches, buntings etc.


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    #1031
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    Pair of little egrets hanging around for most of the winter. They especially seem to like muddy areas of fields


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    #1032
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,691 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    gozunda wrote: »
    Pair of little egrets hanging around for most of the winter. They especially seem to like muddy areas of fields

    Yes - they are experts at winkling out worms,frogs, small fish etc. from shallow water in flooded fields, rockpools etc. Have noticed a significant increase in them wintering in the shallow bays around my place in North Mayo this winter. Hopefully breeding will follow soon in the coming years:)


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    #1033
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,208 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    Counted five hares in one of the fields beside the avenue this morning. I noticed that one of them was noticeably brighter around it's tail and along the inside of its hind legs than the others.


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    #1034
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,997 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    We had five buzzards in a field here Friday evening. Apparently they would be after worms at this time of the year?.

    50966727273_03093942b0.jpg20210219_173124 by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr


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    #1035
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    Not seen 'my' buzzards in a while, hope they're ok. Normally nest down on a flat bit under the hill.
    Seen a stoat the other night! Caught eyes on the headtorch but knew it wasn't a fox or cat so walked slowly towards them & this yoke was chittering away at me. A scamp of a thing, no fear whatsoever :D


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    #1036
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    Lady Haywire wrote: »
    Not seen 'my' buzzards in a while, hope they're ok. Normally nest down on a flat bit under the hill.
    Seen a stoat the other night! Caught eyes on the headtorch but knew it wasn't a fox or cat so walked slowly towards them & this yoke was chittering away at me. A scamp of a thing, no fear whatsoever :D

    Are you sure it wasn't a mink if it was so unafraid?


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    #1037
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    forgottenhills wrote: »
    Are you sure it wasn't a mink if it was so unafraid?

    Very sure. Think it had something killed & was guarding it.


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    #1038
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,320 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    20210225-145625.jpg

    20210225-145652.jpg

    20210225-145705.jpg

    20210225-145720.jpg

    20210225-145749.jpg

    20210225-145855.jpg

    Poor fella must have been shot or poisoned.
    Found him today in the yard.
    Very freshly dead.


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    #1039
    Lime Tree Farm
    Registered Users Posts: 2,712 ✭✭✭Lime Tree Farm


    Sparrow Hawk?


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    #1040
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,320 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    Lime Tree Farm wrote: »
    Sparrow Hawk?

    Looks to me like one.

    Is there a taxidermy forum on here?
    Cos if there is.. anyone can have it.

    Only condition is I won't be putting it in my freezer..


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    #1041
    grassroot1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,524 ✭✭✭grassroot1


    Say my name wrote: »
    20210225-145625.jpg

    20210225-145652.jpg

    20210225-145705.jpg

    20210225-145720.jpg

    20210225-145749.jpg

    20210225-145855.jpg

    Poor fella must have been shot or poisoned.
    Found him today in the yard.
    Very freshly dead.

    That's a mighty conclusion to come too. Do you think you might be handling a bird flu victim?


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    #1042
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,320 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    grassroot1 wrote: »
    That's a mighty conclusion to come too. Do you think you might be handling a bird flu victim?

    Could be too.
    Won't be having it for dinner anyway.

    Hands washed.

    It's there if you want it yourself or know anyone interested.


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    #1043
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    grassroot1 wrote: »
    That's a mighty conclusion to come too. Do you think you might be handling a bird flu victim?

    I have came across a number of sick crows at various times over the years. Afaik bird flu is fairly endemic in the migratory wild bird population on a seasonal basis. I presume its not impossible that the migratory birds pass it on to our domestic birds.

    The other possibility is that it hit a telegraph or electrical wire and was killed by the impact.


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    #1044
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,691 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Say my name wrote: »
    Poor fella must have been shot or poisoned.
    Found him today in the yard.
    Very freshly dead.

    I hope not as they are protected - they do have a habit of colliding with the likes of windows, overhead wires etc. when in pursuit of prey which might be a more likely cause of his demise.


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    #1045
    feartuath
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭feartuath


    I had one dead at the side of my house 2 years ago.

    Me being a responsible farmer and hunter reported it to the local NWPS warden.
    They agreed to take it from me.

    I had to dispose of it just before Christmas as it was never collected.


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    #1046
    IrishHomer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭IrishHomer


    Yes the Sparrowhawk gets killed a lot crashing into glass windows with the mirroe effect on sunny days unfortunately.

    Your not supposed to handle any dead wild birds due to avian influenza.

    Department of Agriculture are supposed to be contacted and their vets come and retrieve for tests.

    There is a hotline number to

    076 106 4403

    1850 200 456


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    #1047
    Lime Tree Farm
    Registered Users Posts: 2,712 ✭✭✭Lime Tree Farm


    Busy finches decimating this year's potential crop of plums.

    Chaffinches ? One was more colourful than the other.

    Gold finch.jpg

    victoria plum tree.jpg


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    #1048
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    Lime Tree Farm wrote: »
    Busy finches decimating this year's potential crop of plums.

    Chaffinches ? One was more colourful than the other.

    Gold finch.jpg

    victoria plum tree.jpg

    Male & female bullfinch. Gorgeous birds but rarely see them around here, they live in a scrubby bit under the hill so I see them when driving or walking.


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    #1049
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,320 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    Lime Tree Farm wrote: »
    Busy finches decimating this year's potential crop of plums.

    Chaffinches ? One was more colourful than the other.

    Gold finch.jpg

    victoria plum tree.jpg

    Bullfinch, cock with the red, hen with the brown.

    I have a pair here who feast on ordinary geranium buds or flowers in the garden. They're a picky couple who need a garden chair turned on it's side beside the plant to access this plant..


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    #1050
    Rosahane
    Registered Users Posts: 1,407 ✭✭✭Rosahane


    Say my name wrote: »
    Bullfinch, cock with the red, hen with the brown.

    I have a pair here who feast on ordinary geranium buds or flowers in the garden. They're a picky couple who need a garden chair turned on it's side beside the plant to access this plant..

    I have a 20 ft high flowering plum in the garden. It flowers before the leaves arrive and is coming into flower now.

    Two years ago at the end of Feb a male and two female bullfinches arrived and spent a week eating every bud on the tree. It was great to watch them.

    I had high hopes last year but unfortunately they never came back.


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    #1051
    Say my name
    Registered Users Posts: 11,320 ✭✭✭✭Say my name


    They make a very distinctive cheaping sound to one another.
    Very hard to see them but the cheaping is their giveaway that they're there.


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