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Nature in the News

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  • #632
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    An article about Squirrels in Ireland, based on the recent Irish Squirrel survey which has recently been published:

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/for-grey-squirrels-the-shannon-remains-a-swim-too-far-1.2332442

    And here's the survey report itself:
    http://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/IWM89.pdf


  • #633
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    An article about Squirrels in Ireland, based on the recent Irish Squirrel survey which has recently been published:

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/for-grey-squirrels-the-shannon-remains-a-swim-too-far-1.2332442

    And here's the survey report itself:
    http://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/IWM89.pdf

    In Italy, animal rights groups objected to the cull of greys when their population was still small. They could have been eradicated. They lacked common sense and failed to comprehend the greater good.:(


  • #634
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Grey Partridge translocation to Inch Island in Lough Swilly - fingers crossed its a success.

    http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/donegal-news/partridge-project-sees-welcome-return-of-species-1-6920587


  • #635
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Grey Partridge translocation to Inch Island in Lough Swilly - fingers crossed its a success.

    http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/donegal-news/partridge-project-sees-welcome-return-of-species-1-6920587

    Great work done with the Grey Partridge. Getting farmers, shooters, conservationists all working together. A big plus with grey partridge is that they are resisdent/non-migratory in Ireland. If you protect the home-range and get habitat right you will get results. With migrant birds there is a lot you cannot control.


  • #636
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    Great work done with the Grey Partridge. Getting farmers, shooters, conservationists all working together. A big plus with grey partridge is that they are resisdent/non-migratory in Ireland. If you protect the home-range and get habitat right you will get results. With migrant birds there is a lot you cannot control.

    And Boora shows that if you can provide the right conditions for Grey Partridge to breed and survive, other species like Lapwing and Skylark are likely to benefit too.


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  • #637
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    And Boora shows that if you can provide the right conditions for Grey Partridge to breed and survive, other species like Lapwing and Skylark are likely to benefit too.

    Plenty of Harriers, buzzards, sparrowhawks there as well. Just shows that if habitat is correct you will get your rewards and raptors species can exist with ground nesting birds like lapwing, partridge. Generalist predators like foxes, grey crows, magpies are controlled there. It's a pity some conservationists cannot see the bigger picture.


  • #638
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,898 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Grey Partridge translocation to Inch Island in Lough Swilly - fingers crossed its a success.

    http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/donegal-news/partridge-project-sees-welcome-return-of-species-1-6920587


    I hope its planned better than the one I heard about recently just outside Newbridge in Kildare. This crowd got a load of birds from Boora and released them into a totally unsuiteable habitat last month of silage fields and bits of bog. No cover crops or beetle strips provided, the area doesn't even have any tillage!!.


  • #639
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    I hope its planned better than the one I heard about recently just outside Newbridge in Kildare. This crowd got a load of birds from Boora and released them into a totally unsuiteable habitat last month of silage fields and bits of bog. No cover crops or beetle strips provided, the area doesn't even have any tillage!!.
    The remnant population in Boora was on cut-over bog with no tillage. Hopefully the habitat there is suitable. The Irish Grey Partridge Conservation Trust seem professional enough.


  • #640
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,898 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    The remnant population in Boora was on cut-over bog with no tillage. Hopefully the habitat there is suitable. The Irish Grey Partridge Conservation Trust seem professional enough.

    The trust has nothing to do with the project I mentioned(NPWS had the final say on moving the birds) - I don't want to go into the politics behind this on a public forum but certain elements of this project leave alot to be desired. I'm aware Boora is on cut-over bogland, but a large acerage of cover crops are sown and maintained for the birds there . No such habitat was provided in the Kidare project which means its likely to be a complete waste of time and money:(


  • #641
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    The trust has nothing to do with the project I mentioned(NPWS had the final say on moving the birds) - I don't want to go into the politics behind this on a public forum but certain elements of this project leave alot to be desired. I'm aware Boora is on cut-over bogland, but a large acerage of cover crops are sown and maintained for the birds there . No such habitat was provided in the Kidare project which means its likely to be a complete waste of time and money:(
    Feck that's terrible. What a waste of precious birds:(


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  • #642
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Fintan O'Toole's opinion of the Star Wars/Skellig issue:

    http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-beyond-belief-why-grant-disney-s-skelligs-wish-for-star-wars-1.2335310


  • #643
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Fintan O'Toole's opinion of the Star Wars/Skellig issue:

    http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-beyond-belief-why-grant-disney-s-skelligs-wish-for-star-wars-1.2335310
    On a World Heritage site. If there was no damage being done why all the secrecy? Natural heritage being damage and the Government silent. A 3000 year old bog road destroyed a couple of weeks ago and nothing from the Minister. ISIS springs to mind.


  • #644
    Jayzesake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭Jayzesake


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Fintan O'Toole's opinion of the Star Wars/Skellig issue:

    http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-beyond-belief-why-grant-disney-s-skelligs-wish-for-star-wars-1.2335310

    Excellent article


  • #645
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    On a World Heritage site. If there was no damage being done why all the secrecy? Natural heritage being damage and the Government silent. A 3000 year old bog road destroyed a couple of weeks ago and nothing from the Minister. ISIS springs to mind.


    It seems to me to be the same as how we treat all of our nature/wildlife and heritage conservation - we complain about it and try and ignore it as much as possible, when it would be easier and cheaper to just do it all right in the first place!

    Put a bit of effort into telling Disney what the potential problems might be, and helping them avoid them, and put a few people out there to keep an eye on the wildlife and buildings etc, and its all done quick and easy, leaves no impact, and people can continue to enjoy Skellig for many years to come! Its that simple! It only gets complicated when you start avoiding reponsibility and looking for the quick fix!


  • #646
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,989 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    put a few people out there to keep an eye on the wildlife and buildings etc
    According to the article, some OPW people will be supervising at Skellig M, and they signed a non-diclosure agreement re the movie (as they will see it being filmed).
    Seems fair enough to me. No allegations mentioned of any damage last time, or this time. A few tourists discommoded in the short term, but invaluable free advertising for decades; its a dream for Bord Failte. Whats the problem then?

    There is a separate and longstanding issue regarding the "authenticity" of repairs, renovations and improvements that OPW make to heritage structures, but the author doesn't mention that at all.


  • #647
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    recedite wrote: »
    According to the article, some OPW people will be supervising at Skellig M, and they signed a non-diclosure agreement re the movie (as they will see it being filmed).
    Seems fair enough to me. No allegations mentioned of any damage last time, or this time. A few tourists discommoded in the short term, but invaluable free advertising for decades; its a dream for Bord Failte. Whats the problem then?

    There is a separate and longstanding issue regarding the "authenticity" of repairs, renovations and improvements that OPW make to heritage structures, but the author doesn't mention that at all.


    There were reports of Kittiwake chicks being blown off cliffs last time, and the impact on ground nesting birds, for which the island is of huge importance, are unknown - but are likely to be very sensitive to the weight of people and equipment.

    The OPW people being there is good, but what is their remit there? What power do they have? What experience do they have? What have Disney been told or warned about beforehand in terms of dangers and risks to the site? What precautions are being taken so that no rats get on the island?

    There were reports of damage last time, and no word to my knowledge of any follow-up after the filming last time to see if there were any negative impacts.

    I'm fully in favour of star wars filming there, but at the moment there are a long list of questions and few if any answers being given out.


  • #648
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,989 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    There were reports of Kittiwake chicks being blown off cliffs last time...
    By explosions or by the wind?
    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    There were reports of damage last time....
    What damage?


  • #649
    Jayzesake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭Jayzesake


    Sorry to interrupt the discussion on the shameful goings on over the Skelligs, but here's another story that I feel should be mentioned:

    Tropical forests totalling size of India at risk of being cleared, study warns

    Washington-based Center for Global Development predicts 289m hectares (714m acres) of tropical forests will be felled by 2050 based on current trends

    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/25/tropical-forests-totalling-size-of-india-at-risk-of-being-cleared-study-warns


  • #650
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    recedite wrote: »
    By explosions or by the wind?
    What damage?


    Kittiwake chicks were blown off the cliffs by the numerous helicopter trips required for the filming.

    Sorry, thats the damage I was referring to - I should have been more clear. If you look back through media reports during and after the filming last time though you'll see the huge potential for damage, especially given this shoot is expected to be longer. One official complained last year that in the agreements signed that Disney had more say and control over what was done out there than anyone else did.


  • #651
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Kittiwake chicks were blown off the cliffs by the numerous helicopter trips required for the filming.

    Sorry, thats the damage I was referring to - I should have been more clear. If you look back through media reports during and after the filming last time though you'll see the huge potential for damage, especially given this shoot is expected to be longer. One official complained last year that in the agreements signed that Disney had more say and control over what was done out there than anyone else did.

    Landing of heavy equipment onto Island would have crushed storm petrel/manx shearwater chicks nests underground.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfObsvd-by8
    This video shows the helicopters buzzing around the Island.


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  • #652
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    A piece on Shannonside about Deer and the potential impact of a large development in the Longford area, with Damien Hannigan of Wild Deer Ireland:

    http://media.shannonside.ie/mediamanager/embed/player/podcasts/14/item/44916


  • #653
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Launched by junior Tourism Minister Michael Ring on Friday, Nephin Bog in Co Mayo is set to become "the envy of Europe" but may take up to half-a-century to complete.

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/the-first-phase-of-wilderness-project-unveiled-31506681.html


  • #654
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/the-first-phase-of-wilderness-project-unveiled-31506681.html
    The deadline of at least 50 years does not sound great. The likes of Hen Harrier/Golden Plover/Dunlin could be long gone by then. If it is a total disaster then they can always say "it will take time!!!".


  • #655
    Jayzesake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭Jayzesake


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    The deadline of at least 50 years does not sound great. The likes of Hen Harrier/Golden Plover/Dunlin could be long gone by then. It it is a total disaster then can always say "it will take time!!!".

    The whole 'Wild Nephin' thing is a farce, from what I can make out. They're planting exotic conifers en masse, but don't see any contradiction in calling that 'rewilding'.


  • #656
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    'BirdWatch Ireland has major concerns over Star Wars filming on Skellig Michael'

    http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/News/ConcernsoverStarWarsfilmingonSkelligMichael/tabid/1481/Default.aspx


    And An Taisce have released a statement, they're really not happy at the lack of clarity of the whole thing either:

    http://www.antaisce.org/articles/an-taisce-asks-has-dahg-gone-over-to-the-dark-side


  • #657
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Attempts to lure Puffins to the Copeland Islands look to be working:

    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/experts-sell-the-perfect-dummy-and-lure-puffins-to-copelands-31529811.html


  • #658
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    'Great Tits and Blue Tits battle by laying eggs in enemy nests'

    https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28153-great-tits-and-blue-tits-battle-by-laying-eggs-in-enemy-nests/


  • #659
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,080 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    A piece in the Irish Times about the 'All Ireland Pollinator Plan' thats due to come out this week. Sounds excellent, fingers crossed the relevant agencies put the effort in and it sees success in the coming years!

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/rewilding-of-routes-seeks-to-save-bees-from-destruction-1.2354160


  • #660
    Interslice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,505 ✭✭✭Interslice


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    A piece in the Irish Times about the 'All Ireland Pollinator Plan' thats due to come out this week. Sounds excellent, fingers crossed the relevant agencies put the effort in and it sees success in the coming years!

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/rewilding-of-routes-seeks-to-save-bees-from-destruction-1.2354160


    The amount of senseless local council mowing of strips of wildflowers that goes on really annoys me. There's was a grand strip the whole way down the side of a park here, the only part of it that isn't mown regularly, and they just came in mid july and wiped the whole lot out and took out half the hedge out while they were at it. Is it for hayfever or something are they just making jobs for people I do wonder. Can't make sense of it at all. Very little land around that is mown regularly or grazed. These difficult to mow places are the only areas left for wildflowers to grow freely around here. I'd imagine high concentration of food for the bees in a little commuter type strip is exactly what they need.


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  • #661
    Jayzesake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭Jayzesake


    Interslice wrote: »
    Is it for hayfever or something are they just making jobs for people I do wonder. Can't make sense of it at all.

    The councils may be reacting to a mania for 'tidiness' on the part of large sections of the public. Many people have the idea that if grass and hedges aren't constantly mown, clipped, strimmed etc., that the area will look 'messy' and 'unkempt'. (And, god forbid, that could bring down local property prices.)

    They have never developed the ability to see that there is far more beauty (never mind diversity) in a piece of land that has been let 'go back to nature'.


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