Nature on your farm.

Base price · 11-09-2019 11:17pm

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I have fecking bats in the garage - anyone any ideas on how to convince them to leave?

My brother has bats hanging out in a new extension that he built onto my late Uncles house about 10 years ago. They arrive in late Spring when it gets warmer, stay for the Summer and disappear around this time of the year. Originally there was five or six but now there are fifty or sixty.

forgottenhills · 12-09-2019 10:39am

ganmo wrote: »

Same

I was brought up on a farm but only saw a lizard once on a stack of turf in a bog. Never saw one on the farm itself.

blue5000 · 12-09-2019 1:55pm

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I have fecking bats in the garage - anyone any ideas on how to convince them to leave?

AFAIK they are protected and can't be disturbed.

Dinzee Conlee · 12-09-2019 3:58pm

blue5000 wrote: »

AFAIK they are protected and can't be disturbed.

I'd prefer it if they moved on to be honest.

At the minute they are under the slates, above the felt, but if / when they come through...

Kevhog1988 · 12-09-2019 4:00pm

Capercaillie wrote: »

Belmullet, NW Mayo

ill be there for the weekend

dodderangler · 13-09-2019 7:25am

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I have fecking bats in the garage - anyone any ideas on how to convince them to leave?

Tell them to start paying rent on time or they’re out of there!
That’s what my landlord says anyway.

Danzy · 13-09-2019 7:29am

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I'd prefer it if they moved on to be honest.
At the minute they are under the slates, above the felt, but if / when they come through...

Why would they come through?

kollegeknight · 18-09-2019 10:12pm

We have a grey heron, pine martins, hares, pheasants, a bird of prey in the bog- neighbour reckons it’s a peregrine. Foxes, plenty of small birds, the ragwort eating caterpillars. Butterflies and moths. Bats and a pair of barn owls. Plenty of field mice, And too many slugs

This guy is on outside of my window. Can anyone identify it?

Dinzee Conlee · 18-09-2019 10:18pm

Danzy wrote: »

Why would they come through?

I would imagine over time they’ll wear the felt and it’ll just break and then they’ll be in...

dabbler2004 · 18-09-2019 10:28pm

It's a Garden Cross Spider

https://www.facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust/photos/species-of-the-week-garden-cross-spideraraneus-diadematus-cross-spider-also-know/10153294564335104/

Buford T. Justice XIX · 18-09-2019 10:30pm

Just spotted a hedgehog in the yard when feeding the dogs so came back for the kids to show them. But the fecker had moved on quickly while the kids were finding shoes and phones.

Only the second one I've seen here so thrilled to see him up close for the first time.

Lady Haywire · 18-09-2019 10:39pm

I have bats in my house. Only issue we had was when I had a skip next to the house & the cats learned the side was next to the bat entrance......few dead bats until I greased the side of the skip :pac::(

Can still hear them which is nice, I always had a fascination with them as I expected them to become little shadowy phantoms after a certain age.

Say my name · 18-09-2019 10:50pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Just spotted a hedgehog in the yard when feeding the dogs so came back for the kids to show them. But the fecker had moved on quickly while the kids were finding shoes and phones.

Only the second one I've seen here so thrilled to see him up close for the first time.

Any wet clay or muck if they cross such as the cow roadway, they leave little miniature 'handprints' behind. With the thumb and all.

Danzy · 19-09-2019 9:23am

kollegeknight wrote: »

We have a grey heron, pine martins, hares, pheasants, a bird of prey in the bog- neighbour reckons it’s a peregrine. Foxes, plenty of small birds, the ragwort eating caterpillars. Butterflies and moths. Bats and a pair of barn owls. Plenty of field mice, And too many slugs

This guy is on outside of my window. Can anyone identify it?

Far as I can tell it is this guy

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araneus_diadematus

Their markings can differ.

Though it might be a marble orb spider.

Both can be called the pumpkin spider as well.

feartuath · 19-09-2019 8:47pm

First evening I noticed no Swallows.
None what so ever even though their were chicks in the last nest on Sunday.

There was 7 nests around my house
countless more around the yard this year.

manjou · 19-09-2019 10:01pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Just spotted a hedgehog in the yard when feeding the dogs so came back for the kids to show them. But the fecker had moved on quickly while the kids were finding shoes and phones.

Only the second one I've seen here so thrilled to see him up close for the first time.

just seen my first hedgehog on farm tonight
so now have red squirrels pine Martin's Fox's badgers buzzards hares loads of other birds otters on lake swans and loads of insects. will have to learn some of there names.

Ian OB · 20-09-2019 1:36pm

Not a farmer, have a 16 mile each way rural commute though.

Over the last 7 years I've noticed a marked increase in the number of owls & bats at night on my way home.

Also a fairly healthy number of foxes around too. The range that I'm seeing them has increased from a 2 mile stretch to a nearly 6 mile stretch.

Saw my first dragon flies since the mid 80s this summer too. Ditto caterpillars. And, as for the amount of butterflies this summer...

ganmo · 20-09-2019 6:11pm

https://www.farmingfornature.ie/nominees
Some impressive people here

forgottenhills · 20-09-2019 6:54pm

ganmo wrote: »

https://www.farmingfornature.ie/nominees
Some impressive people here

Wasn't aware of that website - as you say there are some really good people working with nature on their farms listed there.

jfh · 20-09-2019 9:52pm

I recommend the book field of dreams, exactly what this thread is about

Lady Haywire · 20-09-2019 9:57pm

jfh wrote: »

I recommend the book field of dreams, exactly what this thread is about

Is it? I guess in a way. I've only seen the film, didn't know it was an adaption.
One thing i love the internet for is bird calls!

Ray has more or less floated through life, with a sense more of wide-eyed confusion that discontent. He loves his wife and child, and finds peace on the farm, but his situation is not stable. The farm is bleeding money, and he’s at risk of losing it all. The rapid pace of technology and of big corporate interests threaten to take over the farm, to tear down the farm house he calls home, and replace it with a cinder block, computerized command center, making his precious plot a part of a much larger agribusiness.

blue5000 · 21-09-2019 9:54am

Lady Haywire wrote: »

I have bats in my house. Only issue we had was when I had a skip next to the house & the cats learned the side was next to the bat entrance......few dead bats until I greased the side of the skip :pac::(

Can still hear them which is nice, I always had a fascination with them as I expected them to become little shadowy phantoms after a certain age.

Once a goth always a goth:eek:

bobbysands81 · 21-09-2019 10:04am

dodderangler wrote: »

Buzzards aren’t really a threat to hares. Buzzards aren’t even good at catching rabbits which are a lot smaller. Even leverets are just as large as a rabbit.
Could have you plenty of foxes around. Sometimes hares will just up and leave an area and head for higher ground or new feeding areas. Hares don’t burrow so they will often be on the move once the leverets are grown.

I saw a buzzard struggle to take a baby rabbit last year. The baby rabbit was already dead (could it have been killed by the Buzzard) and as I came round the corner the buzzard tried to fly off but ended up dropping the rabbit as it couldn’t fly away.

jfh · 21-09-2019 5:20pm

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Is it? I guess in a way. I've only seen the film, didn't know it was an adaption.
One thing i love the internet for is bird calls!

Sorry the other field of dreams!
https://blackstaffpress.com/field-of-dreams-9781780731728

Dinzee Conlee · 21-09-2019 5:45pm

Can anyone tell me what this is? Nice red berries on it, whatever it is...
They look so red, i’d say it’s poisonous

Mod: Answers by PM, as this is a 'No chat' thread. Let me know the consensus and I'll post the answer here. My guess is Cotoneaster.

Sorry, meant to post in the nature thread, where people could respond...

Lady Haywire · 21-09-2019 6:03pm

jfh wrote: »

Sorry the other field of dreams!
https://blackstaffpress.com/field-of-dreams-9781780731728

I even searched for a second book of the same name & couldn't find it, D'oh!

arctictree · 22-09-2019 8:38pm

Per post earlier, see a lizard about once a year here. (East Wicklow).

Lots of buzzards and red kites here. Any carcasses left out dont last very long.

Muckit · 04-10-2019 9:07pm

First pair of whooper swans of the season arrived on the farm today.

Muckit · 04-10-2019 9:09pm

Some lovely berried holly growing along the banks of a land drain

Base price · 04-10-2019 9:18pm

Muckit wrote: »

Some lovely berried holly growing along the banks of a land drain

Serious amount of berries in the hedgerows this year. I hope the old wives tale doesn't hold true for a harsh winter.

Dinzee Conlee · 04-10-2019 9:18pm

Muckit wrote: »

Some lovely berried holly growing along the banks of a land drain

Bit early for holly is it not?

Muckit · 04-10-2019 9:28pm

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Bit early for holly is it not?

I wouldn't really have a clue! That photo was taken this evening though!

SmartinMartin · 04-10-2019 9:31pm

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Bit early for holly is it not?

I noticed 3 weeks ago about 75% of our hollys had berries. Funny enough last year not one tree in the area bore fruit.

Birdnuts · 05-10-2019 1:23am

Base price wrote: »

Serious amount of berries in the hedgerows this year. I hope the old wives tale doesn't hold true for a harsh winter.

Yeah - amazing year for all types of fruit both wild and garden. Best Apple crop here in years plus the rasberry bushes are providing a continous tasty supply for the porridge every morning:D

ganmo · 05-10-2019 12:32pm

Birdnuts wrote: »

Yeah - amazing year for all types of fruit both wild and garden. Best Apple crop here in years plus the rasberry bushes are providing a continous tasty supply for the porridge every morning:D

Your raspberries are still producing?

uck51js9zml2yt · 05-10-2019 12:43pm

ganmo wrote: »

Your raspberries are still producing?

Mine are too

80sDiesel · 05-10-2019 1:05pm

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what this is? Nice red berries on it, whatever it is...
They look so red, i’d say it’s poisonous
Sorry, meant to post in the nature thread, where people could respond...

Looks like wild cherry. Bitter but not poisonous.

ganmo · 05-10-2019 1:18pm

Lena Rancid Windpipe wrote: »

Mine are too

Ye lucky sods ours only produce during the summer. Now they get no TLC and were planted well before I was born so they have nothing working for them

Dinzee Conlee · 05-10-2019 1:50pm

ganmo wrote: »

Ye lucky sods ours only produce during the summer. Now they get no TLC and were planted well before I was born so they have nothing working for them

I think it depends on variety. We have some that fruit in the summer, and then others than fruit from Sept on.
And it’s the Sept ones that did well this year...

Bit like yours - ours get no care as well...

Birdnuts · 05-10-2019 8:53pm

ganmo wrote: »

Your raspberries are still producing?

They sure are - I have a mix of Raspberry and Loganberries. Huge contrast to last year when the drought put paid to any decent crop. This fruit actually embraces cool, damp summers which is why the best crops in the UK are grown in Scotland. Currently they are still flowering too but I guess that will come to a sharp end with the first significant frosts. Pollination is so important for these fruits to get good sized berries so its a good thing that they seem to be very popular with a variety of bumble bee species

Birdnuts · 05-10-2019 8:55pm

ganmo wrote: »

Ye lucky sods ours only produce during the summer. Now they get no TLC and were planted well before I was born so they have nothing working for them

Pruning out old growth is very important to re vitalise these bushes every year I've found

Buford T. Justice XIX · 06-10-2019 7:33pm

Good thread on dung beetles
https://twitter.com/SmallholdersUK/status/1180563957259624453?s=19

Say my name · 06-10-2019 8:32pm

Here's another excellent thread on Dung beetles.

https://twitter.com/ZwartblesIE/status/1166326145727565824?s=20

ganmo · 06-10-2019 9:14pm

Stumbled onto this lad earlier

Birdnuts · 06-10-2019 9:25pm

ganmo wrote: »

Stumbled onto this lad earlier

Looks like a Small Tortoiseshell caterpillar

Buford T. Justice XIX · 06-10-2019 9:43pm

A bit more Honeysuckle.

And is this the fruit from the Honeysuckle?

Base price · 06-10-2019 10:01pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

A bit more Honeysuckle.

And is this the fruit from the Honeysuckle?

Yes, but don't eat them they are poisonous.

ganmo · 06-10-2019 10:13pm

Birdnuts wrote: »

Looks like a Small Tortoiseshell caterpillar

http://www.irishmoths.net/pages-moth/m-1638.html
I think it's closer to this one

Lady Haywire · 06-10-2019 11:00pm

ganmo wrote: »

Stumbled onto this lad earlier

Some poor chap lost his moustache

MickeyShtyles · 07-10-2019 12:50am

Came home from a wedding on Tuesday to find this chap had moved in. Garden was and still is fairly waterlogged.
It’s only the second one I’ve seen here at home on the right side if the Dublin Meath border.

Nature on your farm.

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