Nature chit chat

[765489]

Very impressed with the number of yellow hammers locally in my area this year, considering they are a red listed species. A neighbour of mine had 60 acres of spring corn in three fields that he left as stubble over the winter which greatly helped them get through the winter. I take it this is localised to my area though.

[Del.Monte]

I'm in Enniscorthy town now but even when I lived a few miles out in the countryside they were scarcely seen - love the song.

[Hodors Appletart]

I live in Dublin 11, in an old housing estate right beside a small tributary of the Tolka.

We noticed last spring, during LD1, we had a Buzzard nesting locally, would spot it gliding around on the thermals, often being mobbed by crows or gulls.

This spring, we noticed 5 Buzzards, there must be a nesting pair, and some smaller ones.

I love watching the big birds soaring around, absolutely majestic.

[Guburnor]

Egyptian vulture spotted in Dunfanghy, Donegal: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57860608

[765489]

I'm in Enniscorthy town now but even when I lived a few miles out in the countryside they were scarcely seen - love the song.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wxywg43eWBY

I have a theory that they follow to where cereals are grown. Might be worth having a walk around some areas where there is corn sown Del Monte, you might hear them. My neighbour has half his Farm in old meadows, which is great for the sky larks. But he's got a couple of hundred acres rented out to tillage. Corn fields are full of them at the moment. I had one in my hands yesterday evening as the 60 acres of stubble is under turnips covered in crop protection mesh. One was trapped in it so let him out of it. Should have took a photo but didn't want to distress the thing any more than was nessessary.

[765489]

It's not a theory. They are a Bird of grain fields. Arable farms rich in seeds is where you'll find them. They're as much a Bird of arable farmland as a redshank is a wetland Bird. A fabulous Bird and all too sad to see numbers nationally dropping significantly.

Speaking of birds of grain fields, we had a couple of quails around the area this time last year. Have heard none so far this year. I checked with one of the local gamekeepers to check if they let any out but they said they only let out pheasants... Miss them calling in the wheat and barley fields this year.

[Hodors Appletart]

Just being pedantic but juvenile buzzards aren't noticeably smaller than adults.

fair enough, maybe they were just further away

[765489]

Just had three Ravens fly over the garden. A sight and sound I haven't experienced in a good few years.

Lovely birds and have interesting variety of calls. There's a pair nesting in a nearby Quarry I visit along with a pair of Peregrine falcons that are very noisy ! Must take a trip up soon to see what's going on.

[Bad Sneakers]

Just had three Ravens fly over the garden. A sight and sound I haven't experienced in a good few years.

We used to have two fly over but I haven't seen any in a couple of years - it's something else to see them in flight.

[isha]

I hope this fits the thread. I am amazed at the amount of midges. Loch Monar. Scotland. Insane. I would hate to experience that - midges love biting me.

We would be inclined towards midges here but we allow swallows to nest all over the place. It does mean swallow poo, and I am taking the regular power washer to it today, but I believe swallows eat huge amounts of midges and the poo is thus worth it! Bats eat them too. Himself sometimes composts the swallow poo, I drive it before me with high powered all-conquering jets of water.

[CelticRambler]

I am amazed at the amount of midges. Loch Monar. Scotland. Insane. I would hate to experience that - midges love biting me.

About what I would expect, based on anecdotes from visitors to Scotland in the summer, especially one told by the former MrsCR who went camping up that-a-way (before I met her) and woke up to what was probably the same sort of display.

[765489]

Big groups of goldfinches feeding on the thistles gone to seed here at the moment. I think most of the shallows have left. A few stragglers around. Big drop in swallow numbers locally compared to last year. Hopefully they will do a bit better next year.

[Uncle Frank]

Seeing a lot of dead wasps about this last couple of days. Is it something to do with the weather or just the time of year when they start to pop their clogs?

[Uncle Frank]

Plenty of butterflies around at the minute. I was looking at a smallish buddleia bush yesterday it must have had a couple of dozen feeding on it. Painted ladies, peacocks and red admirals.
It's getting very hard to see a cabbage white atm though?

[Uncle Frank]

This is well and truly wasp season. If you leave a window or door open there is one coming inside every five minutes or so. They get stuck into everything as well the nosey gits.

[Uncle Frank]

I saw a bit group of restless looking swallows perched on power lines having a pow wow. I think they were finalising their holiday arrangements.

[Tom Mann Centuria]

Marjoram in flower appears to be like crack cocaine to bees and butterflies. Counted about 25 bees on the plant, and 8 or 9 butterflies most days at the start of last week. Couple of bees even seemed to sleep on it overnight because they weren't moving early in the day, then when the sun came up off they went. Hardly any bees this week but maybe that's them find for the season?

[isha]

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0901/12440 ... are-coast/

The video in that article is BEAUTIFUL !!!!

Basking sharks off Co Clare

[765489]

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0901/12440 ... are-coast/

The video in that article is BEAUTIFUL !!!!

Basking sharks off Co Clare

Beautiful creatures. Gentle giants of the sea.

[Uncle Frank]

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0901/12440 ... are-coast/

The video in that article is BEAUTIFUL !!!!

Basking sharks off Co Clare

I hope they get their protected status like he wants but I won't hold my breath. FFG have always had an absolutely abysmal record when it comes to protecting wildlife in this country.

I read online that the Greenland shark might live to over 500 years

[BettyBee]

going blackberry picking soon as appropriate.. stumbled up some during hikes over the last 2 weekends - not ripe yet... another week or 2 hopefully.. jam to be made (with apple of course)

[kadman]

going blackberry picking soon as appropriate.. stumbled up some during hikes over the last 2 weekends - not ripe yet... another week or 2 hopefully.. jam to be made (with apple of course)

Is that a thread then for crafts. How to make blackberry jam.

[CelticRambler]

Is that a thread then for crafts. How to make blackberry jam.

Surely jam-making is an art rather than a craft?

(And don't you drag a load of sawdust into my food preparation zone ... )

[kadman]

I dont care where its put, but as I am surrounded by blackberries, I want some for me bread.

Better sawdust on the jam, than metal filings

[BettyBee]

Plenty ripe here. I saw a huge amount of them only yesterday. Good size and juicy.

cool.. my mate's Mum will make the jam - she's 92 - a total legend.. makes scones too - look forward to picking em and eating the end product