County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (3 Viewers)

breffni · Feb 28, 2007

Carrion crows and hybrids at Carlingford Lough

Slight change of topic - i believe that there is one full large male carrion crow and three hybrids with different degrees of hybridisation (one with classic mottled look, one with a few grey feathers around the vent and one with extensive grey underwing mostly on one side). They forage around the oyster trestles at low tide and seem to hang mainly in the docks area of Greenore port otherwise (the full male sometimes perches on the highest yellow crane in the port). One of the hybrids with a little grey by the vent is associating with a full hoodie (and was doing same about this time last year). I have heard that the area of Carlingford lough has a long history of carrion hybrids? (please excuse the rubbish photography...)

Peter Phillips · Feb 28, 2007

breffni said:
Slight change of topic - i believe that there is one full large male carrion crow and three hybrids with different degrees of hybridisation (one with classic mottled look, one with a few grey feathers around the vent and one with extensive grey underwing mostly on one side). They forage around the oyster trestles at low tide and seem to hang mainly in the docks area of Greenore port otherwise (the full male sometimes perches on the highest yellow crane in the port). One of the hybrids with a little grey by the vent is associating with a full hoodie (and was doing same about this time last year). I have heard that the area of Carlingford lough has a long history of carrion hybrids? (please excuse the rubbish photography...)

I read somewhere recently that there is a stable 30km zone of hybridisation between these two species on the continent. At least thats what I remember anyway. I wonder how broad the hybridisation front is between the Irish and scottish population?

Peter Phillips · Feb 28, 2007

Barn Owls

I am trying to get a handle on Barn Owls in the county. Apparently there are no confirmed breeding sites in all of Louth. Attached is a google map with the sightings from the forum put on. The boundry is 2km from the sightings this apparently is about as far as a Barn Owl will travel from its roost for food. It looks like the bird at the spirit store and the bird frequenting the marshes might well be the same bird but then again they could be adjoining territories.
I am not sure were Parsonstown is who can tell me? also if anybody has sightins outside these three circles in the last few years could they please post them on the forum.

thanks

Peter

ardnasx1 · Mar 1, 2007

Peter Phillips said:
I am not sure were Parsonstown is who can tell me? also if anybody has sightins outside these three circles in the last few years could they please post them on the forum.

Parsonstown is just to the west of Cruisetown. If you look at the map I emailed you for Keenans Cross it is towards the bottom righthand corner.

One addition for you, I saw a barn owl flying over the Seapoint Road in Termonfeckin early last year.

Peter Phillips · Mar 1, 2007

ardnasx1 said:
Parsonstown is just to the west of Cruisetown. If you look at the map I emailed you for Keenans Cross it is towards the bottom righthand corner.

One addition for you, I saw a barn owl flying over the Seapoint Road in Termonfeckin early last year.

Thanks Sandra. I will post the update on the forum.

Peter Phillips · Mar 1, 2007

Barn Owls Louth 2006

Peter Phillips said:
Thanks Sandra. I will post the update on the forum.

This is the updated map of all records so far of Barn Owls in County Louth last year. (except the Parsonstown birds and the one Freddie et al had on the River Dee. I dont think either of these sites had Barn Owls last year) I have included these and one bird I found 1 dead 2km south of the Bridge of peace last May on the motorway. I also found 1 at at the junction of the Fane River and the M1.

I had one fly by at the quarry/pond 2km north of the Bridge of peace.

I have looked back at some old records for Louth and Dundalk and Drogheda keep coming up with birds so we may have two pairs breeding in the county. I am not sure about the other sites if anybody has historical records they can let me know.

Peter

MargaretM · Mar 1, 2007

Peter Phillips said:
I had one fly by at the quarry/pond 2km north of the Bridge of peace.

I have looked back at some old records for Louth and Dundalk and Drogheda keep coming up with birds so we may have two pairs breeding in the county. I am not sure about the other sites if anybody has historical records they can let me know.

Peter

Tommy and I saw 2 barn owls fly across the old N1 road on the North side of Drogheda, flying in the general direction of Mell Quarry a couple of months ago at dusk. I imagine that this is where you also sighted an owl. The old buildings that they might have been nesting in have since been demolished and we haven't managed to see them since.

Peter Phillips · Mar 1, 2007

MargaretM said:
Tommy and I saw 2 barn owls fly across the old N1 road on the North side of Drogheda, flying in the general direction of Mell Quarry a couple of months ago at dusk. I imagine that this is where you also sighted an owl. The old buildings that they might have been nesting in have since been demolished and we haven't managed to see them since.

Hi Margaret,

Thanks for that. I measured the distance at close to 4km between Mells Quarry and where I had the bird so it would be a different territory. The bird I found dead in Meath south of the bridge is also a little too far to be the Mell birds. I will give it a couple of weeks and do an update then. I notice some old buildings at the corner of mells are these the ones that were demolished or are you refering to the other quarry?

Is no body out birdwatching? Were are all the updates?

MargaretM · Mar 1, 2007

Peter Phillips said:
Hi Margaret,

Thanks for that. I measured the distance at close to 4km between Mells Quarry and where I had the bird so it would be a different territory. The bird I found dead in Meath south of the bridge is also a little too far to be the Mell birds. I will give it a couple of weeks and do an update then. I notice some old buildings at the corner of mells are these the ones that were demolished or are you refering to the other quarry?

Is no body out birdwatching? Were are all the updates?

As you leave Drogheda heading North on the N1, with Mell Quarry on your left, the demolished buildings are on the right hand side, so the owls flew across the road towards the Quarry. Can't be sure that they were nesting there ... both Tommy and Sandra checked those buildings but the presence of a (presumed) homeless person sleeping there prevented them from completing their search and within a few days the buildings had been demolished.
I've been checking the Baltray/Queensboro area for a possible Snow Bunting that Breffni had seen, but no luck so far. Saw 3 Little Egrets, Mallard, Teal, Widgeon, Redshank, 1 Greenshank, Brent Geese (probably 100 in total), Shell Duck, Black Tailed Godwit, Mute Swan, Curlew, Heron and Golden Plover all from one viewing point at Queensboro. There are channels that make it difficult to get a good view of the birds unless the tide is fully in and there are very few places to safely stop to view the birds ..very frustrating.

Derek Watters · Mar 2, 2007

Barn Owls

I seen barn owls twice last year at Tom Bellew Avenue, Dundalk in July/August. On 12 April 2006 I had another one on the "Xerox Road" as you approach the M1 roundabout.
I mentioned the April sighting to a friend of mine who drives a truck from Dundalk to Dublin five nights a week. He was very matter of fact in saying he had seen it/them hunting along this road on numerous occasions and near killed one as it flew past a foot or two in front of his windscreen! Someone else also said they'd seen barn owls in the same location. They are obviously in this area, but the number of sightings is probably increased by the fact that it is a rural area but very will lit up.
There was also a posting from Gareth on this forum on 16/10/06 saying he saw one in the same general location as my summer sightings.
The distance between both locations is exactly 3 km, so they are probably different birds.
The recent Eco survey of Blackrock stated that there are known breeding locations - one North and the other South of the village.
Perhaps a campaign in the local media, asking people to report sightings, would yield more extensive results. It would also serve as a publicity exercise for our local BWI branch.

Peter Phillips · Mar 2, 2007

Derek Watters said:
I seen barn owls twice last year at Tom Bellew Avenue, Dundalk in July/August. On 12 April 2006 I had another one on the "Xerox Road" as you approach the M1 roundabout.
I mentioned the April sighting to a friend of mine who drives a truck from Dundalk to Dublin five nights a week. He was very matter of fact in saying he had seen it/them hunting along this road on numerous occasions and near killed one as it flew past a foot or two in front of his windscreen! Someone else also said they'd seen barn owls in the same location. They are obviously in this area, but the number of sightings is probably increased by the fact that it is a rural area but very will lit up.
There was also a posting from Gareth on this forum on 16/10/06 saying he saw one in the same general location as my summer sightings.
The distance between both locations is exactly 3 km, so they are probably different birds.
The recent Eco survey of Blackrock stated that there are known breeding locations - one North and the other South of the village.
Perhaps a campaign in the local media, asking people to report sightings, would yield more extensive results. It would also serve as a publicity exercise for our local BWI branch.

Very interesting Dekek,

That chap John who is doing his pHD on Barn Owls does not have any confirmed breeding reports for the county. You mentioned the Eco survey at Blackrock. Do you have any details about this? Or the authors name or webite link.?

Do you have any idea what building these birds or the birds you saw near Xerox and Tom Bellew avenue might be using.?

If we can locate the roosting /breeding sites we might be in a much better position to get them some kind of protection. Or at least if the buildings are demolished I can organise some Barn Owl boxes to be made as replacements.

Peter

breffni · Mar 2, 2007

Peter Phillips said:
I read somewhere recently that there is a stable 30km zone of hybridisation between these two species on the continent. At least thats what I remember anyway. I wonder how broad the hybridisation front is between the Irish and scottish population?

I guess the whole east coast is a sort of hybridisation zone - since the beginning of the year i have had one in the bray area, one at bull island, one on the boyne estuary and several around carlingford lough - most have some trace of grey in them, even if very slight. A few more pics attached...

Derek Watters · Mar 2, 2007

Peter Phillips said:
Very interesting Dekek,

That chap John who is doing his pHD on Barn Owls does not have any confirmed breeding reports for the county. You mentioned the Eco survey at Blackrock. Do you have any details about this? Or the authors name or webite link.?

Do you have any idea what building these birds or the birds you saw near Xerox and Tom Bellew avenue might be using.?

If we can locate the roosting /breeding sites we might be in a much better position to get them some kind of protection. Or at least if the buildings are demolished I can organise some Barn Owl boxes to be made as replacements.

Peter

The Ecological Survey of Blackrock is a facinating read. Apart from bird counts, details on different species etc, it contains very interesting information regarding other wildlife - I was amazed to read that 5 out of the 9 species of Irish Bat were located in Blackrock in 2006!
Anyway the report was issued in November 2006; comiled by Julie Roe and Oscar J Merne and produced with assistance from Blackrock Tidy Towns and The Heritage Council. If you would like a copy let me know.
Regarding the owls, I have no idea where they might be nesting. I examined maps at the time to see if any suitable sites existed but to no avail.
I do recall about 15 years ago barn owls being present in an old barn on the corner of Ecco Road and Castletown Road, only yards from a housing estate with over 650 houses! I used to watch them night after night coming and going in this very urban environment.

Derek Watters · Mar 2, 2007

The Ecological Survey of Blackrock, 2006

PS - I should have stated in my reply to Peter - if anyone else on the forum is interested in this publication, let me know.

Peter Phillips · Mar 2, 2007

Derek Watters said:
PS - I should have stated in my reply to Peter - if anyone else on the forum is interested in this publication, let me know.

Thanks Derek,

I would love a copy. Maybe at the next outing/meeting I could collect it.?

Peter

gareth2005 · Mar 2, 2007

Derek Watters said:
I seen barn owls twice last year at Tom Bellew Avenue, Dundalk in July/August. On 12 April 2006 I had another one on the "Xerox Road" as you approach the M1 roundabout.
I mentioned the April sighting to a friend of mine who drives a truck from Dundalk to Dublin five nights a week. He was very matter of fact in saying he had seen it/them hunting along this road on numerous occasions and near killed one as it flew past a foot or two in front of his windscreen! Someone else also said they'd seen barn owls in the same location. They are obviously in this area, but the number of sightings is probably increased by the fact that it is a rural area but very will lit up.
There was also a posting from Gareth on this forum on 16/10/06 saying he saw one in the same general location as my summer sightings.
The distance between both locations is exactly 3 km, so they are probably different birds.
The recent Eco survey of Blackrock stated that there are known breeding locations - one North and the other South of the village.
Perhaps a campaign in the local media, asking people to report sightings, would yield more extensive results. It would also serve as a publicity exercise for our local BWI branch.

That sighting of the Barn Owl I saw was in Belfry Avenue, just off the Alphonsos Road, Dundalk.
One possible location for next/roosting sites would be the buildings down beside where McArdle Moore brewery was, and also down the area surrounding B Duffy constructions offices next to the grammar school.
Maybe the school could be enticed into putting some nestboxes up in the large trees they have on their land?

breffni · Mar 3, 2007

Peter Phillips said:
Thanks Derek,

I would love a copy. Maybe at the next outing/meeting I could collect it.?

Peter

I posted it to [email protected] - its about 10 megabytes so takes time...the report notes confirmed breeding barn owls in the area 1968-72 and 1988-91.

ardnasx1 · Mar 3, 2007

I reported a colour ringed brent goose I saw in Lurgangreen on 17th Feb to Graham McElwaine of the Irish Brent Goose Research Group. On it's right leg it had a green ring with the letter V and on the left leg a yellow ring with the letter C. The bird was originally ringed in Iceland in May 06 and made it's way to Lurgangreen via Strangford Lough and Carlingford Lough.

Graham said the reports of ringed brent geese in Dundalk Bay are quite rare so if anybody spots any they should report them to him at [email protected]

RKell1 · Mar 3, 2007

Derek Watters said:
I don't know what role the Gardaí can play, but as far as I know Louth County Coucil can introduce bye-laws - I can think of three of the top of my head - 1. No powered watercraft in Carlingford harbour and Gyles Quay 2. No quads / scrambler bikes on Cooley Mountains and 3 No quads etc on Templetown beach. An additional bye-law at Baltray might help matters

Derek, first off sounds like a great local patch over there in Dundalk, from reading these threads, will have to pop over and spend the day scouting the area.
With regard to the area being torn up by motorbikes/4x4's, as a keen offroader myself and one who only offroads with a club in designated areas with permission from and payment to Coillte etc. I can tell you that L.C.C have all the power in their By-Laws when it comes to preventing this type of irresponsible behaviour and can add large boulders to deter 4x4 activity or erect stronger fencing. Last year Fingal did some small works on the broadmeadow estuary where people were driving over the grassed area by the shingle beach and churning up the grasses etc.
It is also an offence under the wildlife act to knowingly disturb nesting birds so use the act and their own Louth Foreshore By- Laws to force them to take action if they seem anyway hesitant. Gardai will also take action if reported.

Ray

Peter Phillips · Mar 4, 2007

breffni said:
I posted it to [email protected] - its about 10 megabytes so takes time...the report notes confirmed breeding barn owls in the area 1968-72 and 1988-91.

Thanks for the report Derek and Breffni. It looks like a good read.

Peter

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