County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (11 Viewers)

Peter Phillips · May 11, 2007

breffni said:
That was great progress yesterday at Baltray!

On the negative side, those peregrines have definately abandoned the site - no sign at all for a few days now - no reaction when approaching the nesting site. First swift over carlingford lough today. Still large numbers of whimbrel (several in my "garden" this morning) and foraging in the barley fields around the area.

Shame about the Peregrines. Might it be possible to put up a remote camara up for next season to see whats causing the disturbance?

Below is a link for some Nightjar conservation measures in the south west of England.

http://www.devon.gov.uk/dbap-birds-nightjar.pdf

Peter

ardnasx1 · May 11, 2007

Got the electric fence up at Baltray this evening, though not electrified yet. Again the weather wasn't great but many hands made light work. Thanks this evening to Tommy, Margaret, Peter, Rosemary, Brendan and Dominic Hartigan. The work is almost complete now and hopefully the little terns will start to settle in the next week or two.

MargaretM · May 14, 2007

There were 12 Black Guillemots at Clogherhead yesterday on the blocks at the back of the pier.
The fencing at Baltray beach looks great and there are Little Terns landing in the enclosure regularly. There are also plenty of Ringed Plovers in there.

RKell1 · May 14, 2007

Hi Folks
Just want to say Well Done to you all for the work and effort you've put into the fencing and care for the Terns. Looks great from the pics and hope you get the rewards due :clap: :clap:

Ray

ardnasx1 · May 15, 2007

Peter Phillips said:
Cuckoo and Whitethraot in Ardee Bog

Went through Ardee bog at the weekend and heard a cuckoo then, I was there for around half an hour and it called all the time I was there. Had a nice close encounter with a stoat too.

RKell1 said:
Hi Folks
Just want to say Well Done to you all for the work and effort you've put into the fencing and care for the Terns. Looks great from the pics and hope you get the rewards due :clap: :clap:

Ray

Thanks Ray, there have been in and around 40 little terns there the last couple of days, just hope they stick around now! If you're over this direction you should pop out to the site, it's a good spot in general for birding, particularly when the tide is in.

Swifts have well and truly arrived in Drogheda, counted around 40 screaming above my house this morning.

Derek Polley · May 15, 2007

Hoping to get to Baltray and see the little terns - keep up the good work. Here is a link to live webcams on 2 quarries up North if you are interested in peregrines
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/raptors/

RKell1 · May 16, 2007

ardnasx1 said:
Went through Ardee bog at the weekend and heard a cuckoo then, I was there for around half an hour and it called all the time I was there. Had a nice close encounter with a stoat too.

Thanks Ray, there have been in and around 40 little terns there the last couple of days, just hope they stick around now! If you're over this direction you should pop out to the site, it's a good spot in general for birding, particularly when the tide is in.

Swifts have well and truly arrived in Drogheda, counted around 40 screaming above my house this morning.

I'll do just that Sandra, plus take in some of the other hot spots in Louth I read about on the thread..so excuse me in advance if your PM'd to death looking for directions :t:

RKell1 · May 16, 2007

Derek Polley said:
Hoping to get to Baltray and see the little terns - keep up the good work. Here is a link to live webcams on 2 quarries up North if you are interested in peregrines
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/raptors/

I've been watching this Derek, some great pics of the birds, wish they'd do more with some of the old quarries here..

breffni · May 16, 2007

We are organising a dawn chorus outing at Ravensdale Forest, just north of Dundalk, on Sunday 20th May at 5am. Please meet at the first barrier at Ravensdale forest (Tain Way) - to get there follow the R174 from the south until the road turns sharply at the Curralhir Bridge and park in front of the barrier 50 or so yards north of the turn. For more information contact Breffni Martin 087 914 5363 or [email protected]. The meeting place will be sign-posted on the day. Unlike last year the weather looks clear for this year.

ardnasx1 · May 17, 2007

Derek Polley said:
Hoping to get to Baltray and see the little terns - keep up the good work. Here is a link to live webcams on 2 quarries up North if you are interested in peregrines
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/raptors/

Thanks for that link Derek. Peter saw a pair of peregrines at Baltray earlier in the week so we're wondering if they are nesting locally.

RKell1 said:
I'll do just that Sandra, plus take in some of the other hot spots in Louth I read about on the thread..so excuse me in advance if your PM'd to death looking for directions :t:

No problem Ray, always happy to help.

In the meantime here are directions to the beach at Baltray for anyone interested, it's not the easiest of places to find without directions:

Coming from south of Drogheda:
• Take motorway north (Belfast).
• Exit for Drogheda North after new Boyne bridge.
• Take Drogheda exit at roundabout and proceed taking Drogheda exit at next two roundabouts.
• Take first left (Termonfeckin) and carry on down by back of Hospital to major junction (Esso station opposite).
• Take a left and immediate right (before Maxol station) and proceed to next major junction where you take a left (you are now on the Termonfeckin Rd).
• Carry on through the first crossroads and exit right at the next for Baltray (4 miles).
• When you reach the river turn left.
• Take the next turn right into Baltray village.
• Carry on past the golf club and on to an extremely potholed lane. Follow this lane on until the end, veering left at the river. This will bring you to the area to park.
• Climb over the stile and follow the path turning right at the top of the field towards another gate and stile, which you cross. This path will lead you to the Little Tern nest site.

Coming from north of Drogheda:
• Proceed to exit Drogheda North just before new Boyne bridge and continue as above.

s. james · May 17, 2007

RKell1 said:
I've been watching this Derek, some great pics of the birds, wish they'd do more with some of the old quarries here..

The quarries they're nesting in aren't actually old, they're fully functionng working quarries which is pretty mad!

On the TV show it said something like 45% of NI's peregrine pairs nest in quarries so the habitat is certainly important and should be preserved when the quarries become disused.

Derek Polley · May 18, 2007

hoping to get a run down to Baltray Sat 20th if the weather is good or later in the month if its not. Where else can/should/ought we to go for birds when we are down that way? Will be travelling from the North via Newry and Dundalk and would plan to spend the day in and around Drogheda with lunch and tea on the hoof. Good pub grub and/or eating places would be nice?

ardnasx1 · May 18, 2007

Derek Polley said:
hoping to get a run down to Baltray Sat 20th if the weather is good or later in the month if its not. Where else can/should/ought we to go for birds when we are down that way? Will be travelling from the North via Newry and Dundalk and would plan to spend the day in and around Drogheda with lunch and tea on the hoof. Good pub grub and/or eating places would be nice?

Hi Derek, there are plenty of good spots right the way through Louth but as your aiming for the southern end the places I would recommend aside from Baltray would be Mell Quarry, Beaulieu woods and the Boyne estuary. Best time to visit Baltray at the moment is when the tide is in as the little terns haven't settled down yet and can go out to sea for long stretches when the tide is out. It think the tide is in around 2pm tomorrow. If any of us are around when you visit make sure to introduce yourself!

To get to Mell Quarry, turn off the motorway for Drogheda before the new Boyne bridge, turn right at the next roundabout, I think it is signposted for Mell. Turn left before Aldi and there will be a spot to park down that road on the right hand side, its called Cement Rd. You have to look through railings to view the quarry but it is still worth it.

For Beaulieu follow the directions for Baltray and when you reach the point which tells you to "...... exit right at the next for Baltray (4 miles)" you'll find Beaulieu woods along that road. Park in front of Beaulieu house and the pond and woods are across the road.

As you follow the directions on for Baltray you will be travelling along the Boyne estuary.

Have to think now about eating places, I'll PM....

breffni · May 20, 2007

Modest group up at 5am for the dawn chorus this morning (yawn!) at Ravensdale - great weather - cuckoo, buzzard, sparrowhawk, blackcaps, chiffchaff, willow warbler, usual thrushes, robins, wrens, tits etc - hope nobody got lost trying to find it!

Otherwise black guillemots laid first egg yesterday (in new nesting cavities). Ravens fledged at sleivenaglogh also yesterday (absent from nest anyway) and peregrines apparently gone.

Derek Polley · May 22, 2007

Had a quick trip to see the little terns at Baltray on Sat. Very impressed by the effort put in and the notices etc. Good welcome and info from the volunteer who was there on Sat am. Saw 20 - 25 flying and resting on the sand - a first for Ireland!! Two things sprung to mind. Is there any way you can visit and enthuse the local primary school(s) so as they see them as "their" birds. This usually helps in making adults aware of the situation and the kids are great at telling their parents what they can and cannot do when they are on the beach? Secondly there were an awful lot of hooded crows around and i can see them eating eggs and chicks if there is disturbance. You might need to think about controlling them?!?! Not a pleasant thought but better that than no breeding. Keep up the good work.

Peter Phillips · May 22, 2007

Went out to warden at Baltray this morning. The Little terns have started nesting!

Most of the Ringed Plover nests have been washed away with the recent high water but there are 3 still active and one bird starting to nest again.

See photos attached.

Peter

ardnasx1 · May 23, 2007

breffni said:
Otherwise black guillemots laid first egg yesterday (in new nesting cavities).

That's great news. Great that they've settled into the new surroundings and to see all your efforts rewarded.

ardnasx1 · May 23, 2007

Derek Polley said:
Had a quick trip to see the little terns at Baltray on Sat. Very impressed by the effort put in and the notices etc. Good welcome and info from the volunteer who was there on Sat am. Saw 20 - 25 flying and resting on the sand - a first for Ireland!! Two things sprung to mind. Is there any way you can visit and enthuse the local primary school(s) so as they see them as "their" birds. This usually helps in making adults aware of the situation and the kids are great at telling their parents what they can and cannot do when they are on the beach? Secondly there were an awful lot of hooded crows around and i can see them eating eggs and chicks if there is disturbance. You might need to think about controlling them?!?! Not a pleasant thought but better that than no breeding. Keep up the good work.

Enda was the volunteer you met on Saturday. Thanks for those suggestions, the schools are certainly a consideration. As far as crows go at the moment we've been trying to chase them/throw stones etc as much as possible so as they don't get too settled, and generally trying to monitor what threat they are posing. It is a tricky problem and we are trying to work out the best way to deter them.

Yesterday 3 nests with 2 eggs in each were located, they usually lay eggs every second day so this would indicate that the nesting began on Saturday or Sunday. It's hard to monitor as they don't stay with the nest until there are 2 or 3 eggs laid. There is a great amount of activity there now and I'd imagine we'll have a lot more nests in the next few days.

The high winds and high tide did substantial damage to the outer side of the fencing on Friday. Thankfully we've been able to salvage it and its up standing again. All in all things are really going well out there now. At dusk last night I counted 73 little terns, the average daytime count is still around 30 occasionally peaking to 70.

Had what appeared to be a pale morph arctic skua fly by Baltray beach on Sunday morning. Later on BINS there was a report of a long tailed skua there. Wish I'd been able to get a better look at that arctic, you never know...

Got out to see the garganey near Donore on Monday, it was quite elusive I could only see it for a few seconds at a time.

gareth2005 · May 23, 2007

Well done to all concerned in the effort in Baltray. If the Grey Crows are a problem why not try and attract them to a different area by leaving some carrion etc further down the beach? Otherwise since its a public beach why not pop into the local Angling shop and buy a Catapult to scare off them.

MargaretM · May 23, 2007

gareth2005 said:
Well done to all concerned in the effort in Baltray. If the Grey Crows are a problem why not try and attract them to a different area by leaving some carrion etc further down the beach? Otherwise since its a public beach why not pop into the local Angling shop and buy a Catapult to scare off them.

We did have quite a lot of discussion on this topic Gareth and a Catapult does seem like maybe the best option (I fancied one of those really strong water pistols myself). I'm just not sure how dangerous I might be with the catapult, it will probably take a lot of practice, will just be getting good with it by the end of July .......

County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (11 Viewers)

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