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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (1 Viewer)

Must keep an eye out at night for buzzards if I'm in the area, I'd love to see that.

Could someone tell me where is Hermitage. I am familiar with the Dunany/Togher/Salterstown area but I don't know where Hermitage is and it seems to get a lot of mentions.
 
Hi Sandra,

Directions to Hermitage as follows :

If you drive along the coast road at Salterstown take the right turn at the end (you must as this is the end of the road!!). This road will take you past a thatched cottage and farm and up to a T junction on the Annagassan to Clogherhead road. Turn left at this junction and carry on until you reach a crossroads. Turn left again and continue for about 2km until you see the sign for Dunany Horse Trials. (There is a long avenue type road/lane leading up to this). The road down to Hermitage is immediately BEFORE this lane on the left. It has been tarmacced in recent times and is quite easy to drive down. It brings you directly to an old disused harbour - the remains of the pier are still there. When you arrive there be patient as sometimes there appears to be nothing there but given time they will come to you. It is an amazing place and well worth spending some time there.

Hope this helps. If you need any further information let me know.

Good Birding!!
 
An illustrated talk by Eric Dempsey of the Mooney Goes Wild Show and author of 'The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds' will take place at the spirit store on Sun 22nd January at 2PM. This presentation will be suitable for young and old, novice and expert alike'. The talk will be followed by a practical demonstration of how to watch birds on the quay wall. Admission Free.

see http://www.spiritstore.ie/
 
Thanks for that Freddie, I know the road and I do go there regularly. I never knew it was called Hermitage. I'll spend a bit more time there next time.

Sounds like a good day out on Sunday, will try to make it.
 
Hi Sandra,

No problem. It's good to know there's another pair of eyes on the lookout there. Just for the record I had a little auk there a couple of weeks ago and in the recent past a little ringed plover and a few years ago a hoopoe (!!) were seen there. It is also a good place for Slavonian/Red-necked Grebe.
 
dropped by soldier's point today to check if the twite were still hanging around. somebody had taken a chainsaw to the trees they were in last weekend. words fail me...

:(
 
It is highly unlikely that permission was given by the county council for the removal of trees, particularly in the context of the (in its own right crazy) residential development going on down there at the moment...

I would suggest contacting Brendan McSherry ([email protected]), the heritage officer at louth county council. Copy on the message [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] (local green party councillor), [email protected] (national parks and wildlife - for attention of Louth County Ranger), niall hatch at BWI (see their website for contact details) and if that gets no response copy everything to [email protected], the local newspaper and maybe an taisce as well. Mention that Twite are a red-listed species in ireland and give a detailed description of what happened incluiding if possible before and after photos. Anyway that's what i would suggest...and would do the same in any instance of tree cutting, hedgerow destruction, infilling of ponds/waterways, drainage of reedbeds, inappropriate development etc etc
 
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breffni said:
Raise a stink! It is highly unlikely that permission was given by the county council for the removal of trees, particularly in the context of the (in its own right crazy) residential development going on down there at the moment...

I would suggest contacting Brendan MacSherry ([email protected]), the heritage officer at louth county council. Copy on the message [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] (local green party councillor), [email protected] (national parks and wildlife - for attention of Louth County Ranger), niall hatch at BWI (see their website for contact details) and copy everything to [email protected], the local newspaper. Mention that Twite are a red-listed species in ireland and give a detailed description of what happened incluiding if possible before and after photos. Anyway that's what i would suggest...and would do the same in any instance of tree cutting, hedgerow destruction, infilling of ponds/waterways, drainage of reedbeds, inappropriate development etc etc


I might just do that, it occured to me that the trees were cut down because some local resident didn't like the fact that they had birders behind their property. solution - get rid of trees to get rid of birders
 
Birding event at Spiritstore

Anyway the talk by Eric Dempsey in the spiritstore was attended by about 70 people and continued for an hour or so on the quay wall afterwards with demos of digiscoping etc - usual crop of birds (3 ruff the highlight) though earlier i had a very nice peregrine harrying a flock of fieldfare...

There will be a followup event in Carlingford on the 11th and 12th Feb...room in PJs (pub) reserved for afterwards...(see www.carlingford.ie)
 

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That's me looking through the nearest scope in your photo at the Spirit Store!! Were you the fella who owned it?

I really enjoyed the talk and it was a very good turnout.
 
ardnasx1 said:
That's me looking through the nearest scope in your photo at the Spirit Store!! Were you the fella who owned it?

I really enjoyed the talk and it was a very good turnout.

I'm afraid so - I was a bit quiet due to slight after effects of seeing a friend off to the US the previous night.
 
Well you were very helpful to my sister and her husband who are planning on buying new equipment. They were very pleased with your advice.

The quay there is certainly a great spot for birds. I'm only there a very odd time, fortunately the Boyne estuary which is near me also is excellent so I never have too far to travel.
 
Sounds like a good day had by all, pity I missed it.
I was doing some fishing on Lough Ross ( Between Cullaville and Crossmaglen ) that weekend, its a great spot for birdwatching also !
There must have been a couple of hundred Wigion there, they made there constant whistling noise all day.

Also about 5 Great crested grebes, 200 Lapwing and the odd comorant, that was just what i saw from the one spot !
A great location and real easy to gain access with paths marked out etc.
 
Also meant to mention that there were a half dozen Whooper Swans there. I'm guessing Whooper judging by the noise of them but cant be 100% as i has no binos with me.
 
I saw two fields with hundreds of what looked like greylag geese with some others mixed in today, only had pocket binoculars with me so couldn't identify them properly. They are in Greenmount about 2 miles south of Castlebellingham, across the road from the Statoil station. They arrived this morning, seemingly someone was out shooting at them but they were still there this afternoon.
 
Saw those geese in Greenmount. They were about two fields away and were difficult to identify, but they certainly looked like greylag. Took some photos and on close inspection I would agree that they were greylag all right. They took off when I was there, what a noise. Hopefully they will be there tomorrow.
 
MargaretM said:
Saw those geese in Greenmount. They were about two fields away and were difficult to identify, but they certainly looked like greylag. Took some photos and on close inspection I would agree that they were greylag all right. They took off when I was there, what a noise. Hopefully they will be there tomorrow.
Caught up with these on monday - thanks - about 40 greylags - good viewing spot. Last year they hung around the fields up the commons road (viewable from the barns half way up) but seem to have abandoned that area this year...checking mell quarry at the same time, no sign of the flock of tufted duck with the drake ring neck seen there on saturday...
 
I read in the paper about an event in Mornington this Saturday for World Wetlands Day. Has anyone heard anymore about this? There will be sod turning for a new Coastwatch nature study centre, a bird walk, a hedgerow walk and some discussions. I found the details in the paper are a bit hard to figure out.
 
ardnasx1 said:
I read in the paper about an event in Mornington this Saturday for World Wetlands Day. Has anyone heard anymore about this? There will be sod turning for a new Coastwatch nature study centre, a bird walk, a hedgerow walk and some discussions. I found the details in the paper are a bit hard to figure out.

Email with these details circulating:

Saturday Feb 4th World Wetland Days ‘06

Venue: Coastwatch Boyne fields, Mornington – see map Organisers: Coastwatch
Time: 12.30 – 3.30 pm
Events: Variety of wetland celebration, information and action – see program
Booking: very much appreciated but not essential,
Karin Dubsky [email protected] or 086 8111 684.
Aina Walsh [email protected]
Michael Gunn

PROGRAM: Coastwatch Boyne fields, Mornington, on the edge of the Boyne Estuary Ramsar site
11.00 Meeting with National Parks and Wildlife Service – Coastwatchers only.
12.00 Onward Register for activities, information and challenges
12.30 A quick shared bite - Bring your own hot flask & cups; tuck into host picnic food
Music and getting ready for turning the sod for the mini wetland centre
12..50 The mini wetland centre: Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch, Mike Haslam, Solearth and . Meath Leader representative.
1. 00 Joint sod turning. If you want to be a turner, bring a spade, or even an old spoon.
1.10 Planting to remember World Wetland Day and symbolize Future Hopes
Mairead McGuinness MEP leads the planting together with one Northern
Ireland representative and one from the Republic.
A few minutes to find your group. or ask about architecture or conservation.

1.30 Group activities start: Discover our Boyne - From here I see, hear and smell.
Gather at relevant group flag. Activities take 15 to 30 minutes, so you may
participate in a second activity. First come, first served. Pre book or on the day
a. Mussels and boats - Leo Boyle Mussel Fisherman
b. Canoe demo - silver kayak club (tbc)
c. Hedgerow audit of Boyne field hedge and advice to plant a new native species wildlife hedge - Anja Murray An Taisce Biodiversity Officer
d. Birds feed, rest, shelter and shout. They have families just like you. Birdwatch Boyne Branch
e. Grassland management and golf links sods - the organic way –
Stephen Hoey, Laytown and Mornington Golf club
f. The Boyne, saltmarshes, mudflats and channels, wading in life – 1 for children as treasure hunt, 1 for adults Aina Walsh, Karin Dubsky, Michael Gunn, Coastwatch
g. Learn to make baskets or St Brigit crosses Jacinta Walsh

2. 20 Gather to celebrate together.
2.30 End
_____________________________
Bring Wellies and warm wind proof clothes, tissues, a hot drink and something to sit on
Also consider bringing:
Binoculars if joining bird walk,
A pen, to jot down information
A sod turner – spade, trawl or even a spoon
Willow thin branch freshly picked
Camera
 
At Seabank yesterday there were redpoll, twite and linnets all together on the trees and hedges beside the carpark. Was able to get a great look at them, you could walk right up to them, there aren't shy. Also got a good look at several red breasted mergansers at Hermitage.

Herons have started their nesting process around Beaulieu Pond. (I know it's outside Dundalk Bay area so hope it's not a problem). Lots of them nest on an island on Beaulieu Pond every year and you can get a fantastic view of them feeding their young etc.
 
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