Northern Ireland Local Patch (1 Viewer)

[MarkHows]

A short video of my trip to Northern Ireland can be found on the link below

http://www.birdforum.tv/action/viewvideo/710/Northern_Ireland/?ref=markhows

And the trip report

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/2008trip/ireland.htm

Mark

 

[breffni]

Red kites released in NI: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7517700.stm

 

[johnwray205]

great news,lets hope they thrive like the buzzard did.

 

[s. james]

Nice pics and report fisi7chella.

Birds have went very quiet but last Thursday morning there was a grasshopper warbler singing from the Kinnego Meadows at Oxford Island. One or two chiffchaffs and sedge warblers still singing too.

4 buzzards over my house yesterday soaring and calling.

 

[fisi7chella]

Nice pics and report fisi7chella.

Birds have went very quiet but last Thursday morning there was a grasshopper warbler singing from the Kinnego Meadows at Oxford Island. One or two chiffchaffs and sedge warblers still singing too.

4 buzzards over my house yesterday soaring and calling.

Funny i nearly always hear a grasshopper warbler at oxford island when i am
there,not much different at belfast harbour last saturday when i called in
just a common sandpiper

 

[Derek Polley]

Mandarin Duck

I thought mandarins were confined to the Shimna but apparently not. I spottted this female (?) on the Braid River at Broughshane feeding quite happily below the footbridge downstream from the main bridge on the A42 to Carnlough

 

[s. james]

I thought mandarins were confined to the Shimna but apparently not. I spottted this female (?) on the Braid River at Broughshane feeding quite happily below the footbridge downstream from the main bridge on the A42 to Carnlough

I study rural and countryside management at Greenmount college and last year we went on a visit to a wee community duck pond somewhere in Broughshane adjacent to the River. They had released a lot of exotic ducks there plus some teals and stuff.

Probably an escapee from here?

 

[MarkHows]

Can some one explain the Mandarin situation in NI for me location and numbers would be appreciated.

I have a strange interest in non native species further info on my website

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/exotics.htm

Thanks

Mark

 

[sav]

Theres been a well estasblished population on the River Shimna in south Co. Down - this river flows through Tollymore forest park, reaching the sea in the town of Newcastle. The mandarins often appear close to the town, either on the river, or on the boating pool.

 

[s. james]

Can some one explain the Mandarin situation in NI for me location and numbers would be appreciated.

I have a strange interest in non native species further info on my website

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/exotics.htm

Thanks

Mark

I quite like the introduced species too and I don't like how people are so quick to want them exterminated! Ruddy ducks are great! (and I know all about the white headed duck situation). I also like mink and don't think they do much harm at all. Rabbits are also non-native (to Ireland anyway).

In my eyes as long as the species doesn't absolutely take over an eco-system it's OK and there's not much difference in human intervention by introducing a non-native species and human intervention in say the red kite case.

One species I would like to see introduced to Ireland is the water vole- it would probably thrive here and what harm could it possibly do? (Suppose the mink might get them though!)

 

[Pluvius]

Stephen I think you will find that one of the reasons that Corncrakes and Red Throated Divers are not very successful at breeding is because of predation by mink.

 

[s. james]

Stephen I think you will find that one of the reasons that Corncrakes and Red Throated Divers are not very successful at breeding is because of predation by mink.

Maybe so, but I'd say a much more important reason for them not being successful at breeding is the lack of suitable habitat. If there were more traditional hay meadows there'd be more corncrakes, mink or not. Red throated divers are a bit different but again I'd say lack of habitat is a much bigger problem than mink.

Plus you could say the same thing about foxes - a native species.They take an awful lot of lapwing eggs and chicks. A fully functioning eco-system includes predators as well. I don't like the way they've fenced the foxes out of Belfast Harbour Lagoon for example. A mammal society publication discussed the lack of predatory mammals in Britain/Ireland and how the american mink may play a similar role here to the european mink on the continent.

Slightly tongue in cheek here but re: the ruddy ducks, the white-tailed ducks themselves don't seem to mind breeding with them, so why should we worry about it?

 

[Derek Polley]

Had a trip on a boat today from Bangor to Craigavad and return. Highlight was 3 arctic skuas plus good views of gannets and sandwich terns fishing close to the boat. Also locked on to an odd bird flying North to South over the Lough. Took me a while to work out that it was a female kestrel flying from Kilroot to Helen's Bay - presumably on a day trip?

 

[DEREK CHARLES]

Plus you could say the same thing about foxes - a native species.They take an awful lot of lapwing eggs and chicks. A fully functioning eco-system includes predators as well. I don't like the way they've fenced the foxes out of Belfast Harbour Lagoon for example. A mammal society publication discussed the lack of predatory mammals in Britain/Ireland and how the american mink may play a similar role here to the european mink on the continent.

Hello Stephen,
It is not all bad news on the Fox's. A pair raised two young on the reserve, they must be the most heavily protected fox's in Ireland!
Let us hope the RSPB don't cull them as they used to shoot fox's on the reserve. They told me they would no longer shoot them, let us hope they keep their word.

Derek
ps pictures of Fox at the reserve!

 

[DEREK CHARLES]

The pictures!

 

[cidereduck]

gorgeous photos there derek

 

[Bananafishbones]

Hi Everyone

I have a visit shorlty to Ballynahinch for 5 days and intend to visit Strangford Lough. Can anyone advise a good part of the area to spend some time with my Bins + Camera



Thanks in advance
Dave

 

[Chkm8]

visitor

Went away on the boat for a few days. We went across Lough Neagh and down the Lower Bann where I saw numerous birds including flocks of 40 to 50 Lapwings. On arrival home we had an unexpected visitor. Pics below.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v168/cmate/Sp1_5362.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v168/cmate/SP2_5373.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v168/cmate/SP3_5385.jpg

 

[s. james]

Class photos from Derek and John!!! Good to see the foxes are well protected:t:

Kestrel looks like a juvenile to me?

 

[Chkm8]

Kestrel looks like a juvenile to me?[/QUOTE]

yes it seems a bit lost and spending a lot of time around the house. Last night roosting on the upstairs windowsill which was great as I go to within 6" of it. Today it is back roosting on a variety of places around the garden. Still waiting to see where it settles tonight.

John.