Irish Wildlife Observations 2013.

.. a rag worm swam past me this evening.

I caught 33 herring off mullaghmore last night.

All were decent size (maybe 1/2 to 1lb). The guide
(Declan, kiwi girl) said he hadn't seen herring since
he was a kid.

The mackerel we caught all had a lot of plankton
in their belly.

Maybe with the herring more cod this summer?

I caught 33 herring off mullaghmore last night.

All were decent size (maybe 1/2 to 1lb). The guide
(Declan, kiwi girl) said he hadn't seen herring since
he was a kid.

The mackerel we caught all had a lot of plankton
in their belly.

Maybe with the herring more cod this summer?

That's a hell of a herring, the Irish record is 1.001 lbs

Dipper on the Fane in Monaghan last week. It's 6 years since any where here so great to see.

So far this year I have seen one bee (honey) - two days ago. I was getting seriously worried and people around the place are telling me vegetable flowers are not getting pollinated. Very long winter.......still cold...........looks like a disaster. How is it elsewhere??

Saw a Dipper here in Sligo yesterday today , the first one for about 5 years .
I am pretty sure it was a Dipper rather than an Ouzel but would find it difficult to tell the difference at distance . I know the previous one was definitely a Dipper because it was running up the stream bed , under about 8" of water .
Nice .

Black throated diver at greenore co Louth today. I would have thought it a bit late for them but there you are!

It's a great time to be out and about. Gannets galore along the Meath/Louth coast today. Also plenty of tern, oystercatcher, shelduck, black guillemots...hardly had time to fish!

So far this year I have seen one bee (honey) - two days ago. I was getting seriously worried and people around the place are telling me vegetable flowers are not getting pollinated. Very long winter.......still cold...........looks like a disaster. How is it elsewhere??

Only half a dozen or so thus far, and midMay the place is usually swarmin with them. Swallows are chattering around the yard, but there are no flying insects for them to feed on yet, and I'm still filling the nut feeder for other species. More to the point - no flounders anywhere...

While fishing on Lough Erne yesterday, I saw flock of seagulls creating a commotion over one of the small islands. This island is used for nesting by swans, Canada geese, seagulls, ducks and possibly sandpipers and oystercatchers. When I got closer I realised there was a raven perched in a tree, presumably trying to steal eggs or chicks, but the gulls were having none of it. Eventually the raven flew off with the gulls in hot pursuit, mobbing the raven until it was at least quarter of a mile away. The raven is on the extreme right in the photo.

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

While fishing on Lough Erne yesterday, I saw flock of seagulls creating a commotion over one of the small islands. This island is used for nesting by swans, Canada geese, seagulls, ducks and possibly sandpipers and oystercatchers. When I got closer I realised there was a raven perched in a tree, presumably trying to steal eggs or chicks, but the gulls were having none of it. Eventually the raven flew off with the gulls in hot pursuit, mobbing the raven until it was at least quarter of a mile away. The raven is on the extreme right in the photo.

That's a fantastic photo...
I am out and about a bit but I've only ever seen ravens once. That was in the Comerage mountains. Childish I guess but even at my age I get a real buzz when I see something new....... I had never seen Tree Sparrows and then we were on holiday in Tunisia and tree sparrows were all around the pool each day............ my wife says I am easily pleased...................

OOps, I meant Comeragh.... Perhaps there was something Freudian in that one...................

While fishing on Lough Erne yesterday, I saw flock of seagulls creating a commotion over one of the small islands. This island is used for nesting by swans, Canada geese, seagulls, ducks and possibly sandpipers and oystercatchers. When I got closer I realised there was a raven perched in a tree, presumably trying to steal eggs or chicks, but the gulls were having none of it. Eventually the raven flew off with the gulls in hot pursuit, mobbing the raven until it was at least quarter of a mile away. The raven is on the extreme right in the photo.

That's a fantastic photo...
I am out and about a bit but I've only ever seen ravens once. That was in the Comerage mountains. Childish I guess but even at my age I get a real buzz when I see something new....... I had never seen Tree Sparrows and then we were on holiday in Tunisia and tree sparrows were all around the pool each day............ my wife says I am easily pleased...................

Thanks Globulin, were they Palm tree sparrows? I was in a café in Enniskillen a couple of years ago and a small bird was flitting about in the rafters. It must have been there for a day or two as eventually it dropped exhausted from a rafter into a lady's handbag. As she was reading a paper she didn't notice and you should have seen the look on her face when I asked her if I could retrieve the bird from her bag! And you should have seen the look when I actually pulled out a little treecreeper.

great pic JW. so what were you fishing for on Erne? - if you dont mind me asking. any success??
im heading down soon enough to fish it myself

great pic JW. so what were you fishing for on Erne? - if you dont mind me asking. any success??
im heading down soon enough to fish it myself

I got one small trout (10") on the fly, it was a very quiet day with no signs of fish. I hear that the fishing is only just "starting to pick up" and I'll be back very soon myself.

Seen a White Tailed sea Eagle yesterday in Mountshannon whilst fishing for pike. Couldn't believe the size......

If your around this area the twitchers are lined up along the jetty with their high powered scopes and cameras and will let you have a look at the nest.......

Well worth a nosey!!

I got one small trout (10") on the fly, it was a very quiet day with no signs of fish. I hear that the fishing is only just "starting to pick up" and I'll be back very soon myself.

nice1 JW, maybe i'll spot you out on the water. i'll keep an eye out for that big yellow mac!
havent heard of anything picking up just yet myself to be honest, on the contrary, but surely somethin has to happen soon.? am considering this weekend but there would need to be big improvements..
have you actually seen or been told of any fly about?
cheers

sorry, going slightly off topic here..
a PM would be greatly appreciated JW. thanks

A couple of pictures I got of what I think are Canada Geese they were hanging out with the Swans & Ducks & thought my finger was a snack! also a some Ducklings out with there mother feeding on fly's on the water surface, while I had just put the camera away I spotted a Stoat stalking them in the reeds But he got a shock when he seen me & made a hasty retreat!!

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Saw a stoat scuttling across the road yesterday when heading out fishing, no pic of course! However here's a pic of some Canada Geese with a crèche of young on the shores of Lough Erne yesterday, a couple of people have wrongly i.d'd other birds as Canada geese recently so now you know!

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

great pic JW. Funny, I have just returned from Lough Erne and have heard about these families of canada geese residing and breeding on the shores, nice to actually see a pic of them. is this a common thing for this bird to be nesting and rearing young here?? are they resident?
now im sure that i can distinguish them. thanks for posting