Plenty of BoP activity over the last couple of days. Six kestrels hovering or perched at different locations along the M3 between Clonee and Navan yesterday.
In Skryne between the crossroads and the GAA pitches a sparrowhawk burst from the cover of a hedgerow and flew straight into a mixed flock of finches and sparrows. What a commotion!! The chase went over the opposite hedgerow and across the pitches, by the time I got a look over the chase had moved on and the sparrowhawk was nowhere to be seen. It's always a sight to savour the speed the sparrowhawk achieves at such low altitude and the mayhem they cause when they crash into an unsuspecting gathering.
The usual three buzzards were out and about in Bracetown today. One flew off in the direction of the N3 towards Dunboyne and missed out on a bit of a feed. The two that remained within sight were quartering some fields just outside my field of view when they returned to one of their favourite trees and proceeded to take turns tearing and ripping at something they'd caught. I couldn't make out what exactly had fallen prey to them as a rather large branch was obscuring the view, however there was no hiding the fact that they were ripping flesh and entrails and having a right good feed, not simultaneously, one had a good go for about five minutes then moved aside and the other had a feed.
They eventually flew out of the tree and the larger one (of the three, the female) was clutching the remains of the feed in her talons. I got great views with the bins and the long tail and body colouring suggested they'd just had rat for lunch.
Later on on the N2 a kestrel was perched on the clock a mile south of Ashbourne, and another one was hovering just above the Ashbourne roundabout up the road.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A local weekend
I spent a quite weekend and never really ventured too far from home(the month of March can do that to you; some birds leaving to summer elsewhere, whilst we await the arrival of our own summer visitors) so not too much to report.
I saw a single raven on three separate occasions over the last few days, haven't seen the pair together since last week. I'm hoping they continue to hang around as who knows what may happen, they can nest early so here's hoping. I have to say at this point that I havent seen any signs of nest building. I'm of course presuming that the pair I've seen are a male and female. I'm not sure whether the single sightings I've seen are not individuals from the pair, I presume they are otherwise the raven count for the area has really gone through the roof!!
Plenty of the usual suspects for this time of year, today however I had a chiffchaff (first this year) calling loudly from the top of a tree.
The local buzzards (three as usual) were circling and as usual the hoodies only tolerated their presence for a time before they mobbed them and eventually drove them away, I'm always struck by just how much the buzzards will allow the hoodies dominate them without ever really giving as good as they're getting. This ritual of territorial protection is palyed out in front of me on a daily basis and I can't ever remember the buzzards coming out on top, they always just move on!
I saw a single raven on three separate occasions over the last few days, haven't seen the pair together since last week. I'm hoping they continue to hang around as who knows what may happen, they can nest early so here's hoping. I have to say at this point that I havent seen any signs of nest building. I'm of course presuming that the pair I've seen are a male and female. I'm not sure whether the single sightings I've seen are not individuals from the pair, I presume they are otherwise the raven count for the area has really gone through the roof!!
Plenty of the usual suspects for this time of year, today however I had a chiffchaff (first this year) calling loudly from the top of a tree.
The local buzzards (three as usual) were circling and as usual the hoodies only tolerated their presence for a time before they mobbed them and eventually drove them away, I'm always struck by just how much the buzzards will allow the hoodies dominate them without ever really giving as good as they're getting. This ritual of territorial protection is palyed out in front of me on a daily basis and I can't ever remember the buzzards coming out on top, they always just move on!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Raving Ravens
Late November 2010 I heard a very distinct call when out walking part of my patch. I was crossing some fields off the Bracetown to Kilbride road when I heard the "cronk" of a raven. Now theres a very healthy population of corvids in the area and I just couldn't locate the individual responsible. I'd never had a sighting of raven in this area so I was disappointed not to have gotten a view.
However, I heard more calls throughout December and just before Christmas I seen not one but two ravens in the area. Since then I've had numerous sightings of an individual and a couple of sightings of a pair! Now this is never going to make it onto most birders best of the year, but for me its a bit of a happening, is it possible ravens could breed on my patch!! My farmland patch, not my coastal cliffs patch or rugged mountain patch.... my flat as pancake, oh; there's wood pigeon number 500 of the day farmland patch!
I had the pair again today, being mobbed by hoodies. They settled on an electricity pole and gave great views for a while. I'm lucky to have plenty of Buzzards in the area and they too get mobbed by the hoodies so I was able to get a real comparison of the size of the ravens versus the buzzards. Getting this close this regular has really impressed upon me just how huge these very powerful birds are.
However, I heard more calls throughout December and just before Christmas I seen not one but two ravens in the area. Since then I've had numerous sightings of an individual and a couple of sightings of a pair! Now this is never going to make it onto most birders best of the year, but for me its a bit of a happening, is it possible ravens could breed on my patch!! My farmland patch, not my coastal cliffs patch or rugged mountain patch.... my flat as pancake, oh; there's wood pigeon number 500 of the day farmland patch!
I had the pair again today, being mobbed by hoodies. They settled on an electricity pole and gave great views for a while. I'm lucky to have plenty of Buzzards in the area and they too get mobbed by the hoodies so I was able to get a real comparison of the size of the ravens versus the buzzards. Getting this close this regular has really impressed upon me just how huge these very powerful birds are.
Wicklow Way
Sunday morning and I had a decision to make.... north to Louth, south to Wicklow or east(ish) to the Bull. I decided to head down Wicklow way the deciding factor was to see could I locate some crossbill's.
It takes approx 50 mins from Ashbourne to the town land of Kilnamanagh (hills above the Beehive on the N11) to a spot I've had crossbills previously. Like almost all outings, nothings ever certain, I've been her before and drawn a blank, other times you turn off the main road park the car and the first bird you see can be a crossbill.
It took about 30 mins walking and listening before I got a year tick, 2 male crossbills high up in the canopy giving good views before they were spooked and left.
Now what might have spooked them? Was it the hovering kestrel which came into view, the buzzard that circled just after the kestrel left, or the red-kite that flew over about a minute after the buzzard exited. Three great raptors in 5 minutes and I hadn't moved an inch!!
The usual woodland species filled the rest of a very enjoyable couple of hours in sunny Wicklow.
It takes approx 50 mins from Ashbourne to the town land of Kilnamanagh (hills above the Beehive on the N11) to a spot I've had crossbills previously. Like almost all outings, nothings ever certain, I've been her before and drawn a blank, other times you turn off the main road park the car and the first bird you see can be a crossbill.
It took about 30 mins walking and listening before I got a year tick, 2 male crossbills high up in the canopy giving good views before they were spooked and left.
Now what might have spooked them? Was it the hovering kestrel which came into view, the buzzard that circled just after the kestrel left, or the red-kite that flew over about a minute after the buzzard exited. Three great raptors in 5 minutes and I hadn't moved an inch!!
The usual woodland species filled the rest of a very enjoyable couple of hours in sunny Wicklow.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Baltrasna Barn Owl
I had another flyby from a Barn Owl last night. I was exiting the M2 at Ashbourne and the Owl crossed the slip road from the Baltrasna direction heading out of Ashbourne towards the copse on the hill opposite. I've had this happen a few times over the years at this particular spot.
The Barn Owls can sometimes be heard at night on Hickeys Lane (Ashbourne) and this is where I've seen them most. I spoke to one of the locals last summer and he says that he has seen them over many years in and around the area.
This was my first sighting this year, hopefully it wont be too long till I get another, as with most scarce birds it can sometimes be quite a while before they decide to show for you!
The Barn Owls can sometimes be heard at night on Hickeys Lane (Ashbourne) and this is where I've seen them most. I spoke to one of the locals last summer and he says that he has seen them over many years in and around the area.
This was my first sighting this year, hopefully it wont be too long till I get another, as with most scarce birds it can sometimes be quite a while before they decide to show for you!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Plovers
Two ringed plovers have taken up residence on some scrub land in Bracetown just off the old N3 recently. I noticed them when I saw a pair of the resident hoodies chasing one of them last Wednesday. I stopped for a closer look, at first not sure what the hoodies were chasing, but on a closer look it turned out to be a ringed plover.
The plover managed to evade the hoodies for long enough for them to give up the chase. I was passing again on Friday and decided to have a look and see was it still there and I discovered there were actually two of them!
I was just about to head off when one of the local buzzards, a large female decided she was going to have a go. She gave chase for a minute or so, but then she herself got mobbed by some of the corvids who call the area home, hence the plovers escaped thanks in all possibility to the very hoodies who were harassing them only two days previous.
The plovers were still present today, I cant think why, the area is a regular haunt for the above mentioned hoodies and buzzards, never mind the sparrowhawks and kestrels which are also commonly seen in the area.
The plover managed to evade the hoodies for long enough for them to give up the chase. I was passing again on Friday and decided to have a look and see was it still there and I discovered there were actually two of them!
I was just about to head off when one of the local buzzards, a large female decided she was going to have a go. She gave chase for a minute or so, but then she herself got mobbed by some of the corvids who call the area home, hence the plovers escaped thanks in all possibility to the very hoodies who were harassing them only two days previous.
The plovers were still present today, I cant think why, the area is a regular haunt for the above mentioned hoodies and buzzards, never mind the sparrowhawks and kestrels which are also commonly seen in the area.
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