Buzzard Population in Ireland

firestarter · July 31, 2012, 10:14:27 PM

Has anyone noticed what can only be described as an explosion in the numbers of these magnificent birds in ireland in this last 10 years?? particularly this last 5. Anyone any ideas of the reason for it other than the decline in myxomatosis and the ban on Strychnine neither of which are recent developments.

Olly · July 31, 2012, 10:18:25 PM

No but I have noticed an increase in spiders and webs. Can spiders bite you?

firestarter · July 31, 2012, 10:22:25 PM

yeah theres 2 species in ireland that can bite. The woodloose spider and the false widow spider ( both of which are unique looking and neither of which are dangerous unless your alergic)

Olly · July 31, 2012, 10:30:32 PM

Is there anything you can do to ward them off? e.g they're on your hand?

firestarter · July 31, 2012, 10:31:34 PM

you are bizzare

deiseach · July 31, 2012, 10:32:14 PM

Quote from: firestarter on July 31, 2012, 10:14:27 PM
Has anyone noticed what can only be described as an explosion in the numbers of these magnificent birds in ireland in this last 10 years?? particularly this last 5. Anyone any ideas of the reason for it other than the decline in myxomatosis and the ban on Strychnine neither of which are recent developments.

No idea, but it's bloody brilliant. There were a couple over my house recently. Magical

gawa316 · July 31, 2012, 10:37:49 PM

Was just thinking this the other day. I've seen more birds of prey in the last year than in all my life.

Quite a few along the N3/M3 and loads in Fermanagh near Cuilcagh and Marble Arch Geopark area

Tony Baloney · July 31, 2012, 10:39:49 PM

Quote from: gawa316 on July 31, 2012, 10:37:49 PM
Was just thinking this the other day. I've seen more birds of prey in the last year than in all my life.

Quite a few along the N3/M3 and loads in Fermanagh near Cuilcagh and Marble Arch Geopark area

A fair few around these parts of late too. No idea what exactly they are but they're not crows or robins. The knowledge runs out after that.

firestarter · July 31, 2012, 10:44:29 PM

wouldnt be an expert myself but fond of watching birds of prey in action. a buzzard lifted a small rabbit off the road in front of me yesterday. Quite the spectacle!

Olly · July 31, 2012, 10:51:10 PM

Quote from: firestarter on July 31, 2012, 10:44:29 PM
wouldnt be an expert myself but fond of watching birds of prey in action. a buzzard lifted a small rabbit off the road in front of me yesterday. Quite the spectacle!

That sounds horrible. The natural cruelty is barbaric. I'd have wrung the Buzzards neck or shot it in the head.

Orior · July 31, 2012, 10:52:35 PM

Also on the decline...

1) Goats. This inversely reflects the rise in nettles, overgrown hedges and ivy.

2) Cuckoos. A lot of Irish youngsters have probably never heard one.

3) Hedgehogs

4) Bees

5) Ladybirds

trileacman · August 01, 2012, 12:12:24 AM

Quote from: Orior on July 31, 2012, 10:52:35 PM
Also on the decline...

1) Goats. This inversely reflects the rise in nettles, overgrown hedges and ivy.

2) Cuckoos. A lot of Irish youngsters have probably never heard one.

3) Hedgehogs

4) Bees

5) Ladybirds

6) the quality of Olly's humour.

moysider · August 01, 2012, 12:49:28 AM

Quote from: firestarter on July 31, 2012, 10:14:27 PM
Has anyone noticed what can only be described as an explosion in the numbers of these magnificent birds in ireland in this last 10 years?? particularly this last 5. Anyone any ideas of the reason for it other than the decline in myxomatosis and the ban on Strychnine neither of which are recent developments.

Haven't noticed an explosion - in fact I haven't noticed a buzzard on the wing - but there was a pair spotted 10 miles away by lads that know their birds, a few years ago. The Kestrel and Sparrowhawk are the usual ones around here but I swear I spotted an Osprey once while driving many years ago. My mates were from Dub and Laois and were more put out that I gave a shite than giving a shite themselves. But when you see a large, mostly whitish bird of prey, it s kinda special.

Owls are another thing. You know they re about, you hear them sometimes and then you see them a few times over a few weeks and nothing since. The barn owl is a special bird but the long eared owl is seriously bigger than I ever imagined. More of these lads and there d be less rats about the place.

ardchieftain · August 01, 2012, 01:37:52 AM

There has been buzzards nesting near where i live for the last few years. It's a magnificent sight to see them on the wing. Must get the camera out some of these days.

Hardy · August 01, 2012, 06:24:32 AM

Quote from: moysider on August 01, 2012, 12:49:28 AM
More of these lads and there d be less rats about the place.

But then there'd be fewer owls about the place.