The Irish Naturalist

By Owen Beckett

Tag: birds

Siskin

January and February 2021: some highlights…

March 1, 2021 /

For the wildlife enthusiast, winter can be a dull affair. Many insects will be hibernating, migrant birds such as warblers, Swifts and Swallows will have left our shores and I could count on one hand the numbers of wildflower species which are brave enough to bloom during these cold, short days!

For many, attention is drawn naturally to the animals which remain conspicuous at this time of year, especially birds.  I am no different. Whilst dreaming of warmer days ahead filled with colourful flowers and a wealth of insects, I content myself during the interim with the birds that are attracted to the bird feeders in my garden and occasionally, further afield.

This winter, I decided to experiment a bit with the bird food I put out. Usually, peanut feeders and breadcrumbs on the ground would attract Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Robins, Chaffinches and Dunnocks, with Song Thrushes, Long-tailed Tits, Jays and Goldfinches visiting occasionally.

I decided to add some sunflower hearts and it wasn’t long before the variety increased substantially. Within the last month, Siskins have become regular visitors. These are typically found less frequently in gardens and tend to live in wooded areas with Alder and coniferous trees. Redpolls often inhabit similar areas and they too have been seen in the garden recently. The other new regular visitor is a lone female Greenfinch, which despite only appearing on her own is a nice observation to make as this species has fallen dramatically in numbers due to Trichomonosis, a disease which first appeared here in 2006.

The Song Thrush appears to have become a more frequent visitor, as have the Long-tailed Tits and Pied Wagtails (although this could be down to food availability in the wider area, rather than the greater variety of foodstuffs in my garden). Goldfinches too are more abundant than ever, with counts into double figures not uncommon. It is interesting to watch the bird hierarchy at the feeders, as Goldfinches tend to rule the roost and feed first, followed by Great Tits, Blue Tits then Coal Tits. The Siskins and Redpolls seem to be on the same level as the Goldfinches, but when the Greenfinch appears, all the aforementioned birds quickly make way! Blackbirds and Song Thrushes seem to ignore this, whilst Robins, Dunnocks and Chaffinches seem willing to tolerate other species but display a complex hierarchy amongst their own.

There are several other species which have appeared once or twice this winter, one of them being the Mistle Thrush. This robust thrush is paler and stockier than the Song Thrush and during the winter will associate with other thrushes in large flocks. It seldom visits gardens, preferring to feed in fields, along hedgerows or on the edges of woodlands, so to see a few individuals gorging on the Privet berries beside my house was a nice surprise!

The Collared Dove and Jay are two larger birds which only visit periodically. The former is a recent colonist in Ireland although can be found commonly in farmland and urban areas across the country. The Jay is a reclusive woodland-dwelling crow, which sometimes nests in the copse close to my house. They visit the garden searching for bread or peanuts periodically throughout the year and when they do, there is often little left by the time they have finished!

The Yellowhammer too has been seen for the first time in the garden this winter, as has the rare Brambling. Yellowhammers have undergone a rather stark decline in recent decades, likely as a result of hedgerow removal and and the increasingly common practice of ploughing and sowing fields in autumn, which removes the stubble which sustains them during the winter. They can be heard singing in my local area in spring, but to see a female in the garden was special! The Brambling on the other hand is a rare winter visitor from Scandinavia. It often wanders from its breeding range looking for food and during this time it will often associate with its close relative the Chaffinch. Unfortunately my new longer range lens did not arrive in time to photograph either species well, so my rather poor shots will have to suffice until next winter when I will (hopefully) get some better shots.

Moving on, some recent mild weather towards the end of February has tempted to early spring flowers to bloom. Colt’s Foot has appeared over the past few days. This flower looks similar to a Dandelion but blooms earlier and interestingly, it produces flowers before its leaves, the opposite of most other flowering plants. Hazel catkins have also appeared and a few shy Lesser Celandines are tentatively opening their petals in response to the mild sunshine. I’ve also seen a few early insects on the wing, notably several Honey Bee workers foraging on Gorse and winter Heather and a few Droneflies (Eristalis tenax).

I couldn’t finish without mentioning the humble Common Frog. During a visit to Breen Wood in Co. Antrim recently, I came across many croaking adults in some of the shallow pools along the main trail. One of these was buff-coloured with a greenish tinge, which I have been told is a rare colour variation. Frogspawn was abundant here, indeed I don’t think I have ever seen so much in all my life! There is also a smaller amount of fresh spawn in some patches of shallow water close to my house, which I will monitor over the coming weeks to check on the progress of the next generation!

Spring is just around the corner and after a winter under lockdown, I can scarcely remember a time when I have been looking forward to it so much. Bees and butterflies will soon be on the wing and hopefully I will be able to write about some new sightings in my next post!

Spring Butterflies 2019

May 4, 2019 /

After a long winter, the first few days of warm sun and clear skies were very welcome. With it, there came the first few butterflies of the year. In the north of Ireland, it’s Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells which emerge first, usually in late March where they will be found sunning themselves and feeding on dandelions. They often are quite tattered and dull, due a long winter spent in a tree hollow or shed having emerged the previous summer. It’s only in late April or early May however that the variety of butterflies starts to really increase.

Orange Tips are real springtime butterflies, emerging just as their foodplant, Cuckooflower begins to bloom. Males will perch or patrol their territory in the hope of coming across a female, who tends to fly slower along the verges in search of egg-laying sites. Green-veined Whites also share this foodplant and tend to emerge around the same time. In early May they are further joined by emerging Small and Large Whites, who tend to prefer gardens and rich flowery areas and the Irish speciality the Cryptic Wood White.

In woodland areas and sometimes in gardens, Holly Blues will emerge alongside the ever-present Speckled Wood. The Holly Blue is one species in Ireland that has been steadily increasing in both range and abundance for several years now. I had never seen one in my garden until around 2012/2013 and now they are seen every spring, with the occasional one in late summer. In scrubby areas, especially near bogland, Green Hairstreaks are a welcome sight. These little green jewels dart around bilberry and gorse bushes before landing suddenly and angling their wings towards the sun to warm themselves up.

Aside from butterflies, there are many other creatures who show themselves once the days begin to lengthen and the weather picks up. Queens of the Early, Garden, Buff-tailed, White-tailed, Red-tailed and Common Carder Bumblebees awake after a long hibernation in our gardens and woodlands and immediately start searching for fresh dandelions and willow blossom to replenish their energy levels before starting a new colony. In more rugged rural areas they are joined by the Heath, Moss Carder and Red-shanked Bumblebees. Solitary bees also start to appear around this time, with species such as the Ashy Grey Mining Bee buzzing in and out of their burrows.

Along with our resident bird species, we welcome visitors from Africa and Europe such as the Cuckoo, Swallow, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and House Martin to name but a few, who soon fill the air with their songs and calls. With Daffodils blooming, tree leaves bursting out and Bluebells carpeting our woodland floors, how can you not love spring?

Zadar and Paklenica: July 2018 (Day 4)

September 18, 2018 /

Before I came to Zadar, one area I read about consistently whilst searching various websites for information on Croatia’s wildlife was Paklenica National Park. From what I could gather it was filled with interesting rock formations, pristine forests, a myriad of wildflowers and tonnes of different animal species; so when the day came where I was finally able to visit it I admit I was rather excited!

Because I only had one day to visit I planned a route which would allow me to see as wide a variety of wildlife as possible, or so I hoped. My planned route would take me from the entrance of the park, through a large gorge up 400m to a small hut. From there I would ascend a further 1000m up a valley through Beech and Pine woodland to a large, open mountain meadow called Struge and then return to the park’s entrance. All in all it would take me about 10 hours to complete so on the 28th of July I woke at 5 in the morning full of anticipation!

After a 30 minute drive I began my hike. Starting at 6:30 allowed me to get a good portion of my walking done before the sun rose above the gorge and it got too hot. After about an hour of walking I reached the Paklenica Mountain Hut, where I took a much-needed break. The temperature was creeping up steadily and it wasn’t long until I saw my first butterflies of the day. 5 minutes from the hut was a small hostel with some patches of Cream Scabious flowers, which attracted a lovely range of species, including Queen of Spain, Silver-washed and High Brown Fritillaries, Southern Small Whites and Large and Mallow Skippers. At this point the pathway became a little more ambiguous so I stopped to ask the hostel owner, who insisted that i take some local Rakija before we spoke, which I politely declined (homemade brandy before 9am before an arduous hike above steep cliffs seemed like a dodgy idea) Under the assurance that I would be back later for a drink, he guided me in the right direction and I was on my way.

From this point the path veered westwards, as I began to walk through the dense Pine and Beech woodland up the side of one of several valleys and the shade it provided was rather welcome. The odd clearing allowed for several flowers to grow, such as Wild Thyme, Italian Eryngo, Allium, Cream Scabious and Greater Knapweed, which in turn attracted many butterflies. Holly Blues were rather numerous, along with Silver-washed Fritillaries and Woodland Graylings, with the odd Marbled White and Pearly Heath making an appearance. I was delighted to find Meleager’s and Chalkhill Blues, as they were both new species for me. As I climbed higher to around 1000m, Scotch Argus butterflies became quite abundant, although they were very reluctant to settle for me!

As I continued to ascend the landscape opened up and I soon found myself among light scrub with a whole new host of species. Crag Martins and Swifts soared above the peaks, along with what I believe to be Choughs and the odd larger bird of prey, mostly Peregrine Falcons. Thyme and Scabious flowers hugged the path’s edges, which in turned were hugged by Blue-spot Hairstreaks. One or two Mountain Small Whites were about along with the usual combination of Fritillaries (Silver-washed, High Brown and Queen of Spain). A Great Sooty Satyr perched nicely on the pathway in front of me, as did several Meadow Browns, Scotch Arguses and Graylings. The star of the show was one of the prime targets of the trip: the Apollo. The large mountain butterfly glided around the rocky pass as if it was viewing its kingdom and it had a certain ‘aura’, which despite the myriad of other species flying around, managed to totally captivate me.

Just on up from the Buljma Pass was Struge, the large alpine meadow which was as far as I had planned to go. It was odd that two locations in such close proximity would display such a contrasting range of species. Gentian flowers, Thyme, Scabious and Thistles, along with several fine grasses, dominated this area, which was fringed by clumps of Dwarf Pine, a species restricted to mountains. Mountain Small Whites and High Brown Fritillaries , along with Chalkhill Blues, were very abundant here. Several Erebia species, such as the Mountain, Black and Ottoman Brassy Ringlets flew here too which was a real highlight for me. I sat there for about 45 minutes just soaking up the atmosphere, as long as I could spare before it was time for me to begin my descent.

On my way down in addition to many species mentioned already, I saw a Brimstone and a rather fierce-looking Stag Beetle, as well as a Southern Comma and a Balkan Whip Snake. I’ll admit I didn’t pay as much attention to the wildlife on the way down, as my descent was hastened by the promise of dinner by the promenade in Zadar! My only stop was for an ice-cold beer in the hostel before meeting mum again in the car park; not a bad way to finish the hike!

Sheskinmore: June 2018

July 16, 2018 /

Sheskinmore Lough is a nature reserve  in the northwestern corner of Ireland and is hailed as Donegal’s jewel in the crown for wildlife. Three quarters of Ireland’s butterfly species have been recorded here, as well as many moths, dragonflies, bees, birds, plants and mammals.

For me personally the reserve peaks in the months of June and July, when the air is filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers mixed with the cool freshness of the Atlantic, Sand Martins and Swallows hawk for insects over the grassland, the songs of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits surround you whilst the butterfly and bees hop from flower to flower. On a sunny day it is one of my favourite places to be and I always love getting the opportunity to travel there at this time of year.

I usually enter the reserve via Tramore Strand. This is a magnificent Irish surf beach which is great for a swim and produces some impressive waves at times, although there was virtually no wind about today, which was ideal for watching wildlife. Behind the embryo dunes there are numerous patches of Kidney Vetch and Bird’s-foot Trefoil, along with a smattering of Early Purple Orchids and various Marsh Orchids. It is always teeming with butterflies, particularly Small Blues which is always a nice sight. Small Heaths and Common Blues also are common here along with Common Carder and White-tailed Bumblebees.

At the far end of Tramore there is a gate into the reserve itself, where the habitat is mostly coastal heath and calcareous coastal grassland. This section of the reserve is rich with wildflowers and insects in particular. Common Centuary, Meadow Thistle, Scarlet Pimpernel, Wild Thyme and Common Butterwort all occur here. It is no exaggeration to say that every few steps I flushed out a Small Heath from the grass; they were everywhere! As always there were a few Small Coppers and the odd Dingy Skipper which is always nice to see and by mid-June the Common Blues and Six-spot Burnet moths typically start to emerge and there was a handful of both species here too. The coastline of Donegal is one of the few areas where I have seen Moss Carder and Red-shanked Carder Bees. Both of these bumblebees are quite scarce and no doubt the abundance of wildflowers and lack of agricultural activity on the reserve appeals to them.

Further along the path there are several large pools in some of the lower dune troughs which host a nice variety of dragonflies and damselflies. The Four-spotted Chaser is one of the larger species, along with the smaller Large Red Damselfly and Blue Damselfly.  I love sitting by the pools and watching Sand Martins and Swallows skim the surface for a drink as they are such fast, acrobatic birds and a real sign of Spring and Summer.

I generally walk back via Ballinreavy Strand, a wide open beach beside the Owenea and Owentocker estuary to observe some of the wildlife there. Usually there are some Sandwhich terns here along with some Curlews, Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers, combing the fringes of the water for small invertebrates. Looking into the small tributaries along the beach I saw some small Flounders, which quickly disappeared with a puff of sand when they saw my shadow.

At this time of year I always leave this place on a high and once again it did not disappoint!

 

Galicia: June 2017

July 5, 2018 /

My decision to travel to Galicia was rather last minute as my mum was heading there to do the final 120km of the Camino de Santiago and I left it until 2 weeks before we were due to leave to tell her that I wished to join her. The Camino is essentially a Christian pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, where St James’ shrine is located and the route from the Pyrenees towards Santiagio winds through the Spanish countryside for several hundred kilometres. It is incredibly popular and attracts thousands of people annually. I thought it was a good opportunity to take my camera and see what I could find as June is  a very good time to see wildlife. Despite the number of visitors to the region, there was not a lot of information I could find regarding the plants and animals found there, so I decided just to wing it!

Initially when I arrived I was surprised by the landscape; not at all like that of southern Spain as it was surprisingly lush and reminded me of Ireland, except much warmer! Its close proximity to the Atlantic was largely the reason for this but thankfully it only rained on the final day and for the first four days it was sunny and warm; perfect for finding insects. On day 1 we walked through rolling hills and wooded lanes and I managed to find a few new species for me, including the Serin, Cirl Bunting and Iberian Marbled White. House Sparrows were seen in almost every stone building we walked by which was a lovely sight. Towards the end of the walk, after about 20km there was an area of flowery meadows which was alive with insects, with swarms of butterflies, bees, moths and flies all feeding avidly on the various wildflowers which were growing in profusion.

The site was great for butterflies in particular, with the Iberian Marbled White, Brown Argus, Clouded Yellow, Small White, Small Skipper and Dark Green Fritillary all in flight. In addition I saw a few new species, including the Mallow Skipper, Marsh Fritillary and Short-tailed Blue, which I saw egg-laying on Clover. Several nice day-flying moths were also around, along with some leaf beetles, although I’m not quite sure of the species! All in all it was a great way to start my trip.

The second part of the Camino led us up into the hills, where the landscape was reminiscent of parts of Donegal, which was rather odd to me. Once again the Iberian Marbled White was rather ubiquitous, along with Meadow Browns and the odd Small Heath. In addition there were several Marbled Fritillaries, which were great to see. These medium-sized butterflies are fast fliers and look rather like the familiar Dark Green Fritillary found at home. Their larvae feed on Bramble, which made sense as there was no shortage of it about! The path led us down from the hills and through some nice wooded margins, where I saw some White Admirals, gliding effortlessly. Other species seen that day included the Pearly Heath, Common Blue, Long-tailed Blue and Small Copper.

The route travelled on the remaining three days became increasingly less remote as we homed in on our destination, with busier roads and more buildings by the day. Still, every so often there would still be a patch of scrub or a flowery meadow which would be worth searching. I saw my first Wood White along this stretch, another species found in the UK and Ireland but prior to the trip had always managed to elude me! Long-tailed and Short-tailed Blues were seen in the scrubby areas, along with Large, Small and Essex Skippers, Pearly Heaths, Iberian Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns. I got some decent shots of the lovely Moss Carder Bee, which was seen shortly before I spotted the unusual Geranium Bronze butterfly, an invader from South Africa. Other species seen were the Brimstone, Clouded Yellow, Peacock, Beautiful Damoiselle, Silver-Washed Fritillary and Grayling.

As I approached the main cathedral in Santiago de Compostela I not only looked forward to finishing the arduous task that I had undertaken, but also reflected on what a good and rewarding trip it had been. Plenty of new species were seen and I hope this has shown that the wildlife in Galicia is just one of the many good things about doing the pilgrimage. Buen Camino!

Two-tailed Pasha, Querenca, Portugal, July 2016

The Algarve: July 2016

July 3, 2018 /

The Algarve is Portugal’s southernmost region and is well known among golfers and sun-worshippers. What it is less well known for is its rich variety of wildlife, particularly in the less touristy areas which are very often located far from the coast or in the hills.

Before I set off I had several places in mind to try for wildlife based on a Cicerone guidebook of the region, which were Fonte de Benemola and the reserve at Feiteira, as well as the area surrounding the house I was staying in outside Tavira. All three are located in the Barrocal, a limestone area between the coast and the mountains, which in general, supports the widest variety of plants and animals.

Our house was located about 6km northwest of Tavira in a hilly area filled with pine, oak, orange, fig and eucalyptus plantations which were surrounded by lavender, gum cystus and sage, hugging the hillsides in thick clumps. By July many of the flowers have gone over for the year, and much of land can appear dry and barren but I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by the wildlife that could be virtually seen from the doorstep. In addition the only plants still in flower were Clustered Carline Thistles, some French Lavender and the odd small Hawkweed, so finding nectaring insects wasn’t difficult. The Southern Gatekeeper was by far the commonest butterfly here and was accompanied by Meadow Browns and Small Heaths fluttering among the strands of grass. In the early morning sun, species such as the Sage, False Mallow and Red-underwing Skippers basked on the hot, stony pathways and fed avidly on the Carline Thistles. They were frequently joined by Common/Southern Blues, Small Coppers and the odd Southern Brown Argus. There were a few Clouded Yellows and Painted Ladies about and I managed to get a sighting of a Swallowtail feeding on the Lantana by the house and a Bath White resting beside the driveway. Whilst walking along the paths and dry riverbeds I frequently disturbed Blue-winged Grasshoppers, which as their name suggests, have distinctive blue wings which they keep hidden away whilst resting. The occasional Dwarf Mantis would walk across the patio by the pool which was always a pleasant sight; maybe not if I was a small grasshopper though! To top off the insects I stumbled across a Striped Hawkmoth, a large southern species which i found hiding in the shade; can’t say I’d blame it.

Bird life in the area was not particularly diverse but sill included many species I’d never seen before, such the Sardinian Warbler, Rufous Bush Robin and the Azure-winged Magpie. We were also visited by a small flock of Reg-legged Partridge, who were foraging just at the bottom of the driveway, which was another lovely sight. All in all not a bad place to be staying in!

The first site I travelled to was Fonte de Benemola, a small spring in the hills outside Loule. With so much of the Algarve being so dry whilst I was there, seeing the running water of the Fonte was almost a strange sight for me but a welcome refuge for many birds, insects and amphibians. The spring lay at the bottom of a v-shaped valley and the hillsides were mostly covered in Maquis, a Mediterranean scrub consisting of a wide variety of small trees and shrubs, such as Strawberry Tree, Oleander, Cork Oak, Mediterranean Buckthorn and Almond. Bramble and some Umbellifers grew along the hedgerows whilst parts of the spring were flanked by giant reeds, which the locals use for basket-making. This site was by far the best for insects on the trip, especially butterflies. Mediterranean Thyme grew prolifically and attracted a whole host of species, especially Small Copper, Common Blue, Brown Argus and the Skippers. Small Whites, Clouded Yellows and one or two Swallowtails were also seen feeding on the thyme.

The site also presented a few new species for me which were seen further along the trail such as the Cleopatra, which was constantly patrolling along the hedgerow. Two Irish species, the Wall Brown and Purple Hairstreak were seen here too and were two more first-timers. The icing on the cake was the sighting of the magnificent Two-tailed Pasha, a huge butterfly by European standards with a very powerful flight. I initially saw it feeding on a pile of dung; a common activity for this species!

As I walked down towards the spring itself there were dozens of Copper Damoiselles; beautiful, dainty dragonflies with distinct dark wings.  I also disturbed a small terrapin by on of the pools, possibly a Spanish Terrapin, which was another nice surprise. As I made my way back towards the entrance, I spotted a large black flying insect which turned out to be a Violet Carpenter Bee; the largest species I’ve seen. All in all it was a very enjoyable walk with plenty of wildlife to see. A must for anyone travelling to the Algarve.

The third location of note was situated deep into the hills and was rather remote. A small hilly valley which surrounded a dry riverbed with abundant Oak trees, it was entitled ‘The Reserve’ and was located in Feiteira. I remember it being a very hot day; over 35 Celsius and being rather hard to find but after a detour lasting about an hour we eventually found it. It was interesting to watch the locals nearby harvesting the cork, which they do by slicing into the thick bark and removing it in deep rings. I must admit I was very glad of the shade provided by the trees, as walking on the hot stony ground in the blazing sun was rather uncomfortable at times.

The shade was also attractive to butterflies it seemed, with several new species for me seen at the reserve. These included the Dusky Heath, Woodland Grayling and the rather impressive Striped Grayling. As I wandered down towards the dry riverbed, there were some clumps of Bramble growing which attracted Common/Southern Blues and Small Coppers, as well as some Honeybees. One new species which I would have been happy not to have gotten close to was the Dark Giant Horsefly, a bumblebee-sized biting fly with a low humming flight which was circling my legs whilst I was trying to photograph butterflies! I didn’t fancy getting bitten so I returned to the trail and continued to follow it as it ascended through the woodland. I found it interesting the the tiny flowers of the Cork Oak were being mobbed by wasps and bees, as they were so small and didn’t carry much scent. I was keen to see if any hairstreaks were basking among the oak leaves and proceeded to shake the branches of several of the smaller trees to try and flush them out, which must have looked rather odd to the local cork harvesters! I managed to glimpse a few but none of them hung around long enough for me to identify them, never mind photograph them. Having said that I was happy with seeing three new species of butterfly as well as a Golden Oriole and a Nightingale, which was fantastic.

Despite the fact that I made the journey during a time when the Algarve was not at its peak, I was chuffed with the wildlife I managed to see, especially the butterflies and birds. I am excited to return someday in the spring, when many of the rare Orchids and beautiful flowers are in bloom and hopefully I get the chance soon. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the natural world and indeed to anyone who enjoys a bit of travelling.

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