Some pictures I took recently

Flying Abruptly

stevensi wrote: »

They are great shots of a super looking bird. I have only seen adults once or twice but come across juveniles in the summer months a good view times as they do make a racket as dusk approaches looking to be fed. I would guess they must be getting ready to nest in your area. Listen out for the young in the summer; their call is sometimes compared to a squeeky gate.

Thanks

I pretty sure there are two of them so I'm guessing a male and female. They seem to be setting up in a pine tree which is less than 10 metres from the house. They come out around dusk and fly between the trees around the house for about 30 mins before moving off down the fields when it gets dark. They make quite a bit of noise so if there are young on the way its going to get a whole lot noiser! :pac:

They dont seem at all bothered by the prescence of people (or two cats). I set up my camera under another tree slightly hidden from view as I dont want to distrub them too much. Its get difficult to get focus right when its so dark but I'm happy with the results.

keps

Another quick visit yesterday from the local 'friendly' sparrowhawk

Unfortunately he generally positions himself to remain out of sight ( of other birds) so he his difficult to photograph. Only stayed a few seconds


sparrowhawk

keps

today


cormorant

Nightforce 65X55

Myksyk

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It's illegal to photograph a nest like this. You should not have approached that nest.

New Home

I didn't know that... it's on a dead tree in my own field. I won't go near them again.


EDIT - I deleted the post - apologies and thanks for letting me know I was doing something wrong.

OpenYourEyes

New Home wrote: »

I didn't know that... it's on a dead tree in my own field. I won't go near them again.

They're certainly a fantastic species to have on your farm! Most of us don't even have them in our counties or provinces, nevermind farms!

But its best to keep well clear of the nest during the season, and to just watch them from afar. Approaching the nest at sensitive times of the season could lead them to abandon the nest altogether.

OpenYourEyes

Mod Note: Since we're getting to that time of year again, I've copied and pasted a past status from Birdwatch Ireland's Facebook page regarding pictures of breeding birds, nests and eggs - just keep in mind that we'll be working along similar rules here (not that we've had any problems thankfully - it's just good to put a reminder up at this time of year!). If anyone does have pictures taken under NPWS license that they'd like to share, I'd appreciate it if you give the Mods a quick heads up first!

We would like to remind our Facebook fans to please refrain from taking or posting any photographs of bird nests that contain either eggs or chicks. In many cases, such photos are illegal under the Wildlife Acts unless taken under licence granted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

In most cases it's impossible for us to know whether a particular photo has been taken without causing illegal disturbance to the birds, and nest photography is not something that we wish to encourage: it can lead to abandonment of nests by parents and/or to chicks leaving the nest too early, and also can make nests more obvious and vulnerable to predators. As a result, BirdWatch Ireland has a blanket policy of deleting any nest photos that are posted to our Facebook page unless we know categorically that they have been taken under licence and that there has been no negative impact on the welfare of the birds.

One exception is photos or videos taken by nestbox cameras, where the camera was in place before the birds began to nest and, therefore, where no illegal nest disturbance will have occurred. Many thanks for your understanding.

Link for obtaining a license for photographing breeding birds and animals.

sumtings

Moorhen wrench

Hotei

keps

Elegant in and under water- not so elegant trying to get out!

cormorant

keps

@ sumtings

Your photo sizes are far too big -making them impossible to view for me anyway.
Can you reduce size?

sumtings

keps wrote: »

@ sumtings

Your photo sizes are far too big -making them impossible to view for me anyway.
Can you reduce size?

Is that better? Your images keep the detail, that one just there is very good, the patterns are really reptilian.

keps

sumtings wrote: »

Is that better? Your images keep the detail, that one just there is very good, the patterns are really reptilian.

Yep indeed - that is much better - I can see them on my screen now:):)

Nightforce 65X55

[IMG][/img]Red Kite in Tree 2 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Rook in Flight by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Red Kite 7 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Red Kite 6 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Red Kite 2 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Sparrowhawk 2 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Buzzard 1 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Irish Hares by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Rabbits 1 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

[IMG][/img]Sika Deer 1 by Rod Wilson, on Flickr

keps

@ nightforce

Lovely photos - love that Red Kite 6 photo-- is that a tag of some sort on its wing? ( both wings?)

Nightforce 65X55

Hi Keps ,

Yes there are 2 Tags in the Wings I have a better photo of the tags on Flickr , There are color codes and numbers on the tags , not sure what they stand for but would imagine these birds were tagged in the nest so would be native ....

OpenYourEyes

@ Nightforce

The female kestrel is actually a sparrowhawk!

Worth emailing the Golden Eagle Trust the pictures of the Red Kite with wing tags too, they're always interested to get sightings of tagged birds!

Want to help Red Kite research? We are updating our re-sightings database and need your help!

Citizen science forms an important role in conservation and is vital for on-going research into the re-introductions.

If you have any photographs of Red Kites showing their wing-tag number and colour from the past 7 years, we want to know!
Could you send any images with the location and of the re-sightings to Donal Hogan at hogando@tcd.ie or Marc Ruddock redkites@goldeneagle.ie

The re-sightings are of vital importance and are used to analyse the survival of kites and their distribution in Ireland.

Nightforce 65X55

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

@ Nightforce

The female kestrel is actually a sparrowhawk!

Worth emailing the Golden Eagle Trust the pictures of the Red Kite with wing tags too, they're always interested to get sightings of tagged birds!

I will send on the photos and details of the tagged bird , thanks OYE , Can Sparrowhawks Hover ? When I looked at the Stripped pattern in the Breast of the Bird I did Think Sparrowhawk , But this Bird did Hover above us for a couple of seconds ....

Have Sent the Photos to Mark Ruddock just now......

OpenYourEyes

Nightforce 65X55 wrote: »

I will send on the photos and details of the tagged bird , thanks OYE , Can Sparrowhawks Hover ? When I looked at the Stripped pattern in the Breast of the Bird I did Think Sparrowhawk , But this Bird did Hover above us for a couple of seconds ....

If there's the right breeze technically any bird can hover! Perhaps it was checking you out for a second before moving off either? Kestrels, and to a much lesser extent Buzzards are the only ones who'd use it on a regular basis though for sure. That being said, the more rounded wings of your bird and the 'fingers' at the end are a giveaway that it isn't one of the falcon species, which all have more sleek pointed wings. The barring of the tail of your bird is different to the falcons too!

keps

hooded crow

Hotei

savagethegoat

silhouette experts...what's this?

savagethegoat

this one is easier but not the same bird....

savagethegoat

and this is a cinch

cd07

1st pic looks like a sparrowhawk the other two red kite

savagethegoat

cd07 wrote: »

1st pic looks like a sparrowhawk the other two red kite

you are correct with 2 and 3, I actually don't know what the first is.

GreyEagle

I want to thank everybody who contributes photos to this topic. I really enjoy the efforts that people put into taking and sharing. When some aspects of life are not going too well, it is great to click on here and just enjoy the shots for a few moments. Thanks.

keps

GreyEagle wrote: »

I want to thank everybody who contributes photos to this topic. I really enjoy the efforts that people put into taking and sharing. When some aspects of life are not going too well, it is great to click on here and just enjoy the shots for a few moments. Thanks.

On the reverse side of that coin- it is great to get ' thanks' for a photo you have taken and shared.

Sometimes you wait with cold fingers and toes( especially this year) to catch a pic of something you think is worth sharing- and I'm sure all of us amatuers enjoy the appreciation shown by others:)