Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

magicbastarder

yes, i think newbridge house was one of the release sites?

plodder

Deleted User wrote: »

Wasn't there a breeding program in place in the Fingal area for Red Kites a few years back?

Yes, Fingal and Meath I believe. I've seen one out on the bike before in the Bellewstown area as there is a wooded area there that is quite isolated where I suspect a pair lives. I could see it just standing in a field. It always made sure to keep at least a couple of hundred metres away from me though. But, that one last night was right in front of us in full flight, no more than 15 metres away. The wing span is the most amazing part. Must have been close to 2 metres. If I had a dash cam it would have been some video. <don't know where that angry face icon came from >

Must keep an eye out in Bellewstown. I head that way on the bike a few times a month.

magicbastarder

my parents in law are not far from ashbourne, they used to have barn owls in a field near them. haven't seen them in a few years.

gmacww

Deleted User wrote: »

Wasn't there a breeding program in place in the Fingal area for Red Kites a few years back?

There was a good breeding program in a few places over the past few years. 30 of them were released into the wild in Wicklow about 10 years ago. There are a few that live in the woods just beside our GAA club (Blessington). Standing up there and watching them fly is just spectacular.

magicbastarder

i've seen a photo taken in wicklow, with 28 of them in the frame; they can be quite gregarious. most i've seen in the sky at one time is four.

Wishbone Ash

plodder wrote: »

.. I've seen one out on the bike before in the Bellewstown area...

I saw one in the Julianstown area last week while on the group ride - could be the same one.

magicbastarder

"Do Kilmashogue", they said.
"It'll be fun", they said.

youse bastards.

magicbastarder

i had to stop twice to catch my breath - legs were a little tired today, so i decided 'i'll take it easy'. kilmashogue responded with 'that ain't for you to decide'.

cjt156

Sally Gap; a tale of two roadsides.

West.


North towards Kippure.


East.



The road was still closed yesterday from the crossroads to the Glencree turnoff.
Passable, though, and the fires were out.

saccades

plodder wrote: »

Wasn't on the bike, but have to mention this as it was on my usual commuter route. Slowing down to approach the junction of R130/R125 in North Dublin yesterday evening, I saw this huge bird circling, which then swooped down in front of us to pick up a piece of road-kill. And it wasn't just a dead bird it picked up, but an entire four legged animal like a rabbit or fox. Grasped the whole thing up and took off. Must have been a Red Kite. They are absolutely magnificent creatures.

Red kites flock together in winter, loads in the avoca valley, however I suspect the bird seen would be a buzzard.

A red kite is really obvious and doesn't have the lifting power for a decent (for Ireland/UK) mammal, whereas buzzards are regularly misidentified as other birds of prey, are massive and would be able to lift even the biggest rabbit/hare (no idea on a fox tbh).


@cjt156. - great photos, thanks!

magicbastarder

i think a fully grown hare would be too much for a buzzard? they're about three times the mass of a buzzard.

magicbastarder

white tailed sea eagle FTW.

gmacww

magicbastarder wrote: »

i think a fully grown hare would be too much for a buzzard? they're about three times the mass of a buzzard.

Well is that an African buzzard or a European one?

Type 17

cjt156 wrote: »

Sally Gap...

The road was still closed yesterday from the crossroads to the Glencree turnoff.
Passable, though, and the fires were out.

It was (officially) open this morning - I went up from the city through Rathfarnham to the crossroads and back again - 57km in 2hr40m at an average of 21.5km/h, with an ascent of 835m.

saccades

magicbastarder wrote: »

i think a fully grown hare would be too much for a buzzard? they're about three times the mass of a buzzard.

Wild rabbits are not that heavy, suspect they are struggling in this dry weather to keep the body fat up. Would agree with the hare comment in hindsight.

Apart from the sea eagle (which I think has had the breeding program stopped due to poisoning), buzzard would be the biggest bird of prey in Ireland (maybe occasional osprey but pretty sure you'd have to wed them to fur) so it's most likely to be that the op saw.

Edit to say that golden eagles are back, that could/would lift a fully grown hare or young fox.

magicbastarder

They're not doing well in donegal unfortunately.

Alanstrainor

There was a bit of breeze on the Dublin coast this evening after work. I was tipping along at 30km/h and noticed someone was tight in behind me following me up the Clontarf/Sutton track. He was there a decent while and some time after the wooden bridge he pulls up alongside and says "I think it's my turn", I just gave him the thumbs up and he accelerated up to about 35ish. Impressive. I kept close for a little while and noticed he was checking back over his shoulder a decent bit, then he put his hand up and slowed. I passed him and he was fooked! Pushed it too hard, I slowed a good bit to let him tail me again but he was spent! Fair play to the chap! He tried his best to take his turn!

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

They're not doing well in donegal unfortunately.

Kinda understandable all the same if your livelihood depends on rearing mountain lambs and a golden eagle is picking them off.

magicbastarder

i don't think the issue is with farmers 'interfering' with the eagles directly which is the issue.
also, if you're rearing lambs in the uplands of donegal, your livelihood depends on subsidies, not lambs.

anyway, it's not direct intervention which seems to be the problem:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/golden-eagles-and-ireland-s-uplands-crisis-1.2489767

i'm trying to remember if it was the WTSE introduction or the golden eagle reintroduction (probably the latter, to be fair) where they brought farmers over from norway - where they're resident and doing OK - to tell the local farmers that lamb predation was the least of their worries.

ted1

Got caught off in the n11 by acar that accelerated past me just so he can turn into the Topaz before the fly over in Cabintelly, reckon I left a half my tyres in the ground I brakes so hard.

I was fuming , as I followed him in to the station. But managed to control my temper as I explained to him the error of his ways and asked him what he’d say to my three kids when he told kid them I wasn’t coming home because he couldn’t wait half a second. I think that humanised things for him

c.p.w.g.w

78Km spin this morning, longest spin since my return...good overall, but there were a couple of strava segments at the end of my route that i saved myself for...only to discovery my strava stopped tracking my with 9km to go...the segment i was targeting wasn't recorded ah sure gives me an excuse to go out tomorrow evening

P.S anyone know how long the road works in Newmarket on Fergus in Clare are set to last, was stuck at a stop n'GO for 11 minutes today

devonp

did a few hills this morning over around Saggart, Shankill rd and the lamb
about 85Km with 1200m of up


noticed today and on other spins road markings around Manor Kilbride in white with arrows TUH ??

what sportif is this ?? just curious

Justwinginit

Chain sagging when freewheeling, into lbs, not have back until next week:-( Cycle free weekend:-(:-(:-(

gaybeer

A spoke went on my front wheel 10km from home.....

Anybody know a shop that will do repair while you wait? Supposed to do big spin Sunday

neris

gaybeer wrote: »

A spoke went on my front wheel 10km from home.....

Anybody know a shop that will do repair while you wait? Supposed to do big spin Sunday

Sounds like you need a new bike

gaybeer

neris wrote: »

Sounds like you need a new bike

At very least new wheels

neris

gaybeer wrote: »

At very least new wheels

No a new bike. When your 1st bike breaks down you need a replacement till its fully repaired

secman

devonp wrote: »

did a few hills this morning over around Saggart, Shankill rd and the lamb
about 85Km with 1200m of up


noticed today and on other spins road markings around Manor Kilbride in white with arrows TUH ??

what sportif is this ?? just curious

Tallaght University Hospital sportive was on 2 Sats ago.

ted1

gaybeer wrote: »

A spoke went on my front wheel 10km from home.....

Anybody know a shop that will do repair while you wait? Supposed to do big spin Sunday

A decent shop might lend you a wheel.