December
At this time of the year the most valuable thing in your garden is the bird table/feeder. At the moment the garden is alive with little and medium sized birds swooping in and enjoying the grub left out for them. I spend ages each day watching the antics that unfold. Especially the feisty robin trying to claim all the territory and grub for himself!
The Birdwatch Ireland Survey is still running. The
link is as follows http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/OurWork/ResearchSurveys/GardenBirdSurvey/tabid/121/Default.aspx
There you can fill it out online or print out a
sheet for whatever suits your needs. Get
all the family involved.
If you are out for a walk, some of the hedgerows
and trees are now bare of foliage, sometimes you can be lucky enough to see
nests that were used during the spring and summer breeding season. Many of the small birds have neat rounded
nests, whereas the crows, rooks and jackdaws have incredibly messy nests high
up in trees.
Even more birds are visiting our wetlands and
shores at this time of year. Duck,
waders and swans are to be seen now, many drakes displaying magnificent plumage
before the mating season starts. If you
cannot get to the shore try the Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre in Tralee for an
abundance in birdlife.
As Christmas approaches many of us bring the
traditional foliage into our homes. The
holly with the bright red berries (female one only) is often considered unlucky
to bring indoors but I have always brought some in from the bush in my garden
to put over the fireplace. I also bring
in ivy, sometimes to the dismay of others as the odd spider gets brought in
too! I have never found mistletoe yet, I
understand it likes to piggy back on certain fruit trees like apple and lime or
hawthorn and poplar too. Maybe a walk in
the National Park in Killarney might help me see it in its natural habitat. The Park is featured in the Winter edition of
Irish Wildlife Magazine.
From all of us in the Kerry Branch, have a very
warm, safe and happy Christmas.