The wintery weather can sometimes make January
a very bleak month, with it’s cold short days and even colder long nights. Spare a thought for
our wild creatures struggling through the wind & rain in a constant battle
for survival.
On a rather windy day on the 3rd weekend in
January I went to see what I could find around Tralee Bay’s Marshes & Mudflats. The first
things I spotted are two different species of the Duck family. The Teal is a
very small Duck, Irelands smallest (34-38cm). The Male has superb markings and
a rusty red head with a emerald green band running across its eye, quite a
striking bird when viewed through binoculars.
The Female Teal has mottled brown
markings, great for camouflage when on the nest, similar to the female Mallard.
Next to them was a Male Mallard (50 - 65cm), this too has beautiful markings,
with its bottle green coloured head and bright yellow beak. I attempt to get
closer to get a better photograph but they quickly fly away. Moving further
along in a marshy area with plenty of reed cover are 4 more Teal who rose up
almost vertically not long after I spotted them and called the alarm as a
Kestrel shots by them and away over the surrounding fields. The Kestrel would
be on the look out for smaller prey than a Teal but in nesting season a
duckling would probably be on his menu.
Nearby in a water pool at the grassy
edge was a Greenshank (Wader 30 - 31cm) in winter plumage, they poke their long
beaks into the mud and snap up whatever they can find. The one in the photo is
catching a small frog lying dormant deep down in the mud (see photo). Like a
lot of Waders the Greenshank changes its plumage when the season changes. Greenshank eggs were quite a
trophy to have when egg collecting was the fashion way back in the dark days of
the past. Overhead a large number (500+) of Lapwings flew
by and are over Wintering on Tralee Bay. They like to rest in the fields when
then tide is in and then feed on the mudflats when the tide is out. Often
spotted with them are Golden Plovers a very small bird, they have a Golden glow
about them with their brown feathered backs. Also a partial Winter migrant.
Then I spot Irelands Largest Duck The Shellduck 58 - 65cm, there were a pair
way off in the distance on the mudflats. A beautiful Goose like bird, mainly
white with a dark head and bright red beak. It nests in a burrow like a Rabbit
would do, in undisturbed quiet areas around rivers & estuaries. So we have
the smallest and the largest Ducks in Kerry too. In many estuaries in the
winter time you will find thousands of waders of many kinds one in particular
which very much overlooked is the Turnstone (Wader 23cm) a small bird dark in
colour white belly with red legs. A visitor to our shores with superb
camouflage.
The Bar Tailed Godwit (Wader 38 - 42cm) which looks a little like a
Curlew at this time of year but smaller in size. These small birds have flown
all the way from the High Arctic region of our planet travelling thousands of
miles with the other Winter migrating birds on incredible journeys across
mountains and seas, day and night to get to Ireland for the winter.
My walk came to an end and on reflection the
Winter is a great time to see bird life on Irelands marshes & estuaries.
Our wetland areas are so rich in their biodiversity and some are just on our
doorsteps so why not get out there to witness such amazing creatures, I counted
at least 25 different species of birds spotted on that day, here is a list of
what I saw: Teal, Mallard, Mute Swans, Lapwings, Kestrel,
Golden Plover, Greenshank, Redshank, Bar Tailed Godwits, Turnstones, Shellduck,
Rooks, Jackdaws, Hooded Crows, Curlews, Grey Heron, Egret, Black Headed Gulls,
Common Gulls, Herring Gulls, Oystercatchers, Shag, Stonechat, Pipits &
lastly not forgetting the beautiful Brent Geese who deserve a write up all on
their own….
Get out there for yourself and see natures
magnificent winter migrating birds before they head North for the spring, see how
many you can identify you will be amazed.
Garden bird feeder attacks
Do you have a problem with Rooks opening and
spilling the peanuts from your feeders in your garden? Some actually fly away
with the feeder to gorge on the bounty of peanuts around the corner. Maybe you
have just given up feeding the birds because of those pesky Rooks. Rooks are so
clever but you want to feed the smaller birds too, right?
Here is how to beat them and also recycle some
of the stuff you probably have at the back of your shed. Get an old metal
hanging basket cage with no moss inside it then hang it upside down from a tree
or wherever you usually hang them your feeder. Fix your peanut feeder with wire
or an old keyring metal ring attachment to the hanging basket it, it must be
detachable so you can fill it up with more peanuts when empty.
The basket
should look like an umbrella shaped cage over your feeder. The Jackdaws can get
to the nuts but the feeder will stay in place for all to enjoy (see photo). Hang
it high enough so the local cat can’t get at the birds too! Throw out your old stale bread for the Rooks
instead, they need to eat also.
Have any of you garden bird lovers out there
used a window seed feeder that attaches to a window? We would love to know how
you got on and what type of birds come to your window. I have seen 30 - 40
Goldfinches nearly every day hanging around a garden just outside Tralee town,
can you beat that! Get snapping and send your images and comments in. The email is as usual iwtkerry@gmail.com.
Anthony Dawson
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