A Wildlife Lecture; Advance Notice of Special Insect Workshop; Report on some recent Barn Owl Research - 25th January 2012

Whooper Swans at Hook Bridge, North Slob

Have you been down to Hook Head Yet? I realise that the weather isn’t exactly conducive to viewing cetaceans (whales and dolphins), but there are and have been plenty of breaks in the windy conditions, and when those seas are calmer there is the very real potential of seeing the 6 Fin Whales, which have now been joined by a Humpback Whale. There has been a report of a Minkie Whale too, though apparently not seen for the last week, however there are plenty of Common Dolphins, Harbour Porpoises and the associated frenzie of hundreds of feeding seabirds. What happens is that the seabirds watch for cetacean activity (a great indicator, when looking from Hook Head as to where the cetaceans will be) and they make the most of the plentiful supply of fish, which are driven to the surface by cetaceans when feeding. There are also some other really interesting ‘early spring’ wildlife sightings, though these particular reports received, are not from County Wexford. Apparently there is a report that the Swallows, which are of course wintering in South Africa, appear to be moving north early this year. There is also a juvenile Swallow at Helston since the 20th of this month. Helston is at the southern end of Cornwall so not that far away for a northward bound migrating bird. That this particular Swallow has been aged as a juvenile makes one wonder whether it migrated south at all! Another really early wildlife record is of a Robin sitting on 5 eggs in Bridgend, South Wales. Egg laying normally takes place from the end of February. I have a pair of Robins courting, but sitting? That is very early!

Herring Gull

WILDLIFE LECTURE: On Thursday 2nd February at 8pm, at the Pumphouse, Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, there is the normal monthly Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club (WNFC) Lecture, but on this occasion with a touch of uplifting difference – the title of the evening’s entertainment is ‘Nature through Poetry’ and this is being led by Mary O’Brien of the WNFC and four members of the Westgate Writers’ Group. There is a small cover charge for non-members who are all very welcome. This lecture follows the WNFCs Annual General Meeting that takes place, at the same location, at the earlier time of 7pm.

Hazel catkins male and female

WILDLIFE RECORDS: Yes, it's its coming to end of the month, January has almost passed - have you seen any Frogspawn or maybe a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly or even a bat this month? As mentioned before all those Co. Wexford wildlife records are important to us and we are currently collating the January records. Do please do let Harm Deenen, know of your January wildlife records, by email to records AT wexfordnaturalists.com or info AT wildside.ie. or 'On Line' at www.wexfordnaturalists.com. They can also be posted to ‘The Records Officer’, Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club, c/o Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, North Slob, Wexford, or phoned into Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on 053-9123129. Many thanks for your contributions – we have received a number of different records over the past month, all really helpful in increasing our knowledge of Co. Wexford wildlife.

Common wintergreen seed-pods

ADVANCE WARNING OF ‘SPECIAL INSECT WORKSHOP’: On Saturday 10th March 2012, from 10am to 4pm, there is a special insect workshop taking place at the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Waterford, titled “Introduction to Insects’. This workshop, being given by Dr. Stephen McCormack, is to provide training on the identification of Irish insects to help increase the record contribution for national recording schemes. Early booking is essential as places are limited. The cost is €25 which includes lunch. Cheques and Postal Orders should be made payable to the National Biodiversity Data Centre and sent to: Maria Walsh, National Biodiversity Data Centre, WIT West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. The National Biodiversity Centre’s 2012 Workshop Programme is now available as a download from their website: http://biodiversityireland.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2449588d6e9ee7585110bd46a&id=64b4279e19&e=5212eb0b76

RECENT BARN OWL RESEARCH: I couldn’t help noticing the recent report on  http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/16593259 appertaining to a piece of research conducted by the Technical University Darmstadt in Germany on Barn Owl wings. Dr. Thomas Bachmann’s work has been concentrating on examining the plumage with 3-D medical scans of their skeletal structure. The wings' most important features are the high curvature or "camber" of the wings. This curvature means that each wing beat produces more lift. The eventual aim of the research is to use the structure of Barn Owl wings to assist the design of new, much quieter airfoils for the aviation industry. Dr. Bachmann said "We're trying to understand the basic principles... that influence the airflow over aircraft and thus reduce noise [But] we are far away from that point. Maybe in 20 years we can present such a wing….”. As is nearly always the case – the answer to so many of our questions are found and already in use in nature.