Wexford Natural History Diary August 09

Daubenton's Bat

Items to Note:

Small Copper

NEW BAT HELPLINE LAUNCHED: National Parks and Wildlife Service have recently launched a 'Bat Helpline'. Designed to provide practical advice to homeowners the service is intended to help ensure a happy cohabitation with bats and to improve the conservation status of these protected species. The free-phone number is 1800 405 000. More information on bats can also be found on the leaflet titled 'Bats in Houses' and this can also be found on the www at www.npws.ie. Just remember our bats are hugely beneficial to us as they eat midges and mosquitoes in enormous numbers. One Pipistrelle (you can comfortably fit this species into a matchbox) consumes some 3000 insects in one night – and we certainly needed them this year with the high rainfall and warm, damp conditions being so suitable for insect breeding.

Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar

If you have not already availed of the recently published 'THE LEPIDOPTERA OF COUNTY WEXFORD" by the Wexford Naturalists' Field Club (WNFC) do remember it is just €10 and is available from Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, North Slob, Wexford, and in The Book Centre in Wexford Town. All proceeds go towards the running of the WNFC. Many thanks for all your support.

Wheatear on passage

SCHOOL VISITS TO WEXFORD WILDFOWL RESERVE: For Information – Wexford Wildfowl Reserve are very willing to take school groups over the next couple of months. Booking is essential – so please if you would like to avail of this service contact Deirdre at the Reserve on 053-9123129 or email on Deirdre_ToomeyATenviron.ie

WILDLIFE RECORDS: Do please continue to submit those wildlife sightings of interest - This months wildlife summary are your records. They have either been communicated to Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on 053-9123129 or received 'On Line' on this our club website. Again, many thanks for all of you who have passed on those sightings. Records can also be sent to the 'Records Officer: Simon Collins, Records Officer W.N.F.C., c/o Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, North Slob, Wexford'.

General News and Views:

SUMMER RAINFALL: Well we all know that this past summer was another wash-out. As a matter of interest the actual rainfall measured on North Slob was 78mm (3.07inches) in June; 160mm (6.3 inches) in July; and 137mm (5.4 inches) in August). That is a total of 375mm (14.76 inches) – That's definitely too much………………

FEEDING WILD BIRDS: Do you feed wild birds in your garden? Would you consider feeding wild birds in the garden? There are a lot of advantages in doing so, not only for the birds, who get an easy supply of food during the short days of winter, but also for the carer. Birds visiting a bird table can be a constant source of enjoyment with their antics – the enjoyment of different species, their acrobatics, the bright colours, the amusing arguments over a particular scrap – it really is a form of stress relief. Many people do feed the wild birds visiting their gardens and it really is a significant advantage to the birds that come to rely on that food supply. However there are a few tips that are worthy of consideration and are briefly noted: 1. First and foremost, if you do decide to feed wild birds through the winter do remember that once you start, don't stop. Small birds come to rely on this source of food. In a really harsh spell of weather it is the hunger that kills not the cold. The sudden loss of a regular supply of food may leave hungry birds. 2. The positioning of the Bird Table is also important – remember that not only do you want to be able to see the bird table easily, but the table needs to be in a position that the birds themselves can see danger coming be it a cat, hawk or other danger. Also remember that those unwanted furry animals will not like going out in the open so good open positioning reduces unwanted guests. 3. Remember water. Birds need to bathe even in the coldest weather to keep their feathers in good order. A shallow dish or an inverted dustbin lid will do. Do remember to break the ice on those cold mornings. A night-light under the container can create enough warmth to keep ice away, but do make sure the water itself does not get heated. 4. Basic Hygiene. Yes birds do carry all sorts of disease so it is well worth cleaning the Bird Table on a very regular basis to save birds from becoming infected with diseases obtained from your table. Scrub out those corners and edges and remember to wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly after any and all Table maintenance. 5. When feeding birds do also remember to leave some scraps and crumbs under the table for those species that like to feed on the ground.. Make sure the food on the ground is out in the open and away from the risk of predators. An apple pegged to the ground with a thin steak, to prevent it being moved by larger birds, can often give longer and additional pleasure to the observer. 6. Suitable food for birds. Most kitchen scraps; oats, sunflower seeds, apples, pears, cheese, bacon-rind, suet, fat, peanuts and breadcrumbs. Avoid: Salted peanuts, feeding white bread only and desiccated coconut. Three Bird Cake recipes to get you started: A.  Take seeds, peanuts, cheese, porridge oats dry cake and scraps. Put them in a container; pour hot fat over the mixture until it is covered and leave to set. Turn out onto table, unless you have prepared it in a tit-bell or coconut holder. Rough Quantities: 2lbs of mixture to 1lb of melted fat. Avoid Desiccated coconut (it swells and kills) and salted peanuts (makes the bird very thirsty). B. Three cups of porridge oats; one cup of currants; 1oz. grated cheese; 1oz. canary seed; ½ lb fat or margarine. Directions: Melt the fat and stir in all the ingredients. Pack them into margarine tubs or other suitable containers. Allow to set and then hang out. (If you put a piece of string through two holes at the bottom of container, it will assist the tying up of the container when the mixture is set). C. Bird Cake: 2lbs of self-raising flour; 1/2lb margarine; add a little sugar. Mix with water and bake like a large rock bun.

DYING HEDGEHOGS IN BRITAIN: Lots of hedgehogs are dying in Britain and researchers think that rat poison could be the reason for their problems. Dr Claire Dowding, from the University of Bristol, studied 120 dead hedgehogs and found poison in 80 of them – that's 66%. It is believed that putting down rat poison could be accidently harming hedgehogs. Dr Dowding said that the hedgehogs could either be eating the poison themselves or getting the poison from munching on either rats that have died by the poison, or their favourite food - slugs and snails. Slugs and snails are not harmed by the poison themselves, though residue would stay in these creatures and be subsequently eaten by our prickly gardener's friends. There is no report, as yet that there is a problem here in Ireland, but it is worth bearing this story in mind should there be a noticeable increase in dead hedgehogs.

HAWTHORN BERRIES: In Richard Mabey's book 'Food For Free', Richard has a wide variety of suggestions/recipes that can be gathered free from the wild to supplement our diet. Haws, the fruit of Hawthorn – and it is looking like a good year for them – can be gathered at the moment to make a 'moderate jelly'. However Richard also goes on to say that he: "personally I prefer haws eaten straight off the bush. Their creamy flesh, stripped off the central stone, is not unlike sweet potato". So have you tried them? Do always make sure you correctly identify all berries 'before' trying them.

And so to the known wildlife highlights of the month:

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Recent Bird Reports in the County
A Balearic Shearwater was noted at Carnsore Point on 3^rd and 1 was also seen at same location on 13^th.  1 was also noted off Tuskar Rock Lighthouse on 19^th. There were 17 Little Egrets in the bay at Ballyteige on 2nd and a further 18 were counted at Saltmills on 17^th. A Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Dark-bellied Brent Goose were both at Rosslare Back-strand on 29^th. There were 12 Wigeon on South Slob and 3 on the North Slob on 25^th.  3 Teal were noted on North Slob on 28^th. 5 Tufted Duck were seen on North Slob on 25th. First brood chicks of a Moorhen family were seen feeding second brood chicks on North Slob on 15^th (this is a fascinating observation that is well known, but often overlooked). A Quail was calling on North Slob on 6^th. There were 2 Buzzards at Monart on 2^nd. Marsh Harrier were regularly reported at Tacumshin Lake through the month with 2 present on 22^nd and 3 noted on 17^th. A Marsh Harrier was also noted at Cahore on 22^nd.  A juvenile Peregrine Falcon was seen flying round the Isle of Inishmore 20km east of Rosslare on 29^th. A Hobby was at Tacumshin Lake on 29^th. A Merlin was noted at Tacumshin Lake on 9^th. There were 3 Little Gull at Tacumshin Lake on 9^th with 1 also noted on 29^th. A Great Skua was seen at Carnsore Point on 3^rd, with an Arctic Skua also noted at same place on the same date.  Good numbers of Curlew (low 100s) were noted on North Slob through the month. 9 Whimbrel were counted on North Slob on 2^nd. A small flock (80+) of Black-tailed Godwit were on North Slob through the month with a count of 622 present on 31^st.  A Ruff was at Tacumshin Lake on 17th with 10 present on 21st. A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was seen on North Slob from 14^th to 16^th with 2 present at same location on 19^th and 1 on 25^th. Common Sandpipers were noted at a number of locations through the month. A Curlew Sandpiper was at Tacumshin Lake on 8^th. There were 3 Green Sandpipers on North Slob from 14^th to 16^th with 1 seen at Lady's Island Lake on 7^th and 1 at Tacumshin Lake on 21^st and 29^th. There were 2 Green Sandpipers at Tacumshin Lake on 22^nd. 2 Wood Sandpiper were at Tacumshin Lake on 17^th and on 29^th with 2 present on 22^nd. A Pectoral Sandpiper was noted at Tacumshin Lake on 22^nd. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at Tacumshin Lake on 17^th, 21^st and 22^nd. A Baird's Sandpiper was at Tacumshin Lake from 7^th to 9^th and a Semipalmated Sandpiper was at Tacumshin Lake on 22^nd. Snipe were present on North Slob on most days during the second half of the month. A Barn Owl was seen hunting on North Slob on 17^th. There was a Short-eared Owl at Our Lady's Island Lake on 7^th. A Cuckoo was seen on North Slob on 7^th. A Kingfisher was at The Pumphouse, North Slob on 9^th. There were 2 Spotted Flycatcher at Jamestown on 24^th. There was good movement of Swallows and Sand Martins noted on North Slob on a number of dates through the month. There were 20 flying around Scarawalsh Bridge on 24^th. Particularly large numbers of Sand Martin (100s) were noted flying round a working combine harvester on the North Slob on 22nd and there were 1000s of Sand Martins passing through the North Slob on 25^th. 41 White Wagtails were noted at Tacumshin Lake on 29^th. Wheatears were noted on North Slob passing through throughout the month with 5 noted within 25 metres on 21^st.  A Whinchat noted on North Slob and 1 on South Slob seen on 25^th. There was good passage of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff through North Slob during the first half of the month. Reed Warbler was noted passing through on 10th and a Garden Warbler was also noted on North Slob on 16^th (only the 2^nd record of this species in the Wexford Harbour area). At least 3, probably more, Tree Sparrow noted at Woodgraigue and Holdmanhill on 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd.

Wildlife News in the County
MAMMALS: A Harbour Porpoise was seen off Tuskar Rock on 19th. 1+ Bottle-nosed Dolphins were at Ballinesker on 22nd. 2 Risso's Dolphins were seen at Hook Head on 7^th. There were 12 Common Dolphin seen from the Irish Ferries on the cetacean survey on 29^th. August is, as mentioned in the last Nature Diary, the Daubenton's Bat survey month. Two counts were carried out on the North Slob, the first being conducted on the 7^th had 74 passes and the second count was conducted on 16^th  and had 112 passes (a Chart showing the past four years data – for comparison purposes - is produced in the Gallery below). During the survey Pipistrelle and Leisler's Bats were also noted on the North Slob on both the above dates. There were also good numbers of Pipistrelle Bats noted on North Slob on the organised Bat Walk out from the Wildfowl Reserve on 26th.

BUTTERFLIES: Essex Skipper: Approximately 70 were noted at Sinnottstown on 1^st. 1 was seen near Brownscastle on 1^st with 2 present at the same location on 2^nd. 1 was noted at Coolcotts on 4th. There were 20+ present at Sinnottstown on 13th. Large White: Recorded through the month – highest count 11 Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th and 16^th.  Small White: Recorded through the month – highest count  of 11 at  Wexford Racecourse  on 17^th.  Green-veined White: Recorded through the month – highest count 27 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th.  Purple Hairstreak: 2 were seen at Bigwood, near New Ross on 2^nd. There were between 4 and 6 at Killoughrum Wood on 13^th. Small Copper: Recorded through the month – highest count 3 were at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th, 3 at Sinnottstown on 13^th and 3 at Wexford Racecourse on 17^th. Common Blue: Recorded through the month – highest count 200+ at Raven Nature Reserve on 13^th. Holly Blue: 2 were noted at Eden Vale on 1^st. There were 2 at Raven Nature Reserve on 16^th. Red Admiral: Recorded through the month – highest count 12 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th. Painted Lady: Recorded through the month – highest count 50+ at Raven Nature Reserve on 13^th. Small Tortoiseshell: Recorded through the month – highest count 11 at Raven Nature Reserve on 26^th. Peacock: Recorded through the month – highest count 4 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th. Comma: 1 was seen at Lacken on 5^th and again on 7^th.  1 was noted at Randallsmill 5^th. There was also a Comma at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th, 9^th and 10^th. 1 was at Eden Vale on 7^th.  Dark Green Fritillary: There were 2 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th. Silver-washed Fritillary: Recorded through the month – highest count 12 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th. Speckled Wood:  Recorded through the month – highest count 21 at raven Nature Reserve on 26th  Wall Brown: 1 was at Ballyteige Burrow on 2^nd. 1 was at Carnsore Point on 26^th. Grayling: 'Hundreds' were noted at Ballyteige Burrow on 6^th.  There were 4 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th, 6 at Raven Nature Reserve on 13^th and 1 present on 20^th.   Gatekeeper: Recorded through the month – highest count 43 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th.  Meadow Brown: Recorded through the month – highest count 'Thousands' were seen at Ballyteige Burrow on 6^th. Small Heath: Recorded through the month – highest count 12 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th. Ringlet There were 6 at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th and 1 present on 16^th.

MOTHS: Moth trapping took place during the month at Barnland, near Gorey, at two sites on the North Slob, Coolcotts, Ferrycarrig and Ballyfinogue. Additional records were forthcoming from the Raven Nature Reserve. The list of species recorded in the County through the month is as follows: Six-spot Burnet, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Least Yellow Underwing, Flame Shoulder, Dark Arches, Magpie, Drinker, Shaded Broad-bar, Bordered Beauty, Common Rustic agg., Square-spot Rustic, Small Square-spot, Common Wainscot, Smoky Wainscot, Small Wainscot, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Gold Spot, Garden Tiger, Silver Y, Scalloped Oak, Grass Emerald, Chinese Character, Small Purple-barred, Yellow-tail, Rosy Rustic, Straw Dot, Mottled Beauty, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Early Thorn, August Thorn, Purple Bar, Common Carpet, Garden Carpet, Brimstone, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Double-striped Pug, Heart and Dart, Pebble Prominent, Copper Underwing, Current Pug, Sallow, Single-dotted Wave, Rush Veneer, Northern Egger, Common Footman. Caterpillars noted included Cinnabar, White Ermine and Elephant Hawk-moth.

DRAGONFLIES:  Up to 3 Emperor Dragonfly were noted at Raven Nature Reserve on 1st and 2^nd and there was 1 present on 7^th. There was 1 Common Hawker noted at Raven Nature Reserve on 1st with 4 present on 7^th and 2 on 16^th. 1 was also noted at Brownscastle Wood on 2^nd. There were 8 Brown Hawker present at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th with 1 present on 16^th. This species was also recorded at Brownscastle Wood on 2^nd (a pair noted mating) and on North Slob on a number of dates in the first half of the month.   There were 2 to 3 male Beautiful Demoiselles at Brownscastle Wood on 2^nd. There were 29 Common Darter at Raven Nature Reserve on 7^th with 33 present on 16^th and 43 counted on both 20^th and 26^th. 7 Migrant Hawkers were seen in Raven Nature Reserve on 20^th with 4 noted on 26^th. There was 1 also noted at Raven Point on 25^th. There were 5 Four-spotted Chaser noted at Raven Nature Reserve on 20^th.

REPTILE/AMPHIBIAN: Viviparous (Common) Lizards were particularly obvious in Raven Nature Reserve with 5+ seen on 9th and 10^th and 10+ seen on 12^th. Frogs were noted in a number of localities throughout the month.

daubentonsAug09.mp3 1348 kb