Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => General Chat => Topic started by: Binnianboy on February 11, 2013
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Was up over Cock Mountain last Sunday and saw 3 Red Kite together, it was a pretty amazing moment, and literally 2 hours before this I had said to my friend that we never see wildlife in the Mournes, I have saw Grouse, Kestrel and Red Kite, but never even a deer. Just wondering about other hikers wildlife experiences in the Mournes.......
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3 red kite - wow! Have never seen them in NI.
Have seen red squirrel and deer in Tollymore. Fox, peregrin falcon up on the hills, as well as frogs, newt, ravens and smaller birds (not sure exact type, but like linnets / pippets.
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found this lizard last year
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/7068727825_84c90f3fd6_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/7068727825/)
DSCN3255 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/7068727825/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
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The Red Kite were incredible, we stood for nearly half an hour just watching them, they seemed to be circling a dead sheep that was in the stream between cock and rocky mountain. The pic of the lizard is incredible, thanks
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I.ve seen a few Mountain Hare's, Lizards, Red Grouse, frogs....not to good at spotting birds, i'm a bit short sighted.
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In over twenty years hiking in the Mournes, I have only seen a lizard once. Apparently the biggest lizard population here is in the Mournes so they must be hardy creatures. However, the prize for the toughest creature in the Mournes must go to the mouse that was living under the summit building on Commedagh.
Fred
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This was outside meelmore lodge a few years ago!
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/Frednobread/P1020070_zps65ff3532.jpg)
Fred
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Please note that these routes are wholy unsupported and you use them at your own risk. Some may have been created from reference material rather than experience so paths may have changed or become unpassable.
If you get eaten by bears it's totally your own fault!
« Last Edit: January 08, 2010, 12:40:12 pm by admin »
:o :o :o
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RED KITE TALK THIS THURSDAY NIGHT @ TOLLYMORE
http://www.mournelive.com/news/news/viewdetails.asp?newsID=593
RED KITE TALK BY ADAM MCCLURE, RSPB RED KITE OFFICER
THURSDAY, 28TH FEBRUARY 2013
Over the past 200 years the Red Kite population in Britain and Ireland dwindled, largely due to human persecution, until only a small population remained in mid-Wales. Since 1989 a number of reintroduction projects have begun to restore the red kite to its former range across the UK.
Due to the momentum and experience gained from these sucessful reintroductions in England and Scotland, the stage was set for this large-scale species recovery project to be rolled out into Ireland in 2007.
As part of this project RSPB NI began a reintroduction in the South Down area in 2008 and Red Kite Officer, Adam McClure, will be giving an illustrated talk on the highs and lows of bringing these majestic birds of prey back to Northern Irish skies.
A charge of £5 will be payable at the door. This includes £2 for tea/coffee and traybakes, with the remainder going to Northern Ireland Red Kites.
and one i spotted this week (in wales)
(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/redkite_zps39c0556c.jpg)
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Went to the talk tonight, excellent, even if your not a twitcher. The Tollymore Traybakes were also excellent as usual, but i think i ate too many :( . Coincedentally, we saw a red Kite fly past Hen Mountain today :) .
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Don't forget we saw that huge nest on Hen too.
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Don't exactly know what we saw on Saturday there up at the Splinkwee river. The son saw it first "look there's an otter" but it was too small it was jet black we reckon it was either a stoat a weasel or a mink maybe someone could shed a bit of light on this. We got a photo but its not great its like one of those Nessie or Bigfoot photo's.
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Don't exactly know what we saw on Saturday there up at the Splinkwee river. The son saw it first "look there's an otter" but it was too small it was jet black we reckon it was either a stoat a weasel or a mink maybe someone could shed a bit of light on this. We got a photo but its not great its like one of those Nessie or Bigfoot photo's.
Did he look like this?
(http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/naturelibrary/images/ic/credit/640x395/e/eu/european_pine_marten/european_pine_marten_1.jpg)
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Don't exactly know what we saw on Saturday there up at the Splinkwee river. The son saw it first "look there's an otter" but it was too small it was jet black we reckon it was either a stoat a weasel or a mink maybe someone could shed a bit of light on this. We got a photo but its not great its like one of those Nessie or Bigfoot photo's.
Did he look like this?
(http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/naturelibrary/images/ic/credit/640x395/e/eu/european_pine_marten/european_pine_marten_1.jpg)
No thats not him he looks abit like him though. Our wee critter would have have been quite small and was jet black!!!
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Just googled our wee critter and have come to the conclusion that he was a black mink, didnt now you could get black ones i have only ever seen white mink before up at Ballykeel Lough Erne many years ago. So if anyone is up around the Spinkwee keep your eyes peeled. 8) 8)
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Class. Have never seen one of those before, will have to keep a eye out if I'm up that way
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Did he look like this?
(http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/naturelibrary/images/ic/credit/640x395/e/eu/european_pine_marten/european_pine_marten_1.jpg)
No thats not him he looks abit like him though. Our wee critter would have have been quite small and was jet black!!!
Was just having a duke through Paddy Dillon's 'The Mournes Walks' and in the Tollymore section he talks about Pine Martens living in and around the forest. They can seem black. Here's a pic of another one. May have been one of these little critters???
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd142/gbv2/18b994a8cdb837104355057b85bbc409_zps9567cb24.jpg)
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WOW is that in the Mournes ???
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That pic isn't out of the book btw but apparently there are Pine Marten & Otter in Tollymore. The Spinkwee I suppose would be a good place if any to spot them :D
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Did he look like this?
(http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/naturelibrary/images/ic/credit/640x395/e/eu/european_pine_marten/european_pine_marten_1.jpg)
No thats not him he looks abit like him though. Our wee critter would have have been quite small and was jet black!!!
Was just having a duke through Paddy Dillon's 'The Mournes Walks' and in the Tollymore section he talks about Pine Martens living in and around the forest. They can seem black. Here's a pic of another one. May have been one of these little critters???
Hi GMB
Our wee mate was as black as your boot and no white throat or under belly, we got a really good view of him from about 30ft away and we must have watched him for a good 20-30secs going over the rocks on the river bank a good contrast on the grey rocks. Must have been a MORE LESSER SPOTTED WINKLE THROPPER.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd142/gbv2/18b994a8cdb837104355057b85bbc409_zps9567cb24.jpg)
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Yup, they are in Tollymore, Pine Martin poo anyone?
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=472621556116470&set=pb.139632352748727.-2207520000.1363292161&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=472952172750075&set=pb.139632352748727.-2207520000.1363292161&type=3&theater
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found this lizard last year
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/7068727825_84c90f3fd6_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/7068727825/)
DSCN3255 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/7068727825/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
I caught one like that, exactly like that in fact, up Ben Lomond summer before last, quick wee things
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My first Mourne frog, near Lough Shannagh.
(http://i.imgur.com/0RaAqeU.jpg)
Now, where's the best place to see lizards?
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My first Mourne frog, near Lough Shannagh.
(http://i.imgur.com/0RaAqeU.jpg)
Now, where's the best place to see lizards?
Ben crom for some reason ???
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There are lizards all over the Mournes and Ireland, but as mentioned, if you follow the stream valley from the Hares Gap to Ben Crom, you've a good chance of spotting one. They tend to sit on rocks beside the streams, hoping to catch insects as they pass - the grass is usually full of spiders.
They are a version of the common european lizard, but have adapted to our crap climate by giving birth to live young, rather than laying eggs - viviparous.
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Saw my first and only Lizard on the south facing slope of Commedagh on a roasty hot day in July.
(more info on NI Lizards here (http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/Quercus/Projects/2009/12Commonlizarddistribution/) and here (http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/lizard-northern-ireland.html#cr), I also heard some chatter about a lizard survey planned to take place last year, unsure if anything came of it but there some info about it here (http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/common_lizard_spec-2.pdf) and here (http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/common_or_viviparous_lizard_survey_specifications.pdf) which may help Lizard seekers )
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Thanks for the good lizard info. I imagine hot weather is the best time to see our cold blooded friends. So I'll wait for the next sunny day to head to the Mournes with my camera.
Or maybe I'll just go up this week-end..
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Any love for the bugs?
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3666/9230328518_c9522bfa11_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/9230328518/)
Any know what this is? Seen them in the Mournes since I was a kid, was told that they sting...and to this day I'm too chicken to test this claim ;D
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(http://i.imgur.com/qFii4cg.jpg)
Thanks for the tips. Met this fella on Ben Crom today.
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Wow,great photo Mudgoat
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Any love for the bugs?
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3666/9230328518_c9522bfa11_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/9230328518/)
Any know what this is? Seen them in the Mournes since I was a kid, was told that they sting...and to this day I'm too chicken to test this claim ;D
I love these wee guys and kept one as a child, havent seen one for many years! We called them Hairy marys, I dont think they sting but may cause an allergic reaction.