World Wetlands Day

February 2nd each year is World Wetlands Day.  It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.  Each year since 1997, people all over the world have taken advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general, and the Ramsar Convention in particular.

January Calendar

January

New resolutions!

After the storms, tidy hedges and broken tree branches, a lot of little birds have been blown off their course by these winds, so are disorientated and hungry.  Feed, Feed, Feed, 9 out of every 10 minutes are spent feeding by small birds, in order to survive overnight!!  Remember the nights are far longer than the days at this time of the year.

December Calendar

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.

November Calendar

Make some Bird cake

Garden birds spend up to 85 % of their day feeding just to survive. The fat reserves they build up during the day are used up over night when roosting in winter conditions. Here is a great way to make your own bird cake which will greatly help them through the winter. Keep your old glass jars (shallow with wide opening work best) and fill them with a selection of any of the following ingredients Mixed seed, Peanuts, sunflower hearts, black sunflower seeds, Nyjer seed, dried fruit, oatmeal. Then pour lard (waste fat or suet from your roasting tray , frying pan etc) in to the jars and it will make its way down through the seeds making it into a solid block. Let it cool and its ready to serve. Place the jar on its side on the bird table. Place a weight at each side of the jar to stop it from rolling. Sit back and watch the birds feasting.