Nature Archive
NATURE CORNER
DISCOVERING WILDLIFE AT BRITTAS LAKE[/B]Going Wild in Clonaslee!
Heritage Week in County Laois got off to a great start on Sunday afternoon (August 27th), with a guided nature walk around Brittas Lake and Woods for families and children, organised by the Heritage Office of Laois County Council.
A group of about 40 children and adults gathered at the lake, which was restored a number of years ago by Clonaslee Development Association, and provides a great amenity for residents of the area, as well as a very valuable wildlife and educational resource.
The activities, organised by Laois County Council with help from Laois Federation of Tidy Towns and the Heritage Council, got off to a flying start, with all participants being given a “Bug Jar”. These small Perspex containers have a magnifying glass built into the lid, so bugs, spiders and all kinds of creepy crawlies can be seen to their full advantage.
Betsy Hickey, an ecologist who is involved with Laois County Council in mapping the habitats of County Laois, led the group, and encouraged the young people to become “Wildlife Detectives”, turning over stones and old pieces of wood, to see the creepy-crawlies living underneath. Some of the exciting finds on the day included young frogs, lots of weevils and woodlice, spiders and a big, black beetle, known appropriately as “the Devil’s Coach Horse”! Of course, it is important that the habitats are left as they are found, and all the wildlife was returned to where it had been found once everyone had a chance to examine it.
Next came navigating “Indian style”, using twigs and the distinctive leaves and berries of trees and shrubs found in Brittas, such as Oak, Holly and Mountain Ash. As Betsy explained about the ecology of the woodland around Brittas, the young people explored to find as many things as they could, that could provide food for birds. Some of the finds included blackberries, hazelnuts, acorns, beech nuts, wild raspberries and strawberries, and a number of different mushrooms and toadstools. Some of the wild food was devoured before the judging could begin, and the blackberries and raspberries were found to be particularly good!
Making a badge out of the flowers, berries, grasses and leaves to be found in the woods brought out the artistic side of everyone present and this one was enjoyed by the adults as well as the young people! The afternoon rounded off with some pond-dipping, and everyone had the chance to sweep the special nets in the water to see what wildlife they could find. Lots of larvae, different kinds of worms, leeches and even a young crayfish were uncovered by the proficient wildlife detectives.
Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “It was really great to see so many families and children coming out today to have fun learning about their local wildlife. Many of the games we played here today, can be played in most ordinary gardens and parks, and they are a good way of opening children’s eyes to the wildlife and the world around them. We hope to organise many more nature walks like this one, and hopefully give many more people, adults as well as children, the opportunity to re-connect with the natural world.”
Competition Winners
A number of competitions were organised through the afternoon, with the following winners:
Best Bug Collectors
Karl Hanhauser, John Hyland, Jennifer Sheeran, James Daly
Best Wildlife Badge
Sarah Corbet (under 7) & Georgia Southway (over 7)
Best collection of wild food for birds
Karl Hanhauser, Graeme Champ-Hendy, Grace Foynes.
Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who took part in learning a little bit about the wildlife to be found in the woods and lakes of County Laois. Another opportunity to become a wildlife detective is available during Heritage Week, with a guided walk on the Grand Canal, starting at the bridge in Vicarstown at 7pm on Thursday 31st of August. Click here for more information on this, and other Heritage Week events, or contact Catherine Casey, Laois County Council.
This new page will be updated on a monthly basis, providing information on plant and animal life that you might expect to see in Clonaslee and the surrounding Slieve Bloom areas.
JUNE’S PLANT IS THE FOXGLOVE
If you are in search of these beautiful purple blooms, take a trip to the Slieve Blooms!
If you visit Glenkeen, you will see plenty of Foxgloves in the hedges. Another great spot to visit is Brittas Lake. Take a stroll around this lovely tranquil lake on a fine summer’s evening and keep your eyes open for Foxgloves.
FOXGLOVE
(DIGITALIS PURPUREA)
The common foxglove, is a biennial or short-lived perennial that grows naturally at the margins of woodland and in clearings. It is known in Irish as Lus mór, the Big Herb, Lus na mBan Sí or Mearacain na mBan Sí meaning Herb or Thimble of the Banshee/Fairy Women. The name Foxglove in English is a corruption of 'Folk's' (Fairies) and the Anglo Saxon word 'Gliew' meaning a musical instrument with many bells. It is a tall plant 5 feet in height and recognised by its pink and mauve bell shaped flowers with dark purple spots. Foxglove grows in hilly areas such as the Slieve Blooms. Nowadays it is popular as a garden plant.
Foxgloves are bumblebee flowers- their tubular, fluted blooms being wide enough to allow the insects easy access- and the interior of the bloom is often beautifully speckled, veined or netted with darker or paler colours. This subtle detailing gives the flowers a touch of sophistication that they would not otherwise have.
All parts of the plant are extremely poisonous- In Ireland long ago country people were afraid to pick it and considered it unlucky to bring it into the home. In Dublin during the 19th century the leaves were dried and used as snuff by old women. Long ago in Co. Cork the soft leaves at the centre of the plant were used for healing cuts. The thread at the back of the leaf was pulled off and leaf heated at the fire and applied to the cut.
In the 1700's William Withering proved that Foxgloves were effective against dropsy. This led to its use in cardiac medicines to strengthen and regulate the heart. If incorrect doses of Foxglove are administered, toxins accumulate in the body, which can lead to stomach pains, convulsions and even death. Nowadays Digitalis preparations are only available on prescription.
MOUNTAIN HARE (LEPUS TIMIDUS)
The Irish hare is found in most areas and is not just confined to mountain regions. During the day the mountain hare remains in its form (a depression in the ground) and grazes for food at dawn and dusk. In winter it may come down from high areas and shelter behind rocks or in crevices, or in a short burrow dug into the snow. Its main diet is heather but it also eats bilberry shoots and rushes in the summer. In addition, it will also eat its own droppings which still contain some nutrients. The hare’s predators include foxes, eagles and buzzards.
Mountain hares can reach speeds of over 60 km per hour when threatened. Throughout northern Europe, Mountain Hares go white in winter but this is rarely observed in their Irish cousin. However, the coat of the Irish hare may vary in colour throughout the year, sometimes developing white patches. On rare occasions all-white individuals have been recorded. Larger than rabbits, Irish hares have black tips on the ears, white on both upper and lower surfaces of the tail and long back legs that give them a distinctive ‘walk’. Although hares may be found throughout Ireland from mountainside to coastal grassland, they are most likely to be found in ‘unimproved’ areas of species rich vegetation. This provides not only food but also cover and shelter where they can lie up during the day out of sight of predators.
The month of March is associated with hares, when females may be seen fending off or ‘boxing’ enthusiastic males. Irish hares may breed throughout most of the year, having two or three litters with an average litter size of two. Leverets are born fully furred with eyes open. The mother hare ‘hides’ them in vegetation and returns only once each night to feed them. It is normal to see a leveret on its own and it should never be removed from the wild unless it is in imminent danger. Weaned at six weeks, the youngster will be old enough to breed the following year. The Irish hare population has undergone a dramatic decline over the last thirty years and numbers are low. It is widely believed that changes in land use and agriculture have contributed to their demise. Hares prefer unimproved land, which has become less abundant with modern farming practices.
Hares and rabbits are mammals and they both belong to the family called leporids. Though they have long front teeth (incisors), like rats and mice, they are not rodents. Rabbits and hares are similar in some ways but different in others. What they both have in common is that they are prey animals that rely on hiding or running to evade predators. Standing upright on their strong hind legs, their long ears and panoramic eyesight alert them to danger. Adult hares are about twice the size of rabbits but young hares may easily be confused with rabbits.
All leporids feed on vegetation, such as grass and other plants, which has a relatively low food value. From this they must derive enough energy to keep warm, move rapidly and rear their young, which they achieve by frequent browsing. Their teeth grow continuously to compensate for the constant wear and tear from nibbling plants into very small pieces.
To help them get as many nutrients as possible, leporids have two types of droppings.One type consists of round fibrous balls, like the droppings we see in a field.The other type, called caecotrophs , look like a small bunch of shiny black grapes and contain important nutrients. These appear after the food has first been digested and we hardly ever see these because the rabbit or hare eats them as they are produced. This may seem distasteful to some of us, but leporids must do this to remain nourished and healthy. Some religions forbid the eating of hares for this reason.
Hares and rabbits feature in the folklore and mythology of cultures throughout the world and Ireland is no exception. When people first colonized Ireland after the ice age, they brought with them pagan-gods . One of these was the moon goddess Eostre , who was worshiped in the spring. Some cultures could see the image of a hare (or rabbit) carrying an egg on the moon’s surface. The hare was believed to be the earthly form of Eostre, who gazed up at the moon that was her home. This lore has not only given us the name of our present Easter holiday but also Easter eggs and the Easter bunny (originally the Easter hare!).There are three species of Leporid in Ireland; the Irish hare (Lepus timidushibernicus), the brown hare (Lepus europeaeus, but sometimes referred to as Lepus capensis) and the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Hares and rabbits have an important place in the island’s biodiversity.
DISCOVERING WILDLIFE AT BRITTAS LAKE[/B]Going Wild in Clonaslee!
Heritage Week in County Laois got off to a great start on Sunday afternoon (August 27th), with a guided nature walk around Brittas Lake and Woods for families and children, organised by the Heritage Office of Laois County Council.
A group of about 40 children and adults gathered at the lake, which was restored a number of years ago by Clonaslee Development Association, and provides a great amenity for residents of the area, as well as a very valuable wildlife and educational resource.
The activities, organised by Laois County Council with help from Laois Federation of Tidy Towns and the Heritage Council, got off to a flying start, with all participants being given a “Bug Jar”. These small Perspex containers have a magnifying glass built into the lid, so bugs, spiders and all kinds of creepy crawlies can be seen to their full advantage.
Betsy Hickey, an ecologist who is involved with Laois County Council in mapping the habitats of County Laois, led the group, and encouraged the young people to become “Wildlife Detectives”, turning over stones and old pieces of wood, to see the creepy-crawlies living underneath. Some of the exciting finds on the day included young frogs, lots of weevils and woodlice, spiders and a big, black beetle, known appropriately as “the Devil’s Coach Horse”! Of course, it is important that the habitats are left as they are found, and all the wildlife was returned to where it had been found once everyone had a chance to examine it.
Next came navigating “Indian style”, using twigs and the distinctive leaves and berries of trees and shrubs found in Brittas, such as Oak, Holly and Mountain Ash. As Betsy explained about the ecology of the woodland around Brittas, the young people explored to find as many things as they could, that could provide food for birds. Some of the finds included blackberries, hazelnuts, acorns, beech nuts, wild raspberries and strawberries, and a number of different mushrooms and toadstools. Some of the wild food was devoured before the judging could begin, and the blackberries and raspberries were found to be particularly good!
Making a badge out of the flowers, berries, grasses and leaves to be found in the woods brought out the artistic side of everyone present and this one was enjoyed by the adults as well as the young people! The afternoon rounded off with some pond-dipping, and everyone had the chance to sweep the special nets in the water to see what wildlife they could find. Lots of larvae, different kinds of worms, leeches and even a young crayfish were uncovered by the proficient wildlife detectives.
Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “It was really great to see so many families and children coming out today to have fun learning about their local wildlife. Many of the games we played here today, can be played in most ordinary gardens and parks, and they are a good way of opening children’s eyes to the wildlife and the world around them. We hope to organise many more nature walks like this one, and hopefully give many more people, adults as well as children, the opportunity to re-connect with the natural world.”
Competition Winners
A number of competitions were organised through the afternoon, with the following winners:
Best Bug Collectors
Karl Hanhauser, John Hyland, Jennifer Sheeran, James Daly
Best Wildlife Badge
Sarah Corbet (under 7) & Georgia Southway (over 7)
Best collection of wild food for birds
Karl Hanhauser, Graeme Champ-Hendy, Grace Foynes.
Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who took part in learning a little bit about the wildlife to be found in the woods and lakes of County Laois. Another opportunity to become a wildlife detective is available during Heritage Week, with a guided walk on the Grand Canal, starting at the bridge in Vicarstown at 7pm on Thursday 31st of August. Click here for more information on this, and other Heritage Week events, or contact Catherine Casey, Laois County Council.
This new page will be updated on a monthly basis, providing information on plant and animal life that you might expect to see in Clonaslee and the surrounding Slieve Bloom areas.
JUNE’S PLANT IS THE FOXGLOVE
If you are in search of these beautiful purple blooms, take a trip to the Slieve Blooms!
If you visit Glenkeen, you will see plenty of Foxgloves in the hedges. Another great spot to visit is Brittas Lake. Take a stroll around this lovely tranquil lake on a fine summer’s evening and keep your eyes open for Foxgloves.
FOXGLOVE
(DIGITALIS PURPUREA)
The common foxglove, is a biennial or short-lived perennial that grows naturally at the margins of woodland and in clearings. It is known in Irish as Lus mór, the Big Herb, Lus na mBan Sí or Mearacain na mBan Sí meaning Herb or Thimble of the Banshee/Fairy Women. The name Foxglove in English is a corruption of 'Folk's' (Fairies) and the Anglo Saxon word 'Gliew' meaning a musical instrument with many bells. It is a tall plant 5 feet in height and recognised by its pink and mauve bell shaped flowers with dark purple spots. Foxglove grows in hilly areas such as the Slieve Blooms. Nowadays it is popular as a garden plant.
Foxgloves are bumblebee flowers- their tubular, fluted blooms being wide enough to allow the insects easy access- and the interior of the bloom is often beautifully speckled, veined or netted with darker or paler colours. This subtle detailing gives the flowers a touch of sophistication that they would not otherwise have.
All parts of the plant are extremely poisonous- In Ireland long ago country people were afraid to pick it and considered it unlucky to bring it into the home. In Dublin during the 19th century the leaves were dried and used as snuff by old women. Long ago in Co. Cork the soft leaves at the centre of the plant were used for healing cuts. The thread at the back of the leaf was pulled off and leaf heated at the fire and applied to the cut.
In the 1700's William Withering proved that Foxgloves were effective against dropsy. This led to its use in cardiac medicines to strengthen and regulate the heart. If incorrect doses of Foxglove are administered, toxins accumulate in the body, which can lead to stomach pains, convulsions and even death. Nowadays Digitalis preparations are only available on prescription.
MOUNTAIN HARE (LEPUS TIMIDUS)
The Irish hare is found in most areas and is not just confined to mountain regions. During the day the mountain hare remains in its form (a depression in the ground) and grazes for food at dawn and dusk. In winter it may come down from high areas and shelter behind rocks or in crevices, or in a short burrow dug into the snow. Its main diet is heather but it also eats bilberry shoots and rushes in the summer. In addition, it will also eat its own droppings which still contain some nutrients. The hare’s predators include foxes, eagles and buzzards.
Mountain hares can reach speeds of over 60 km per hour when threatened. Throughout northern Europe, Mountain Hares go white in winter but this is rarely observed in their Irish cousin. However, the coat of the Irish hare may vary in colour throughout the year, sometimes developing white patches. On rare occasions all-white individuals have been recorded. Larger than rabbits, Irish hares have black tips on the ears, white on both upper and lower surfaces of the tail and long back legs that give them a distinctive ‘walk’. Although hares may be found throughout Ireland from mountainside to coastal grassland, they are most likely to be found in ‘unimproved’ areas of species rich vegetation. This provides not only food but also cover and shelter where they can lie up during the day out of sight of predators.
The month of March is associated with hares, when females may be seen fending off or ‘boxing’ enthusiastic males. Irish hares may breed throughout most of the year, having two or three litters with an average litter size of two. Leverets are born fully furred with eyes open. The mother hare ‘hides’ them in vegetation and returns only once each night to feed them. It is normal to see a leveret on its own and it should never be removed from the wild unless it is in imminent danger. Weaned at six weeks, the youngster will be old enough to breed the following year. The Irish hare population has undergone a dramatic decline over the last thirty years and numbers are low. It is widely believed that changes in land use and agriculture have contributed to their demise. Hares prefer unimproved land, which has become less abundant with modern farming practices.
Hares and rabbits are mammals and they both belong to the family called leporids. Though they have long front teeth (incisors), like rats and mice, they are not rodents. Rabbits and hares are similar in some ways but different in others. What they both have in common is that they are prey animals that rely on hiding or running to evade predators. Standing upright on their strong hind legs, their long ears and panoramic eyesight alert them to danger. Adult hares are about twice the size of rabbits but young hares may easily be confused with rabbits.
All leporids feed on vegetation, such as grass and other plants, which has a relatively low food value. From this they must derive enough energy to keep warm, move rapidly and rear their young, which they achieve by frequent browsing. Their teeth grow continuously to compensate for the constant wear and tear from nibbling plants into very small pieces.
To help them get as many nutrients as possible, leporids have two types of droppings.One type consists of round fibrous balls, like the droppings we see in a field.The other type, called caecotrophs , look like a small bunch of shiny black grapes and contain important nutrients. These appear after the food has first been digested and we hardly ever see these because the rabbit or hare eats them as they are produced. This may seem distasteful to some of us, but leporids must do this to remain nourished and healthy. Some religions forbid the eating of hares for this reason.
Hares and rabbits feature in the folklore and mythology of cultures throughout the world and Ireland is no exception. When people first colonized Ireland after the ice age, they brought with them pagan-gods . One of these was the moon goddess Eostre , who was worshiped in the spring. Some cultures could see the image of a hare (or rabbit) carrying an egg on the moon’s surface. The hare was believed to be the earthly form of Eostre, who gazed up at the moon that was her home. This lore has not only given us the name of our present Easter holiday but also Easter eggs and the Easter bunny (originally the Easter hare!).There are three species of Leporid in Ireland; the Irish hare (Lepus timidushibernicus), the brown hare (Lepus europeaeus, but sometimes referred to as Lepus capensis) and the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Hares and rabbits have an important place in the island’s biodiversity.
