#Belties are 1st class foragers amongst cattle breeds. Searching out Ivy, can involve hazzards such as deep drains. They learn dangers & I believe pass these learnings on to calves. New unfamiliar cattle can get themselves in trouble. Today i played safe, & let them into the last bit of grass

Buff bellied Pipit from North America at Frenchman's beach, Árainn, Galway, a Rock Pipit for comparison & a colour ringed Curlew, likely ringed Shropshire, England (Awaiting details). 5th weekend in a row seaching out migrant birds on
our Atlantic islands. A Pied Flycatcher also

Took this group off the higher hill today. Took the bull away, and let Cows & calves onto upland heath for a week or two, before moving on to lower grassland. Doing a good job grazing out the different parcels #HighNatureValueFarming #ConservationGrazing

Cattle eat more than grass. Trees and shrubs are an integral part of their diet. They learn this foraging from a young age. It provides the natural balance in their diet, creating the diversity they need for health & wellbeing. Giving them an only Perenial ryegrass option is not health promoting

Wonderful to meet and talk farming and rewilding with High Nature Value farmer Gerard Walshe @beltie1.bsky.social near Moycullen, Galway, on Friday.

Some truly inspiring stuff happening in his land. Nature needs more of this!!

A fragment of Irish rainforest near Moycullen, Galway. These places are so rare, so deeply enchanting, yet still so undervalued.

What sort of nation cares so little about the natural side of its heritage?

Wonderful day out, chance to go dolphin surveying/watching, lots of Common but no Bottle nosed today, started out in Cleggan, a curcumambulation of out western atlantic islands, from Clare to Turbot sth, and up Killary, a new approach towards Rosroe, good weather & good company

After a week away with work, real nice to go around the different groups this evening - Speddoch Belle born in Galloway, Heath spotted & Lesser butterfly Orchids & a Hare's form - #NatureCure

Summer meadows, hares nests, and badger feeding scrapes. Thinking of John Moriarty placing his head down in the Hare's form, to heal his head ....

Beautiful day walking & birding on Inis Meáin. Lovely to see Summer visitors like Cuckoo, Wheatear, Arctic Little & Sandwich tern, Swallow and also passage birds, like, Sanderling (65) Dunlin & Bar tailed Godwit

Lovely day to be out & about. Signs of life. Wood anemone & Bog myrtle

Lovely day yesterday Inis Meáin, Galway. Dry, bright & cold with light NE wind. 41 species of birds seen, including 2 male Wheatear, 1st for year, a colour ringed Brent goose, amongst 125 present (Ringed Iceland 11 yrs ago), 6 Purple Sandpiper, and 30 Black Guillemot pairing off for breeding season

Beautiful moon rising over Lough Corrib tonight - A beautiful firey red as it emeged above the horizon as a checked the cows on the hill - a little less dramatic but ever beautiful when i had returned home

Journal 'Archipelago' is a sea road of wonder, a word wave washing north from Skellig, through Srúthan to Sula Sgeir, rippling & sparkling up the shore east to Selborne & SE1. To be allowed on board the 'good ship' recent edition is a joy.Thank you Skipper www.clutagpress.com/2024/11/24/a...

A beautiful morning to be out checking the different groups. A bit wetter in recent weeks but still very mild with grass & clover still coming. Its also lovely to see the associating pipits, thrushes and finches aided through the winter by the disturbance of the cattle

Learn how best to manage your land, in a way that enhances habitats, increases wildlife, harnesses natural processes, protects profits, and safeguards our natural environment and rural communities for future generations. Go get #FarmingForNature new book www.farmingfornature.ie/product/farm...

We are experiencing an ecological decline in nature or biodiversity in our landscape. In 2019 I was delighted to be nominated & receive a 'Farming for Nature Ambassador' award. The following video from the award outlines some of the practices here at home youtu.be/pp5MEfyWd_g