Gerard Walshe
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beltie1.bsky.social
Gerard Walshe
@beltie1.bsky.social
Farmer, Nature, Ecology, Belted Galloways, Birding, Connemara & its islands
#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
November 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
October 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
October 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
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
October 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
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
September 21, 2025 at 9:17 PM
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
September 10, 2025 at 8:25 PM
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
July 1, 2025 at 9:18 PM
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
June 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
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 ....
May 27, 2025 at 8:01 PM
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
May 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Lovely day to be out & about. Signs of life. Wood anemone & Bog myrtle
March 23, 2025 at 3:47 PM
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
March 17, 2025 at 8:24 AM
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
March 14, 2025 at 8:31 PM
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...
February 16, 2025 at 7:15 PM
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
December 8, 2024 at 10:57 AM
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...
November 27, 2024 at 9:09 PM
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
November 19, 2024 at 5:56 PM