Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Tuesday 29 December 2015

CRESTED LARK (Galerida cristata) Kolimvari, Crete, Greece

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The Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) is one of 82 species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is commonly found across most of the temperate regions of Europe and Asia but absent from north west Europe and northern Asia. It also occurs in northern Africa as far south as Niger. It is sedentary by nature and is only a rare vagrant outside the normal range. 
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Saturday 26 December 2015

EUROPEAN SERIN (Serinus serinus) Moni Katholikou (Agiou Ioanni Erimiti), Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The European Serin (Serinus serinus) or simply called Serin, is a small seed eating passerine in the finch family Fringillidae. Its preferred habits include open deciduous woodland and parkland where the territory defending males sing from the treetops. It occurs throughout Europe as well around the Mediterranean Basin. The northern population is migratory and winters in the southern parts of its range. It is absent as a breeding species from Britain, Ireland, Iceland and Scandinavia.  
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Sunday 20 December 2015

CHUKAR PARTRIDGE (Alectoris chukar subspecies A. c. cypriotes) Moni Katholikou (Agiou Ioanni Erimiti), Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) or more commonly called Chukar is in the pheasant family Phasianidae which is in the genus Alectoris. It has a widespread distribution which stretches in a wide band from south eastern Europe to eastern China. There are many subspecies recognised including Alectoris chukar cypriotes which occurs on the islands of Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus as well as in parts of Bulgaria and Syria.This gamebird has been widely introduced, for hunting purposes, in many countries including (western) USA and New Zealand where feral populations have become established.
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Monday 14 December 2015

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) at North Harbour, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is of the family Ardeidae and is in the genus Ardea It is resident in the temperate regions of Eurasia as well as eastern and sub Saharan Africa. The more northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter. Wetlands are its main habitat and commonly occurs along estuaries, streams, rivers and lakes. Aquatic as well as terrestrial creatures are preyed upon. Prey items include amphibians, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds which are swallowed whole.
This species nests in tall trees in colonies which are known as heronries. Upto five eggs are laid and are incubated for 25 days. Fledging takes place after 60 days.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) distribution map
 Breeding     Resident     Winter     Vagrant      Introduced resident 
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

Saturday 12 December 2015

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies.S. r. hibernans) male at Ballyieragh South, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is of the chat family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Saxicola. Preferred habitats include rough grassland, sand dunes and heathland where it is typically seen perched on brambles, gorse or shrubs within the breeding area. 
In the temperate part of its range, nesting commences in late March and up to three broods are raised. It is a partial migrant. Populations from the colder regions move to spend the winter in southern Europe and northern Africa. Successive hard winters, as was the case in 2009/10 and 2010/11 caused severe losses in the mainly sedentary northwestern populations
 
There are two subspecies generally recognised: 
  • Saxicola rubicola rubicola - occurs in central, eastern and southern Europe as well as northern Morocco and southeastern Turkey. 
  •  Saxicola rubicola hibernans - occurs in northwestern Europe including Britain, Ireland, France and Norway.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday 10 December 2015

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies S. r. hibernans) female at North Harbour, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is of the chat family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Saxicola. Preferred habitats include rough grassland, sand dunes and heathland where it is typically seen perched on brambles, gorse or shrubs within the breeding area. 
In the temperate part of its range, nesting commences in late March and up to three broods are raised. It is a partial migrant. Populations from the colder regions move to spend the winter in southern Europe and northern Africa. Successive hard winters, as was the case in 2009/10 and 2010/11 caused severe losses in the mainly sedentary northwestern populations
 
There are two subspecies generally recognised: 
  • Saxicola rubicola rubicola - occurs in central, eastern and southern Europe as well as northern Morocco and southeastern Turkey. 
  •  Saxicola rubicola hibernans - occurs in northwestern Europe including Britain, Ireland, France and Norway.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds


Monday 7 December 2015

YELLOW BROWED WARBLER (Phylloscopus inornatus) North Harbour, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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The Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) is one of smallest leaf warbler in the genus Phylloscopus. This insectivorous species is a summer breeding resident in the temperate regions of Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to winter in the tropical regions of south east Asia. Small numbers also winter in western and southern Europe, as far south as the Canary Islands. In Ireland, it is a scarce or rare annual autumn passage migrant to coastal headlands and offshore islands. 

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / RawBirds.com

Sunday 6 December 2015

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata) Knockanacohig, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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The Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) is a small Old World passerine in the family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Muscicapa. It is the commonest and the most widespread flycatcher found in Europe and western Asia. It is one of five species of migratory flycatcher which are summer breeding residents in Europe. In late spring, it returns from its wintering areas in southern Africa and southwestern Asia. Its preferred habit is open deciduous woodland. Main prey items include small flying invertebrates and caterpillars. By September with its food supply in decline, the return migration south begins.  

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Tuesday 1 December 2015

EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur) juvenile at Ballyieragh North, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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 The European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a migratory member of the family Columbidae, which includes doves as well as pigeons and is in the genus Streptopelia. It is a  summer breeding resident in Europe (including the Canary Islands), parts of the Middle East, as well as western Asia and north Africa. It is absent as a breeding species from Iceland, Ireland (formally bred) and most of Scandinavia but does occur in spring and autumn as an uncommon/rare overshooting migrant. Over much of its northern range, there has been a very sharp decline in its population. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern Africa.  
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds