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

Monday 31 December 2012

PAPER WASP (European) Polistes dominula Brest District, Belarus

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MONTAGU'S HARRIER Circus pygargus Pinsk District, Belarus

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MONTAGU'S HARRIER Circus pygargus Pinsk District, Belarus

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MONTAGU'S HARRIER Circus pygargus Pinsk District, Belarus

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HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) male, Brest District, Belarus

 
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 The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is of the sparrow family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

BRIMSTONE Gonepteryx rhamni Petrykaw District, Belarus

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EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Belarus

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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is of the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Belarus

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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is of the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba) Lieninski rajon, Brest, Belarus


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The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small ground nesting passerine and along with the longclaws and pipits is in the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Motacilla. This species is the commonest and most widespread wagtail that is found in Eurasia. It also breeds in parts of North Africa and there is a small Alaskan breeding population. The northern populations are migratory and winters in Southern Europe, Africa and Southern Asia. Up to 11 sub-species are recognised, including the Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) which breeds in Britain, Ireland and the near-continent
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AZURE TIT (Cyanistes cyanus) Lelchitsy District, Belarus

 
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The Azure Tit (Paridae) is of the family Paridae which is in the genus Cyanistes.

BROWN (DUNE) TIGER BEETLE Cicindela hybrida Lelchitsy District, Belarus

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Sunday 30 December 2012

EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur) three adults at Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, Pruzhany District, Belarus


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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

FIELD CRICKET (EUROPEAN) Gryllus campestris

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EUROPEAN GREEN TOAD (Bifo viridis) Pinsk District, Belarus




 
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The European Green Toad (Bufotes viridis) is of the family Bufonidae which is in the genus Bufotes.

LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos minor Brest, Belarus

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Friday 28 December 2012

GREAT REED WARBLER Acrocephalus arundinaceus Pružany, Brest Region, Belarus

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GREAT REED WARBLER Acrocephalus arundinaceus Pružany, Brest Region, Belarus

 
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COMMA BUTTERFLY (Polygonia c-aibum) Belarus

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The Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-aibum) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Polygonia
This common species has a widespread distribution in the temperate regions of Eurasia and North Africa. Formally absent from Ireland, it is only in recent times that it has been added to the Irish Butterfly List. It was first reliably reported near Portaferry, Co. Down in August 1997 and again in August 1998. There were no further reports until 17th August 2000 when there was a fully verified record from the Raven Nature Reserve, Co. Wexford. Proof of breeding was subsequently confirmed in that area. Over the last ten years, it has rapidly expanded its range from southeast Co. Wexford and has now colonised most of southern Leinster as well as eastern Munster.
The larval food plant is mainly Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) and the flight season is from late March to late September, split over two generations. Having overwintered as an adult, it emerges in late spring and then after mating, lays its eggs on the larval food plant.
The 1st record for Cape Clear Island, Co. Cork on 14th October 2019 (pers. comm. Jim Fitzharris) might be an indication of fresh immigration from Britain or Continental Europe. 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EUROPEAN TREE FROG (Hyla arborea) Pinsk District, Belarus

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The European Tree Frog (Hyla arborea) is a widespread species which occurs from Iberia eastwards to western Russia and southwards to the Balkans and Turkey. It reproduces from late March to June. when up to 1000 eggs are laid in clumps the size of a walnut. After 10–14 days, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. Then, after three months, metamorphose into frogs. They can live for up to 15 years
 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_tree_frog

Distribution map: European Tree Frog (Hyla arborea)

EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) 1st winter, Cross Lough, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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 The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is of the family Sturnidae which is in the genus Sturnus.

GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo) adult in summer plumage at Bray Harbour, Co.Wicklow, Ireland

 
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The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is of the family Phalacrocoracidae which is in the genus Phalacrocorax. It has a scattered distribution in parts of North America, Eurasia, Africa and Australasia. 
There are a number subspecies recognised including the ground nesting Common Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo) which occurs in Britain and Ireland that breeds on coastal rocky outcrops and on off shore islands.  The tree nesting Continental Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) which breeds in Northern Europe extending eastwards to Japan, but has in recent times colonised parts of southern Britain. This is apparently a rare subspecies in Ireland with less than 70 records but is in all probably under recorded.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

DUNNOCK (Prunella modularis) Newbridge Demense, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Dunnock (Prunella modularis) which was formally known as Hedge Sparrow or Hedge Accentor is of the family Prunellidae which is in the genus Prunella. The name Dunnock comes from the ancient English word dunnākos, meaning "little brown one". It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe, parts of Western Asia and as an introduced species in New Zealand. 
 
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EURASIAN SKYLARK (Alauda arvensis) at Cross Lough, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 
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The Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) is of the lark family Motacillidae which is in the genus Alaudidae.


BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla) Gormanston Beach, Gormanston, Co. Meath, Ireland

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The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is of the gull family Laridae which is in the genus Rissa. The only other member of the genus Rissa is the Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) where less than 200,000 pairs breed on some of the Bering Sea Islands between Russia and Alaska,USA.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe /Raw Birds

Thursday 27 December 2012

EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE Streptopelia decaocto Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co.Dublin, Ireland

 
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EUROPEAN SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

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EUROPEAN SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

 
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GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo) at Port Orial, Clogherhead, Co. Louth, Ireland

 
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The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is of the family Phalacrocoracidae which is in the genus Phalacrocorax. It has a scattered distribution in parts of North America, Eurasia, Africa and Australasia. 
There are a number subspecies recognised including the ground nesting Common Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo) which occurs in Britain and Ireland that breeds on coastal rocky outcrops and on off shore islands.  The tree nesting Continental Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) which breeds in Northern Europe extending eastwards to Japan, but has in recent times colonised parts of southern Britain. This is apparently a rare subspecies in Ireland with less than 70 records but is in all probably under recorded.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 26 December 2012

GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo) adult at Knock Lake, Balrothery, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is of the family Phalacrocoracidae which is in the genus Phalacrocorax. It has a scattered distribution in parts of North America, Eurasia, Africa and Australasia. 
There are a number subspecies recognised including the ground nesting Common Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo) which occurs in Britain and Ireland that breeds on coastal rocky outcrops and on off shore islands.  The tree nesting Continental Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) which breeds in Northern Europe extending eastwards to Japan, but has in recent times colonised parts of southern Britain. This is apparently a rare subspecies in Ireland with less than 70 records but is in all probably under recorded.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis) Knockanamorough, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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The Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) is of the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Anthus.

ROCK PIPIT (Anthus petrosus) at Annagh Marsh, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 
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The Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) is of the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Anthus.

Tuesday 25 December 2012

HERALD Scoliopteryx libatrix Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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RED FLANKED BLUETAIL Tarsiger cyanurus Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL Tarsiger cyanurus Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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LONG TAILED TIT Aegithalos caudatus Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Sunday 23 December 2012