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 31 December 2013

Sunday 22 December 2013

GREENISH WARBLER Phylloscopus trochiloides Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland

 
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WHITE THROATED SPARROW Zonotrichia albicollis Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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WHITE THROATED SPARROW Zonotrichia albicollis Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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Wednesday 18 December 2013

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) adult on 03/08/2012 in winter plumage, colour ringed (Green 542) and has a very interesting history as follows; ringed as a nestling at Les Pas-de-Calais, France on 17/06/2008, observed at Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland on 15/10/2008, observed at Doelpolder Noord, Doel, Belguim on 12/06/2010, observed at Oostwold, Groningen, Netherlands on 08/07/2011, photographed at Gormanston, Co. Meath, Ireland on 03/08/2012, observed at Weymouth, Dorset, England on 26/11/13

 
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here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Ichthyaetus. This species has greatly expanded its range in the last 60 years from Eastern Europe. 
The first breeding record for Britain was in 1968 and now in excess of 1200 pairs breed. In 1995 a pair was discovered breeding in Co. Antrim and the following year a pair bred in Co. Wexford. Since then the Irish population has gradually increased to over 60 pairs. In the autumn there is an influx of continental birds from Europe for the winter which has been proven by colour ringing and then a return migration takes place in late spring.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) distribution map

Breeding      Breeding resident     Non breeding - winter
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Friday 13 December 2013

IBERIAN AZURE WINGED MAGPIE Cyanopica cooki El Acebuche Visitor Centre, Cota Donana, Huelva, Spain

 
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EL ACEBUCHE (PICNIC AREA) Cota Donana, Almonte, Huelva, Spain

 
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EL ACEBUCHE VISITOR CENTRE Cota Donana, Almonte, Huelva, Spain

 
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