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

Wednesday 26 March 2014

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland


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The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucous_gull 

Friday 21 March 2014

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland


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The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucous_gull

Monday 17 March 2014

HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland


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The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) also known as Grey Crow is a member of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus. Four subspecies are generally recognized. Despite the fact that it is heavily persecuted, it occurs throughout Western Asia including parts of the Middle East as well as along the Nile Valley in North Africa. It is also commonly encountered and has a widespread distribution in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is resident in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Northern Scotland. In the rest of Britain as well as Southwestern and Western Europe, it is replaced by the closely related Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) from which it was split in 2002 and was recognised as a separate species. Where their breeding ranges overlap, they may hybridise. Some of the northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter.
    
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday 14 March 2014

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecie. L .l. islandica) juvenile in transition to 1st winter plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Limosa. This large, long-legged and long-billed shorebird's breeding range extends from Iceland through central Europe as well as central and northeastern Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, sub Saharan Africa, southern Asia and parts of coastal Australia. The species breeds in fens, damp meadows, moorlands and bogs. In the winter, it occurs on estuaries, lake shores, and in damp coastal fields.
 
There are three subspecies recognised; 
  •  Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa islandica) 
  • European Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa limosa) 
  • Asian Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa melanuroides)

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) distribution map
 
LimosalimosaWorldDistribution.jpg
Yellow breeding     Blue wintering     Green breeding resident
 
J. Schroeder, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

Wednesday 12 March 2014

RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres) in transition from winter to summer plumage, Bullock Harbour, Dalkey, Co Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Arenaria.

Sunday 9 March 2014

RUDDY TURNSTONE (1st Winter plumage) Arenaria interpres Bullock Harbour, Dalkey, Co Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Arenaria.

Thursday 6 March 2014

GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo) adult summer plumage at Bullock Harbour, Harbour Road, Dalkey, 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

Tuesday 4 March 2014

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) in 1st winter or 2nd year plumage at Bullock Harbour, Harbour Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 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

Monday 3 March 2014

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) in 2nd winter or 3rd year plumage at Bullock Harbour, Harbour Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link
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

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) adult in transition to summer plumage at Bullock Harbour, Harbour Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link
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

Sunday 2 March 2014

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) adult on 01-03-2014 in winter plumage with a colour ring, Green AKAJ [which was fitted as a nestling in July 2011 on a flat roof at Hamburg-Moorfleet, Germany / 53° 30' N 10° 05' E] at Bullock Harbour, Harbour Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link
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

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) adult on 01-03-2014 in winter plumage with a colour ring, Green AKAJ [which was fitted as a nestling in July 2011 on a flat roof at Hamburg-Moorfleet, Germany / 53° 30' N 10° 05' E] at Bullock Harbour, Harbour Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link
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

BULLOCK HARBOUR Harbour Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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