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

Saturday 24 May 2014

BEARDED REEDLING (Male) Panurus biarmicus Durankulak Lake, Durankulak, Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria

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The Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus) occurs in the temperate parts of Europe and Asia. Alternative names include Bearded Tit and Bearded Parrotbill. This species is found in reed beds and feeds on a wide variety of small invertebrates. In late autumn with the onset of colder weather, it develops a gizzard. This allows it to feed on seeds during the winter months when its normal food source is mainly absent. With the rise in temperature in late spring, invertebrates become more abundant again and its gizzard gradually dissolves. It then reverts back to being a totally insectivorous species.  Text © www.rawbirds.com

Sunday 18 May 2014

WOODCHAT SHRIKE (Lanius senator) Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

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The Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) is a medium sized migratory perching bird in the family Laniidae and is one of 31 species of shrike  found worldwide. It is a summer resident in southern Europe, the Middle East and north western Africa which spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa.



VAUCHER'S WALL LIZARD Podarcis vaucheri El Acebuche, Parque Nacional de Doñana, Almonte, Huelva, Spain

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Saturday 17 May 2014

WOODCHAT SHRIKE (Lanius senator) Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

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Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

The Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) is a medium sized migratory perching bird in the family Laniidae and is one of 31 species of shrike  found worldwide. It is a summer resident in southern Europe, the Middle East and north western Africa which spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa.



SPINY FOOTED LIZARD Acanthodactylus erythrurus El Acebuche Visitor Centre, Parque Nacional de Doñana, Almonte, Huelva, Spain

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Wednesday 14 May 2014

IBERIAN (WESTERN) YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla flava subspecies m.f. iberiae) male, Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

 
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The Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) is of the family Motacillidae which includes longclaws, pipits and wagtails. It is a summer resident in the temperate regions of Western Asia and Europe which migrates south in early autumn to winter in southern Asia and Africa. Up to 20 subspecies are recognised including the Iberian Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava iberiae).
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds