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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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Tuesday 29 December 2015
CRESTED LARK (Galerida cristata) Kolimvari, Crete, Greece
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. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
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.
Text © www.rawbirds.com |
Monday 14 December 2015
GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) at North Harbour, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland
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Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls 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 %20distribution%20map.jpg) 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:
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:
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.
Text © www.rawbirds.com |
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 |
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