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 26 December 2017

COMMON REDPOLL (Acanthis flammea subspecies A. f. caberet) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) or more simply known as a Redpoll is of the finch family Fringillidae which is in the genus Acanthis. 
 There are several subspecies recognised including the Lesser Redpoll (Acanthis flammea caberet) which is resident in Ireland and Britain. It also breeds in Central Europe and Southern Scandinavia where it is a partial migrant, which moves south and west to more temperate regions for the winter.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 29 November 2017

MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis) Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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

Monday 27 November 2017

SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) male at West Pier, Howth, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is of the longspur family Calcariidae which is in the genus Plectrophenax. This circumpolar species breeds mainly in the arctic mountainous regions of North America and Eurasia. Isolated populations also breed south of this range in upland areas.   
Apart from small numbers breeding in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, this is an uncommon and local winter visitor, from October to March, at coastal locations in Britain and Ireland. It occurs singularly or  in small flocks at shingle beeches near the edges of sand dunes, harbour piers and headlands. Feeding close to the ground, it can be easily overlooked and difficult to locate as cryptic colouration helps it blend into the background.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 25 November 2017

RUFF (Calidris pugnax) Adult male, Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Ruff (Calidris pugnax) is a medium sized shorebird or wader of the sandpiper family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Calidris.

Thursday 23 November 2017

RUFF (Calidris pugnax) Juvenile plumage, Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Ruff (Calidris pugnax) is a medium sized shorebird or wader of the sandpiper family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Calidris.

Sunday 29 October 2017

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Balbriggan, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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

Monday 23 October 2017

EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus ) male at Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a small bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco. Alternative names include European Kestrel, Common Kestrel or simply referred to as a Kestrel. This falcon occurs throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. 
More recently, the British and Irish populations have been in serious decline which may be as a result of changes in agricultural practices and  increased use of rodenticides (rat poisons). Nest predation by Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Grey Crow (Corvus cornix), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Common Raven (Corvus corax), whose populations have increased, may also be a factor.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 17 October 2017

EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK [Male] (Accipiter nisus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), alternative names include, Northern Sparrowhawk or simply Sparrowhawk, is a small bird of prey of the family Accipitridae which is in the genus Accipiter. It has a widespread distribution across the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World. It is a partial migrant and in the more northern and colder parts of its range, it disperses south for the winter. The preferred habitats include open type wood land, hedge rows, parks and gardens where a wide variety of small to medium sized perching birds are preyed upon. Males are up to 25% smaller than females and tend to prey upon sparrow sized passerines but can include starlings and thrushes. Females, on the other hand, can tackle larger prey including doves, pigeons and magpies.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Six subspecies are generally recognised:

  •  Accipiter nisus nisus - breeds from Europe and west Asia to western Siberia and Iran; northern populations winter south to the Mediterranean, north-east Africa, Arabia and Pakistan.
  •  Accipiter nisus nisosimilis - central and eastern Siberia east to Kamchatka and Japan, and south to northern China. This subspecies is wholly migratory, wintering from Pakistan and India eastwards through South-East Asia and southern China to Korea and Japan; some even reach Africa.
  •  Accipiter nisus melaschistos - Afghanistan through the Himalayas and southern Tibet to western China, and winters in the plains of South Asia.
  •   Accpiter nisus wolterstorffi - Sardinia and Corsica
  •  Accipiter nisus granti - Madeira and the Canary Islands.
  •  Accipiter nisus punicus - north-west Africa, north of the Sahara.

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


Thursday 14 September 2017

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecies. L .l. islandica) juvenile at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, 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 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

Sunday 10 September 2017

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, 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. Although in decline, it is the commonest and the most widespread flycatcher found in Europe and western Asia. It is one of six species of migratory flycatcher which are summer breeding residents in Europe. There are several subspecies recognised. 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. In 2016, the International Ornithologists' Union split the two subspecies M. t. balearica  (which occurs on the Balearic Islands) and M. t. tyrrhenica  (Corsica as well as Sardinia) from Spotted Flycatcher to form a new species Mediterranean Flycatcher (Muscicapa tyrrhenica).
Above text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Spotted Flycatchers are estimated to have declined by 59% across Europe during 1980–2005 (PECBMS 2007). A predator 'control' experiment has indicated that the abundance of nest predators may be determining the breeding success of Spotted Flycatchers, especially in woodland, where nest success was lower overall than in gardens (Stoate & Szczur 2006). Another study using nest cameras has identified avian predators, especially Jays, as responsible for most nest losses (Stevens et al. 2008). Decreasing survival rates may have been caused by deterioration in woodland quality, particularly leading to declines in the large flying insects that are food to the flycatcher, or by conditions either on the wintering grounds or along migration routes (Fuller et al. 2005).
 Source:  https://www.bto.org/birdtrends2008/wcrspofl.shtml

Sunday 3 September 2017

RED VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum fonscolombii) female resting on COMMON KNAPWEED (Centaurea nigra) seed head, Togher Pond, Simonstown, Togher, Co. Louth, Ireland


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The Red-veined Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It has a widespread distribution and is commonly found in Africa, Western, Central and Southern Asia as well as most of Europe. This species is nomadic by nature and since the 1990’s has greatly expanded its European range as far north as southern Scandinavia.  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday 18 August 2017

LANG'S SHORT TAILED BLUE BUTTERFLY (Leptotes pirithous) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), also known as Common Zebra Blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae which is genus Leptotes. This migratory species occurs in southern Europe, most of Africa including Madagascar and southern Asia.

Monday 3 July 2017

EURASIAN HOOPOE (Upupa epops) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) is a very striking member of the family Upupidae which is in the genus Upupa. It derives its English name from its distinctive call. It occurs in Europe, Asia and North Africa where it is predominantly a summer resident which winters in sub Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. It is absent from the northern parts of Eurasia. Southern populations, including those on the  Balearic Islands, are sedentary. Formerly considered a single species, the Hoopoe has now been split into three species, the African Hoopoe (Upupa africana), the Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) and the Madagascan Hoopoe (U. marginata). A fourth species the Saint Helena Hoopoe (U. antaios), now extinct, occurred on Saint Helena Island.
                                                                                       
 Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 17 June 2017

CLEOPATRA BUTTERFLY [Male] (Gonepteryx cleopatra subspecies G. c. balearica) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Cleopatra Butterfly (Gonepteryx cleopatra) or simply called Cleopatra is a medium sized butterfly of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Gonepteryx. It occurs in Southern Europe, Northwest Africa as well as Turkey and parts of the Middle East. In Europe, this long lived species is on the wing from April to August. There are 10 subspecies recognised and the subspecies Gonepteryx cleopatra balearica is endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

The Cleopatra Butterfly is divided into the following subspecies:
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra cleopatra  – North Africa, Portugal, Spain, Sicily
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra balearica  – Balearic Islands
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra petronella  – Ibiza
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra italica  – Italy, France, Corsica,  Sardinia
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra dalmatica  – Dalmatian coast, western Balkans
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra citrina  – southern Greece
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra insularis  – Crete
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra fiorii  – Rhodes
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra taurica  – Anatolia, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Cyprus
  •     Gonepteryx cleopatra palmata  – Cyrenaica, Libya
 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonepteryx_cleopatra

Monday 5 June 2017

CATTLE EGRET [WESTERN] (Bubulcus ibis) Pollença, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a species of heron of the family Ardeidae which is in the genius Bubulcus. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion and has successfully colonised much of the temperate zones of the world. There are two geographical races which are sometimes classified as full species, the Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis ibis) and the Eastern Cattle Egret (B. ibis coromandus). The eastern subspecies breeds in Asia and Australasia, and the western form occupies the rest of the range, including the Americas. Some authorities recognise a third subspecies, (B. i. seychellarum) which occurs on the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean. 

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

Saturday 20 May 2017

COMMON WALL GECKO (Tarentola mauritanica) Pollença, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Common Wall Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) or Moorish Gecko is a small reptile of the family Phyllodactylidae which is in the genus Tarentola. Other names include Crocodile Gecko and Mauritanian Gecko. This mainly nocturnal species occurs in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. In Europe, it has been introduced on the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Madeira as well as in North America (USA) and South America (Argentina also Uruguay).

Friday 12 May 2017

MEDITERRANEAN KATYDID [Female] (Phaneroptera nana) S'Albufereta Nature Reserve, Port de Pollenca, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Mediterranean Katydid (Phaneroptera nana) is a bush-cricket of the family Tettigoniidae which is the genus Phaneroptera. It mainly occurs in southern Europe, the Near East and North Africa. It can be encountered from July through to October in sunny and dry habitats, especially in shrubs and low branches of trees. The males grow up to 13–15 millimeters long while females can reach 15–18 millimeters. The basic colouration of the body is light green, with many small black spots. Head, legs and wings are also green. The eyes are bright orange. Hind wings are longer than the fore wings. The female's sickle shaped ovipositor is about 5 millimeters long.
Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaneroptera_nana

Saturday 29 April 2017

WHITE BANDED GRASSHOPPER (Eyprepocnemis plorans) S'Albufereta Nature Reserve, Port de Pollenca, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The White Banded Grasshopper (Eyprepocnemis plorans) is a member of the Shorthorned Grasshopper family Acrididae which is in genus Eyprepocnemis. It occurs in Africa, the southern parts of Spain, Italy and Greece as well as parts of Western Asia.

Source: http://www.pyrgus.de/Eyprepocnemis_plorans_en.html

Monday 24 April 2017

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata) Boquer Valley, Formentor Peninsula, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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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 © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

Saturday 15 April 2017

BLACK WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus) Male on left + juvenile Salinas d'Es Trenc, Salinas de Lavante, Campos, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is one of three species of stilt, the others two are Black Stilt (Himantopus novaezelandiae) and Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus). It is resident in Africa and also breeds across the temperate parts of Europe and Central Asia where it is a summer resident that migrates south for the winter to sub Saharan Africa, the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia. Within the warmer parts of this range, there is a sedentary population.  

In addition, there are also four subspecies or races recognised, which some authorities consider to be full species:
  • Hawaiian Stilt (Himantopus himantopus knudseni) is resident on the Hawaiian Islands. 
  •  Black-necked Stilt (H. h.  mexicanus) occurs in the southern part of North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and the northern part of South America, including the Galapagos Islands
  • White-backed Stilt (H. h.  melanurus) occurs in central and southern South America
  • White-headed Stilt (H. h.  leucocephalus) occurs in Australasia, the Java Peninsula and the Philippines.

Monday 27 March 2017

SCARLET DARTER DRAGONFLY [Male] (Crocothemis erythraea) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain


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The Scarlet Darter Dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is a member of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Crocothemis. It is a common species in southern Europe and throughout Africa as well as western Asia as far as southern China. The adult male’s bright scarlet red abdomen has a striking flattened profile which distinguishes it from other "red" darters. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.