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

Friday 8 October 2021

SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria) juvenile from 1st to 8th October 2021 found by Derek Charles and Majella Charles [data per www.irishbirding.com] at Clogher, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

 

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Tringa. This is a long distance migratory shorebird that breeds in the northern forests of Alaska, USA and Canada. It is also a very rare autumn passage vagrant to Western Europe. In mid autumn it moves south to spend the winter in Central and Southern America as well as the Caribbean. 

  This is the 2nd Co. Mayo Record and the 7 previous Irish Records are listed below:

  •   Co. Kerry - (juvenile) 21 to 22-09-1968 at Akeragh Lough    
  •   Co. Cork - (juvenile) 05 to 07-09-1971 at Lissergriffin 
  •   Co. Cork - (juvenile) 15 to 17-09-1974 in a flooded field near O'Driscoll's Castle, Cape Clear Island
  •   Co. Cork - (juvenile) 27 to 30-08-2008 flew over Lough Errul and then along the track at Central Bog, Cape Clear Island
  •   Co. Mayo - (juvenile) 22-09-2009 at Annagh Head and at Termoncarragh Lake
  •   Co. Wexford - (juvenile) 06 to 14-10-2014 at Duncormick, Rathangan and The Cull
  •   Co. Clare - (adult) 15 to 18-08-2016 at Cloghaun Lough, near Kilbaha
  
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference:
  A List of Irish Birds, version 11.0 by Joe Hobbs (download pdf here)
 
Geographical distribution map of Solitary sandpiper
 
Tringa solitaria map.svg
  Breeding   Migration   winter

By Cephas - Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria), In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. retrieved from Neotropical Birds Online: https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/solsan, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69875049

Thursday 7 October 2021

FAEROE SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago subspecies G. g. faeroeensis) at Cartron, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland



CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Gallinago. It breeds in temperate regions of Eurasia. In the colder parts of its range, populations are migratory and move south to spend the winter in southern Eurasia as well as parts of northern and sub Saharan Africa.
There are two subspecies recognised, Common Snipe (G. g. gallinago) and Faeroe Snipe (G. g. faeroeensis) which breeds in Iceland, Orkney, Shetland as well as the Faeroes and has russet brown plumage tones. Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) which occurs in the Americas was formally regarded as a subspecies of Common Snipe but since 2003 it has been upgraded to full species status.
 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 6 October 2021

COMMON SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago) showing some characteristics of Faeroe Snipe (Gallinago gallinago subspecies G. g. faeroeensis) at Cartron, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Gallinago. It breeds in temperate regions of Eurasia. In the colder parts of its range, populations are migratory and move south to spend the winter in southern Eurasia as well as parts of northern and sub Saharan Africa.
There are two subspecies recognised, Common Snipe (G. g. gallinago) and Faeroe Snipe (G. g. faeroeensis) which breeds in Iceland, Orkney, Shetland as well as the Faeroes and has russet brown plumage tones. Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) which occurs in the Americas was formally regarded as a subspecies of Common Snipe but since 2003 it has been upgraded to full species status.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds    
 
 Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) distribution map  
 
GallinagoGallinagoIUCNver2019-2.png
 Breeding            Resident          Winter
 
By SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy. CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81451030

Tuesday 5 October 2021

COMMON SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago subspecies G. g. gallinago) juvenile at Cartron, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Gallinago. It breeds in temperate regions of Eurasia. In the colder parts of its range, populations are migratory and move south to spend the winter in southern Eurasia as well as parts of northern and sub Saharan Africa.
There are two subspecies recognised, Common Snipe (G. g. gallinago) and Faeroe Snipe (G. g. faeroeensis) which breeds in Iceland, Orkney, Shetland as well as the Faeroes and has russet brown plumage tones. Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) which occurs in the Americas was formally regarded as a subspecies of Common Snipe but since 2003 it has been upgraded to full species status.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds    
 
 Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) distribution map  
 
GallinagoGallinagoIUCNver2019-2.png
 Breeding            Resident          Winter
 
By SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy. CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81451030

Monday 4 October 2021

EUROPEAN STARLING or COMMON STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) juvenile in transition to 1st winter plumage below and adult, feeding on Potworms (Enchytraeidae) at Clogher, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland



CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) or Common Starling is of the family Sturnidae which is in the genus Sturnus.

Sunday 3 October 2021

GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus) adult from 29th September to 14th October 2021 at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link  here to see distribution map and to hear calls
 
The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a large wading bird of the family Threskiornithidae which is in the genus Plegadis. This nomadic species breeds in the warmer regions of North America, Eurasia, Africa and Australia.
This individual was first reported in 2020 on 12th August at North Bull Island and then at Balbriggan Golf Course on various dates from 20th to 27th September as well as at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords on 26th and 29th September. There were no further reports until 29th September 2021 when it was relocated at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate and remained there until at least 14th October, data per www.irishbirding.com 
There are 23 previous Co. Dublin records, the first of which was from Balrothery in October or November 1840. There are just over 500 Irish records. 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference:
A List of Some Rarer Birds in Dublin version 5.2  by Joe Hobbs (download pdf here)

Saturday 2 October 2021

EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis) 1st winter Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

The European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a member of the finch family Fringillidae which is in the genus Carduelis. It breeds in most of Europe and Western Asia but is absent from the colder northern parts of that region. It has a scattered distribution in North Africa and occurs as an introduced species in south eastern Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay. It can be commonly found in gardens, particularly in winter, where it readily comes to bird feeders.
   
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday 1 October 2021

NOON FLY or NOONDAY FLY (Mesembrina meridiana) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information

The Noon Fly (Mesembrina meridiana) or Noonday Fly is of the family Muscidae which is in the genus Mesembrina. This is a common and widespread medium sized fly with distinctive golden cheeks and amber wing bases. The female lays a single egg in up to five cow pats or dung and when the lava hatches, it predates the larvae of other species which are feeding within the dung. The flight season is from late April into October.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds