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

Showing posts with label April. Show all posts
Showing posts with label April. Show all posts

Sunday 20 April 2014

GRIFFON VULTURE (Gyps fulvus) José Antonio Valverde Visitor Centre, Doñana National Park, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain


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The Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) or Eurasian Griffon is a large Old World bird of prey in family Accipitridae which is in the genus Gyps. It breeds on crags in mountains in southern Europe, North Africa and Asia. Griffon vultures may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident. Juveniles and immature individuals may migrate far or embark on long distance movements. Like other vultures, it is a scavenger, feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over open areas, often moving in flocks. 
 Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffon_vulture

 Distribution map
 

Source:  By The Engineer - Own work based on: BlankMap-World-NoAntarctica.png by user Sting, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131341

Thursday 17 April 2014

SQUACCO HERON Ardeola ralloides Lucio de la Rianzuela, Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

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The Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) is resident south of the Sahara Desert in western, eastern and south eastern Africa, including Madagascar. There is also a small population in Morocco and Tunisia on the North West African coast. This small heron occurs as a summer resident in central and southern Europe as well as in western central Asia. In the autumn, it migrates back to Africa to spend the winter months there. Its diet includes frogs, lizards, small fish and a wide variety of invertebrates. Text © www.rawbirds.com

Wednesday 16 April 2014

LUCIO DE LA RIANZUELA, Dehesa de Abajo, Saville, Andalucia, Spain

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GREATER FLAMINGO [Immature] (Phoenicopterus roseus) Lucio de la Rianzuela, Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Spain


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The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread  flamingo of the family Phoenicopteridae which is in the genus Phoenicopterus. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe. Sub-adult flamingos are whitish-grey and only attain the pink coloration several years into their adult life. The coloration comes from the carotenoid pigments in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds. Secretions of the urpoygial gland  also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, Greater Flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading of uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their colour.

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

Monday 14 April 2014

GREATER FLAMINGO [Adult] (Phoenicopterus roseus) Charco de la Boca, Doñana National Park, Almonte, Huelva, Spain


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The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread  flamingo of the family Phoenicopteridae which is in the genus Phoenicopterus. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe. Sub-adult flamingos are whitish-grey and only attain the pink coloration several years into their adult life. The coloration comes from the carotenoid pigments in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds. Secretions of the urpoygial gland  also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, Greater Flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading of uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their colour.

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


Sunday 10 November 2013

EUROPEAN NIGHTJAR (Caprimulgus europaeus) Old Sanatorium, Sigri, Lesvos Island, Greece


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The European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), Eurasian Nightjar or Nightjar is a crepuscular and nocturnal species in the family Caprimulgidae which is in the genus Caprimulgus. It returns from its wintering areas in sub-Saharan during April and breeds across most of Europe, temperate Asia and north western Africa.
The preferred habitat is dry open country with some trees and small bushes, such as heath lands, forest clearings or newly planted woodland. It feeds on a wide variety of flying insects.
The return migration south to its winter quarters commences in late August.

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

Friday 1 November 2013

MELODIOUS WARBLER (Hippolais polyglotta) Los Barrios, Cádiz, Spain

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 The Melodious Warbler
(Hippolais polyglotta) is of the warbler family Acrocephalidae which is in the genus Hippolais. It is a common breeding summer resident in southwest Europe and northwest Africa. In Mid September, it migrates south to spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ireland it's a rare but annual over shooting spring and autumn migrant to south coast headlands where it needs to be separated with care from the very similar Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina) which has noticeably longer primary projections being equal in length to the tertials. Melodious Warbler primary projections are half the length of its tertials.       
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds