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 Birds of Co. Cork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds of Co. Cork. Show all posts

Thursday 25 December 2014

EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 
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 The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is of the  family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Erithacus.

Monday 1 December 2014

HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) drinking fresh blood along the road after a Rock Dove had been killed by a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) also known as Grey Crow is a member of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus. Four subspecies are generally recognized. Despite the fact that it is heavily persecuted, it occurs throughout Western Asia including parts of the Middle East as well as along the Nile Valley in North Africa. It is also commonly encountered and has a widespread distribution in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is resident in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Northern Scotland. In the rest of Britain as well as Southwestern and Western Europe, it is replaced by the closely related Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) from which it was split in 2002 and was recognised as a separate species. Where their breeding ranges overlap, they may hybridise. Some of the northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter.
    
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) drinking fresh blood along the road after a Rock Dove had been killed by a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) also known as Grey Crow is a member of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus. Four subspecies are generally recognized. Despite the fact that it is heavily persecuted, it occurs throughout Western Asia including parts of the Middle East as well as along the Nile Valley in North Africa. It is also commonly encountered and has a widespread distribution in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is resident in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Northern Scotland. In the rest of Britain as well as Southwestern and Western Europe, it is replaced by the closely related Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) from which it was split in 2002 and was recognised as a separate species. Where their breeding ranges overlap, they may hybridise. Some of the northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter.
    
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 20 October 2013

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola ssp.hibernans) male 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: 
  • Saxicola rubicola rubicola - occurs in central, eastern and southern Europe as well as northern Morocco and southeastern Turkey. 
  •  Saxicola rubicola hibernans - occurs in northwestern Europe including Britain, Ireland, France and Norway.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WESTERN MARSH HARRIER (Circus aeruginosus) Ballyieragh South, Cape Clear Island; Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland

 
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WHINCHAT (Saxicola rubetra) Knockanacohig, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland

 

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Saturday 19 October 2013

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) adult male in the middle and two juveniles, Ballyieragh South, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland


 
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The Linnet (Linaria cannabina) or Common Linnet is of the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Linaria.
 It derives its name from its fondness for the seeds of the flax plant which is used to make linen. This small finch occurs in Europe as well as Western Asia but is absent from northern latitudes and has a limited distribution in North West Africa and the Middle East. 

There are seven subspecies :
  • Linaria c. autochthona - occurs in Scotland     
  • L. c. cannabina - occurs in the rest of Britain, Ireland also northern Europe, eastwards to central Siberia. It is a partial migrant, wintering in north Africa and southwest Asia
  • L. c. bella - occurs in Middle East, eastwards to Mongolia and northwestern China
  • L. c. mediterranea - occurs on the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Greece, northwest Africa and on the Mediterranean islands
  • L. c. guentheri - occurs on Madeira Island
  • L. c. meadewaldoi - occurs on the Western Canary Islands (El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria)
  • L. c. harterti - occurs on the Eastern Canary Islands (Lanzarote and Fuerteventura)
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_linnet

Wednesday 16 October 2013

EURASIAN WREN Troglodytes troglodytes Carhoona, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland

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The Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) or simply called Wren is a small passerine in the family Troglodytidae. It has a widespread distribution which stretches in a broad band from Western Europe to Japan in Eastern Asia. It also occurs in North West Africa. The northern population migrates south to winters in the warmer parts of its range. It was formally considered to be a subspecies of the Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) which has now been split into three full species - Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus) is found in western North America and Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) occurs in eastern North America. 


Wednesday 26 December 2012

MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis) Knockanamorough, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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

Friday 21 December 2012

RED-EYED VIREO (Vireo olivaceus) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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In Ireland, Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) is a very rare transatlantic Autumn passage migrant to western and south western coastal headlands from North America.

RED-EYED VIREO (Vireo olivaceus) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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In Ireland, Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) is a very rare transatlantic Autumn passage migrant to western and south western coastal headlands from North America.