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 Bray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bray. Show all posts

Sunday, 6 February 2022

SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) 1st winter male at Bray Promenade, Bray, Co. Wicklow, 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 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'Keffe / Raw Birds
 
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)  distribution map

   Breeding
    Migration    Resident    Non breeding-winter

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Saturday, 5 February 2022

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) immature or 1st winter at Bray Promenade, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

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

 The Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Ichthyaetus. This species has greatly expanded its range in the last 60 years from Eastern Europe. 
The first breeding record for Britain was in 1968 and now in excess of 1200 pairs breed. In 1995 a pair was discovered breeding in Co. Antrim and the following year a pair bred in Co. Wexford. Since then the Irish population has gradually increased to over 60 pairs. In the autumn there is an influx of continental birds from Europe for the winter which has been proven by colour ringing and then a return migration takes place in late spring.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) distribution map

Breeding      Breeding resident     Non breeding - winter
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Friday, 4 February 2022

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) sub adult or 2nd winter at Bray Promenade, Bray, Co. Wicklow, 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 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Ichthyaetus. This species has greatly expanded its range in the last 60 years from Eastern Europe. 
The first breeding record for Britain was in 1968 and now in excess of 1200 pairs breed. In 1995 a pair was discovered breeding in Co. Antrim and the following year a pair bred in Co. Wexford. Since then the Irish population has gradually increased to over 60 pairs. In the autumn there is an influx of continental birds from Europe for the winter which has been proven by colour ringing and then a return migration takes place in late spring.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) distribution map

Breeding      Breeding resident     Non breeding - winter
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Thursday, 3 February 2022

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) two adults at Bray Promenade, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

1st adult Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)
 
1st adult Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)
 
2nd adult Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) 

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 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Ichthyaetus. This species has greatly expanded its range in the last 60 years from Eastern Europe. 
The first breeding record for Britain was in 1968 and now in excess of 1200 pairs breed. In 1995 a pair was discovered breeding in Co. Antrim and the following year a pair bred in Co. Wexford. Since then the Irish population has gradually increased to over 60 pairs. In the autumn there is an influx of continental birds from Europe for the winter which has been proven by colour ringing and then a return migration takes place in late spring.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) distribution map

Breeding      Breeding resident     Non breeding - winter
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons