EURASIAN SKYLARK (Alauda arvensis) at Annagh Marsh, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) or commonly referred to as a Skylark is a member of the lark family Alaudidae which is in the genus Alauda.

 

EURASIAN SKYLARK (Alauda Arvensis) distribution map

 

Resident breeding    Summer breeding resident    Passage migrant    Winter non breeding    Introduced resident breeding
 

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

ROCK PIPIT (Anthus petrosus) on a landing beacon at Blacksod Lighthouse Helipad, Blacksod, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) or European Rock Pipit is of the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Anthus.

ROCK PIPIT (Anthus_petrosus) distribution map

Green year round resident  Yellow summer resident  Blue winter resident

 

Jimfbleak, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

SMALL COPPER BUTTERFLY or AMERICAN COPPER BUTTERFLY (Lycaena phlaeas) male nectaring on Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) at Cross Lough, Killadoon, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The Small Copper Butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas) or American Copper Butterfly is of the family Lycaenids which is in the genus Lycaena. This is a common species that is found throughout the Holarctic region which includes North America and Eurasia. It also occurs in North Africa and a number of subspecies are recognised. The normal flight season is from mid April to late October over three generations and it overwinters as a caterpillar.  In North America, it is known as American Copper Butterfly.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata megera) male at St. Deirbhile's Old Church and Graveyard, Faulmore, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo

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The Wall Brown Butterfly (Lasiommata megera) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Lasiommata. 

It occurs in most of Europe as well as parts of Western Asia and North Africa. Formally more common and widespread but since the mid 1980 it has been in decline and is now absent from many of its former haunts.  This decline has not been reflected on the Mullet Peninsula where this species is still commonly encountered. The main flight season is from late April to early September, over two generations. Occasionally there is a third generation in late September into early October. Males have a very distinctive dark mid fore wing bar. It overwinters as a larva.  

 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EUROPEAN SHAG (Gulosus aristotelis) adult at Blacksod Harbour, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) is of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae which is in the genus Gulosus. It occurs in northern and western Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, parts of North Africa as well as parts of the Black Sea Coast. This species breeds in colonies on coastal rocky cliffs and on offshore islands. Can easily be confused with Greater Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) but unlike that species, it is very rarely found inland on lakes or rivers.

  

Three subspecies are generally recognised :

• G. a. aristotelis – occurs in northwestern European Atlantic Ocean coasts
• G. a. desmarestii – occurs in the Mediterranean Basin and Black Sea coasts
• G. a. riggenbachi – occurs in northwestern African coasts
  

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) distribution map

 Breeding                  Non-breeding - winter 

 

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

 

GREAT BLACKED GULL (Larus marinus) 2nd winter, feeding on a Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) carcass at Faulmore Beach, Faulmore, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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The Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus.

 

 

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) distribution map

 

  

 

 Range_map for Larus marinus based on: Lars Larsson, Birds of the World, 2001, CD-rom Mullarney, K. Svensson, L. Zetterström, D. (1999) Fågelguiden, Europas och medelhavsområdets fåglar i fält. Stockholm: Albert Bonniers förlag David Allen Sibley, The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2000, ISBN 0-679-45122-6  No machine-readable author provided. AHA2 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

 Red - Breeding ground        Purple - All year round        Blue - Winter

FOX MOTH (Macrothylacia rubi) caterpillar at Blacksod Village, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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 The Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi) is of the family Lasiocampidae which is in the genus Macrothylacia.

SANDERLING (Calidris alba) at Blacksod Harbour, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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The Sanderling (Calidris alba) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Calidris. It breeds in the Arctic tundra regions of North America and Asia. This small shorebird winters on the coastal beaches of southern North America, South America, Western Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australia. It also occurs as a spring and autumn passage migrant at inland locations.

  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) Blacksod Village, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, 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)
  

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_linnet

BRIGHT-LINE BROWN-EYE MOTH or TOMATO MOTH (Spilosoma lubricipeda) caterpillar Blacksod Village, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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 The Bright-line Brown-eye Moth (Lacanobia oleracea) or Tomato Moth is of the family Noctuidae which is in the genus Lacanobia. This common and widespread species occurs in the temperate areas of Eurasia as well as parts of North Africa.   

Having overwintered underground as a papa, the adult merges in early May and is on the wing until early July. In warmer regions there is a second generation and that flight season is during August and September. The caterpillar or larva stage is from June into early October.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  

 

References and highly recommended reading:

Field guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland  by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend and Richard Lewington

Field guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland  by Barry Henwood, Phil Sterling and Richard Lewington

BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica) a migrating juvenile resting on a gutter Blacksod Village, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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  The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is of the family Hirundinae which is in the genus Hirundo . It is a summer resident which breeds in the Northern Hemisphere. There are small sedentary populations in some of the tropical parts of this range but during the summer it is mainly absent from the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia. This common and widespread insectivorous species feeds exclusively on small flies and midges. 

In late autumn with the onset of colder weather, when its prey items begin to diminish, it migrates south to its wintering areas. The North American population winters in Central and South America. The Eurasian population winters in sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian sub-continent, South East Asia and parts of Northern Australia. In early spring the return migration north begins. At least six races are recognised.  

There are 74 species of hirundines which includes Swallows and Martins. In additional, the only known record of the Red Sea Cliff Swallow (Hirundo perdita) was of one found dead at Sanganeb Lighthouse, Sudan in May 1984.

  Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EUROPEAN HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus subspecies L. a. argenteus) adult Blacksod Lighthouse, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. There are several subspecies recognised including the Western European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus argenteus) which is resident in Ireland, Britain and the Near Continent.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

European Herring Gull  (Larus argentatus) distribution map

 

  

Green: year-round  Yellow: breeding  Blue: non breeding

Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

WHITE ERMINE MOTH (Spilosoma lubricipeda) caterpillar Blacksod, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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 The White Ermine Moth (Spilosoma lubricipeda) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Spilosoma. This common species is found throughout the temperate regions of Eurasia. The adult is white with dark antennae and has black speckling on the forewing. The normal flight season is from mid May to end of July but infrequently there is a second generation later in the autumn. Larval stage is from July to late September. Then a  hairy cocoon is formed among plant debris in which the pupal stage remains and emerges the following year as an adult in early summer.

 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  

 

References and highly recommended reading:

Field guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland  by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend and Richard Lewington

Field guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland  by Barry Henwood, Phil Sterling and Richard Lewington 

KNOT GRASS MOTH (Acronicta rumicis) caterpillar Blacksod, Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The Knot Grass Moth (Acronicta rumicis) is of the family Noctuidae which is in the genus Acronicta.

RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres) Faulmore Beach, Faulmore, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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The Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Arenaria.

EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) 1st winter, Belmullet, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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

EURASIAN SKYLARK (Alauda arvensis) at Cross Lough, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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The Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) is of the lark family Motacillidae which is in the genus Alaudidae.