EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies S. r. hibernans) female at Gile's Quay, Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth

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 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

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

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

The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

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

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

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

The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

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

HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

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

MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis) Port Oriel, Clogher Head, Co. Louth, 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 Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) is of the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Anthus.

NORTHERN WHEATEAR Oenanthe oenanthe Cruisetown Strand, Clogher Head, Co. Louth, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

NORTHERN WHEATEAR Oenanthe oenanthe Cruisetown Strand, Clogher Head, Co. Louth, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies S. r. hibernans) male at Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, 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 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

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies S. r. hibernans) female at Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, 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 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

COMMON DARTER Sympetrum striolatum

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) male, Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, 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 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

EUROPEAN SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

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

GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo) at Port Orial, Clogherhead, Co. Louth, 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 Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is of the family Phalacrocoracidae which is in the genus Phalacrocorax. It has a scattered distribution in parts of North America, Eurasia, Africa and Australasia. 

There are a number subspecies recognised including the ground nesting Common Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo) which occurs in Britain and Ireland that breeds on coastal rocky outcrops and on off shore islands.  The tree nesting Continental Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) which breeds in Northern Europe extending eastwards to Japan, but has in recent times colonised parts of southern Britain. This is apparently a rare subspecies in Ireland with less than 70 records but is in all probably under recorded.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds