BLUETHROAT Luscinia svecica Clonea Strand, Ballinclamper, Co. Waterford, Ireland

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BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros Clonea Strand, Ballinclamper, Co. Waterford, Ireland

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The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small perching bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is the genus Phoenicurus. It is a locally common resident in central and southern Europe and northern Africa. It also occurs in western and central Asia. In the warmer parts of its range it is sedentary. The northern populations migrate in the autumn to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, northern Africa and the Indian sub continent. 

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EURASIAN COOT (Fulica atra) Blessington Street Basin, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula Blessington Street Basin, Dublin City, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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BLACK REDSTART (Phoenicurus ochruros) West Pier, Howth, Fingal, Co, Dublin, Ireland

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The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small perching bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is the genus Phoenicurus. It is a locally common resident in central and southern Europe and northern Africa. It also occurs in western and central Asia. In the warmer parts of its range it is sedentary. The northern populations migrate in the autumn to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, northern Africa and the Indian sub continent. 

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SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) male at Balcarrick, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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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 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'Keeffe / Raw Birds