Showing posts with label Donabate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Donabate. Show all posts
Thursday 24 March 2022
Tuesday 22 March 2022
Monday 21 March 2022
Sunday 20 March 2022
Tuesday 14 December 2021
Thursday 30 September 2021
LITTLE GREBE or DABCHICK (Tachybaptus ruficollis) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Click external link here for detailed species informationClick external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
The Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) or more commonly known as Dabchick, is a small waterbird in the family Podicipedidae which is in the genus Tachybaptus.
Nine subspecies are generally recognised whose range extends in a band
over most of Europe across southern and eastern Asia. It also occurs in
northern and sub Saharan Africa. Worldwide there were 23 species of
grebe but Alaotra Grebe (Tachybaptus rufolavatus), which was last seen in 1985 at Lake Alaotra in Madagascar, is now considered to be extinct.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Wednesday 29 September 2021
Sunday 26 September 2021
BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) nectering on Common Ivy Blossoms (Hedera helix ) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Click external link here for detailed species information
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here for detailed species information
The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus. This
bumblebee is commonly found throughout the temperate regions of Europe,
The Middle East, northern Africa and occurs as an introduced species in other countries including Australia (Tasmania), Japan as well as parts of South America.
Friday 24 September 2021
Sunday 9 May 2021
TAPERED DRONEFLY or TAPERED HOVERFLY (Eristalis pertinax) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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The Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax) or Tapered Hoverfly is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Eristalis. This hoverfly is commonly found in Europe. It has a long flight season over a number of generations which extends
from February to early November and overwinters as an adult. Key identification features include: large size, distinctive genus wing
pattern, tapered abdomen, black antennae, yellowish front
and middle lower legs (tarsi).
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here for detailed species information
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris Friday 7 May 2021
SAND MARTIN (Riparia riparia) c30 at the Bird Hide Trail ponds, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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The Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) is of the swallow family Hirundinidae which is in the genus Riparia. This insectivorous species which catches flies and midges on the wing, is a summer resident in North America, Europe as well as Northern Asia.The North American populations winters in South America and western Mexico. The European and western Asian population spends the winter in Sub Saharan Africa. In the Mediterranean region, that population is mainly sedentary. Other Asian populations over winter in Southeast Asia.There are a number of subspecies recognised.
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls
The Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) is of the swallow family Hirundinidae which is in the genus Riparia. This insectivorous species which catches flies and midges on the wing, is a summer resident in North America, Europe as well as Northern Asia.The North American populations winters in South America and western Mexico. The European and western Asian population spends the winter in Sub Saharan Africa. In the Mediterranean region, that population is mainly sedentary. Other Asian populations over winter in Southeast Asia.There are a number of subspecies recognised.
Patrick J. O' Keeffe / Raw Birds
Wednesday 5 May 2021
NOON FLY or NOONDAY FLY (Mesembrina meridiana) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Click external link here for detailed species information
The Noon Fly (Mesembrina meridiana) or Noonday Fly is of the family Muscidae which is in the genus Mesembrina. This is a common and widespread medium sized fly with distinctive golden cheeks and amber wing bases. The female lays a single egg in up to five cow pats or dung and when the lava hatches, it predates the larvae of other species which are feeding within the dung. The flight season is from late April into October.
Click external link here for detailed species information
The Noon Fly (Mesembrina meridiana) or Noonday Fly is of the family Muscidae which is in the genus Mesembrina. This is a common and widespread medium sized fly with distinctive golden cheeks and amber wing bases. The female lays a single egg in up to five cow pats or dung and when the lava hatches, it predates the larvae of other species which are feeding within the dung. The flight season is from late April into October.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Saturday 1 May 2021
BLOTCH WINGED HOVERFLY (Leucozoba lucorum) male at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see a Beginners Guide to Hoverflies
The Blotch winged Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Helophilus. This is a very distinctive species that mimics the Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum). Orange hairs on the thorax and an orange yellow scutellum are among the features that help separate it from Volucella hoverflies. In Ireland the normal flight season extends from May to August.
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris Thursday 29 April 2021
THE FOOTBALLER HOVERFLY (Helophilus pendulus) female, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Click here for detailed species information
The Footballer Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Helophilus. This is a common species which occurs in a variety of habitats including gardens and parks. The pattern of black on the hind leg are among the features which help separate it from other Helophilus hoverflies. In Ireland it is on the wing from mid April until late October.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris Monday 26 April 2021
EUROPEAN HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus subspecies L. a. argenteus) a pair on the newly created shallow pond off the Bird Hide Trail, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
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.
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
Sunday 25 April 2021
Saturday 24 April 2021
IMPERIAL ROVE BEETLE (Staphylinus caesareus) at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Click external link here for details of the Rove Beetle family Staphylinidae
Click external link here for details of the Rove Beetle family Staphylinidae
Click external link here to see a list of beetles found in Ireland
The Imperial Rove Beetle (Staphylinus caesareus) is of the family Staphylinidae which is in the genus Staphylinus. Over two thousand species of beetle occur in Ireland and among them there are 641 species of Rove Beetle.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Thursday 22 April 2021
EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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The European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a member of the finch family Fringillidae which is in the genus Carduelis.
It breeds in most of Europe and Western Asia but is absent from the
colder northern parts of that region. It has a scattered distribution in
North Africa and occurs as an introduced species in south eastern
Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay. It can be commonly found in gardens,
particularly in winter, where it readily comes to bird feeders.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Saturday 17 April 2021
EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus) female at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Click external link here for detailed species information
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a small bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco.
Alternative names include European Kestrel, Common Kestrel or simply
referred to as a Kestrel. This falcon occurs throughout Europe, Asia and
Africa.
More recently, the British and Irish populations have been in serious decline which
may be as a result of changes in agricultural practices and increased use of rodenticides (rat poisons). Nest predation by Common
Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Grey Crow (Corvus cornix), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Common Raven (Corvus corax), whose populations have increased, may also be a factor.
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