NOON FLY or NOONDAY FLY (Mesembrina meridiana) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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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

MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos) female and Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) in the background Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Anas.

BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) nectering on Common Ivy Blossoms (Hedera helix ) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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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.  

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GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) sheltering from the wind at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is of the family Ardeidae and is in the genus Ardea.  It is resident in the temperate regions of Eurasia as well as eastern and sub Saharan Africa. The more northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter. Wetlands are its main habitat and commonly occurs along estuaries, streams, rivers and lakes. Aquatic as well as terrestrial creatures are preyed upon. Prey items include amphibians, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds which are swallowed whole.

This species nests in tall trees in colonies which are known as heronries. Upto five eggs are laid and are incubated for 25 days. Fledging takes place after 60 days.

 

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 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) distribution map

 

 Breeding     Resident     Winter     Vagrant      Introduced resident 

 

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

COMMON BUZZARD (Buteo buteo) at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) is a medium sized bird of prey of the family Accipitridae which is in the genus Buteo.

RED BACKED SHRIKE (Lanius collurio) immature found by Mark Collins on 12-09-2021 was still present on 15th and is only the 5th Dublin record Upper Cliff Road, Balscadden, Howth, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

  

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 The Red Backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) is of the family Laniidae which is in the genus Lanius. Its breeding range extends from Mainland Europe to Western Asia and in the autumn it migrates south to spend the winter in Southern Africa. 

In Ireland, it is a rare but annual spring and autumn passage migrant, with just over 200 records. There are four previous Co. Dublin records: 26-08-1927 (immature Rockabill Island, Skerries), 24-09-1974 (immature Clontarf), 02 to 04-10-2004 (first-winter North Bull Island) and 26-05-2012 (male Sutton).   

 

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Reference:

A List of Some Rarer Birds in Dublin version 5.2  by Joe Hobbs (download pdf here)

GARDEN BUMBLEBEE (Bombus hortorum) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.

 

LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) adult in breeding plumage Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is of family Ardeidae which includes Bitterns, Egrets as well as Herons and is in the genus Egretta . It is found in the temperate parts of Eurasia and Africa as well as Australia and New Zealand. Over the last 60 years or so this species has greatly expanded its range including recolonising its former breeding areas in Northern Europe, as well as Ireland. It first bred in the Caribbean in the mid 1990’s and is increasingly being recorded along the North American eastern seaboard.

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GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) melanistic type adult at The Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is of the family Ardeidae and is in the genus Ardea.  It is resident in the temperate regions of Eurasia as well as eastern and sub Saharan Africa. The more northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter. Wetlands are its main habitat and commonly occurs along estuaries, streams, rivers and lakes. Aquatic as well as terrestrial creatures are preyed upon. Prey items include amphibians, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds which are swallowed whole.

This species nests in tall trees in colonies which are known as heronries. Upto five eggs are laid and are incubated for 25 days. Fledging takes place after 60 days.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) distribution map

 

 Breeding     Resident     Winter     Vagrant      Introduced resident 

 

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

EURASIAN WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus) Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is of the curlew family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Numenius.

RED UNDERWING MOTH (Catocala nupta) on 17-08-2021 attracted to security light Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Red Underwing Moth (Catocala nupta) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Catocala. This is a large macro moth with a wingspan of 80mm and occurs in the temperate regions of the Palearctic. There are less than fifteen Irish records. The first record was from Co. Cork on 16th September 1906. There were no further reports until September 2016 when it was found in Co. Louth. All subsequent reports have been from that county as well as several from Co. Dublin and there is a single record from Co. Meath.

 

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HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) female at Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is of the sparrow family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, 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)

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

HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) South Strand, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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          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, 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

EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Streptopelia.

Over the last 150 years or so this dispersive species has greatly expanded its original range which stretched from Turkey eastwards to southern China and the Indian sub-continent. The first record for Europe was from Bulgaria in 1838 and by the end of the 20th century it had colonised the rest of Europe with the exception of Iceland but including the Canary Islands as well as the North African and parts of the Middle East. First record for Britain was in 1952 followed by the first for Ireland in 1958.   

To the east of its original range, it has also spread northeast to most of central and northern China as well as Japan. 

In 1974, less than 50 escaped from captivity in the Bahama Islands and from there it spread to Florida. It is now found in nearly every state in the USA, as well as in Mexico. 
 

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EUROPEAN HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus subspecies L. a. argenteus) 1st winter or 2nd calander at South Strand, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, 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

WOOD PIGEON (Columba palumbus) Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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The Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Columba.

ROCK PIPIT (Anthus petrosus) Skerries Harbour, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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

RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres) in transition from winter to summer plumage, Skerries Harbour, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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

COMMON EIDER (Somateria mollissima) male, Skerries Harbour, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) is of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Somateria.