Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Showing posts with label Swords. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swords. Show all posts

Monday 30 May 2022

JUNIPER SHIELDBUG (Cyphostethus tristriatus) adult on 04-05-2022 at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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Click external link here to see identification guide to British and Irish Shieldbugs 
                     
The Juniper Shieldbug (Cyphostethus tristriatus) is of the family Acanthosomatidae which is in the genus Cyphostethus . It has two very distinctive purple red boomerang shaped markings on the upperparts as well as rounded "shoulders" which helps to identify from the similar Birch Shieldbug (Elasmostethus interstinctus) which has squarish "shoulders".  
It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe. In Britain, it has recently expanded its range northward and has become more common. In Ireland, this appears to be a rare species with has been reported from less than 25 locations. Although this represents the first record for Fingal, in all probably it is under recorded.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 4 May 2022

BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla)[from 3rd to 8th May 2022] in 1st summer/ 2nd calandar year plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland




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The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is of the gull family Laridae which is in the genus Rissa. The only other member of the genus Rissa is the Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) where less than 200,000 pairs breed on some of the Bering Sea Islands between Russia and Alaska,USA.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe /Raw Birds

Tuesday 3 May 2022

LITTLE GULL (Hydrocoloeus minutus) [from 1st to 6th May 2022] in 1st summer/ 2nd calendar year plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) in 1st summer/ 2nd calendar year plumage.

 Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) on the left and Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus), both in 1st summer/ 2nd calendar year plumage.

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The Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Hydrocoloeus.

Thursday 28 April 2022

GADWALL (Mareca strepera) female at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Gadwall (Mareca strepera) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Mareca.

Wednesday 27 April 2022

GADWALL (Mareca strepera) male at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Gadwall (Mareca strepera) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Mareca.

Tuesday 26 April 2022

GADWALL (Mareca strepera) pair at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Gadwall (Mareca strepera) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Mareca.

Monday 25 April 2022

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecies L .l. islandica) immature at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Limosa. This large, long-legged and long-billed shorebird's breeding range extends from Iceland through central Europe as well as central and northeastern Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, Mediterranean Basin, sub Saharan Africa, southern Asia and parts of coastal Australia. The species breeds in fens, damp meadows, moorlands and bogs. In the winter, it occurs on estuaries, lake shores, and in damp coastal fields.
 
There are three subspecies recognised:
  • Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa islandica) 
  • European Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa limosa) 
  • Asian Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa melanuroides)
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) distribution map
 
LimosalimosaWorldDistribution.jpg
Yellow breeding     Blue wintering     Green breeding resident
 
J. Schroeder, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

Sunday 24 April 2022

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecies L .l. islandica) adult in transition to breeding plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Limosa. This large, long-legged and long-billed shorebird's breeding range extends from Iceland through central Europe as well as central and northeastern Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, Mediterranean Basin, sub Saharan Africa, southern Asia and parts of coastal Australia. The species breeds in fens, damp meadows, moorlands and bogs. In the winter, it occurs on estuaries, lake shores, and in damp coastal fields. 
 
There are three subspecies recognised:
  • Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa islandica) 
  • European Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa limosa) 
  • Asian Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa melanuroides)

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) distribution map
 
LimosalimosaWorldDistribution.jpg
Yellow breeding     Blue wintering     Green breeding resident
 
J. Schroeder, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

Friday 18 February 2022

EURASIAN SISKIN (Spinus spinus) female at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Dublin, Ireland


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 The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) is of the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Spinus.

Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) distribution map

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

Sunday 13 February 2022

EURASIAN SISKIN (Spinus spinus) male at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Dublin, Ireland


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 The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) is of the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Spinus.

Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) distribution map

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

Monday 7 February 2022

ICELAND GULL (Larus glaucoides) 2nd winter from 31st January to at least 1st February 2022 at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland



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The Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus.

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) distribution map

   Breeding   Passage   Non breeding-winter   Non breeding-scarce winter
 
Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Sunday 23 January 2022

EURASIAN TEAL (Anas crecca) at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) male

Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) female

Eurasian Teals (Anas crecca) 
 
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The Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) is of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Anas. This small dabbling duck breeds in the temperate regions of the Palearctic. In the autumn northern populations migrate to spend the winter in northwest and southern Europe, parts of northern Africa including the Nile Valley, the Middle East as well as southern and southeast Asia.
The small scattered resident population in Ireland and Britain greatly increases from September when northern birds begin to arrive. Having overwintered, they begin to disperse back to their breeding grounds and most have gone by the end of March.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  
 
 Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) distribution map 
  Breeding                Non breeding - winter           Resident

The Engineer, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

Tuesday 4 January 2022

COMMON REDSHANK (Tringa totanus) at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) or more simply known as a Redshank is of the sandpiper family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Tringa.
 
 Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) distribution map
 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/TringaTotanusIUCN2019_2.png 
 
 Resident - year round  Breeding  Passage  Non-breeding - winter
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Wednesday 8 September 2021

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.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 17 August 2021

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.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

Wednesday 10 February 2021

MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos) female, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, 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.

Sunday 7 February 2021

LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a member of the heron family Ardeidae which includes Bitterns, Egrets and Herons. 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.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds