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

Sunday 7 April 2013

EURASIAN BULLFINCH (Pyrrhula pyrrhul) male at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhul) is of the finch family Fringillidae which is in the genus Pyrrhula
This stocky species breeds in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Northern populations are migratory and move to southern Eurasia for the winter. Unlike most other finches, bullfinches don't form winter flocks. Normally encountered singularly or as a pair but a small family group, usually comprising less than 10 individuals, can be seen in late autumn/winter.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Rawbirds

Sunday 31 March 2013

LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes) juvenile, Big Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) is a medium sized shorebird or wader of the family Scolopacidae which is the genus Tringa. It is a common long distant migrant which breeds in wetland areas in the boreal forests of Central and North West Canada as well as Alaska. In early autumn it migrates south to its wintering areas in the Gulf of Mexico and South America. It is also a very rare but annual autumn vagrant to North West Europe, including Ireland. 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 26 March 2013

REDWING (Turdus iliacus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Redwing (Turdus iliacus) is a species of thrush in the family Turdidae which is in the genus Turdus. It breeds in the northern parts of Eurasia extending eastwards from Iceland to eastern Russia. Small numbers have also recently been found breeding in Greenland. In the autumn, this highly migratory species leaves the colder parts of its breading range to winter further south in Europe as well as parts of North Africa and the Middle East extending to northern Iran. 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 24 March 2013

EURASIAN BLACKCAP (Sylvia atricapilla) female, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) is of the family Sylviidae which is in the genus Sylvia.

HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY (Celastrina argiolus) female Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Holly Blue Butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenids which is in the genus Celastrina. It is a widespread species and occurs in North America as well as Eurasia but is absent from the colder northern parts of this range. Up to 14 subspecies are generally recognised. There are two generations and it is one of the earliest blue butterflies to be seen, emerging in late spring. Later in the season, it can be confused with similar coloured species but it has very distinctive black speckling on its under wing.  
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 4 March 2013

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

 
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The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a small 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

Saturday 2 March 2013

GOLDCREST (Regulus regulus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is of the family Regulidae which is in the genus Regulus.
  
 

GOLDCREST (Regulus regulus) collecting dog hairs for nest lining material Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is of the family Regulidae which is in the genus Regulus.

Thursday 28 February 2013

ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Saturday 23 February 2013

RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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

GARGANEY (Male) Anas querquedula Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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GARGANEY (Female) Anas querquedula Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Friday 22 February 2013

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)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 

Saturday 16 February 2013

CONTINENTAL CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo subspecies P. c. sinensis) 1st winter plumage at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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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

Sunday 10 February 2013

HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY (Celastrina argiolus) male, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Holly Blue Butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenids which is in the genus Celastrina. It is a widespread species and occurs in North America as well as Eurasia but is absent from the colder northern parts of this range. Up to 14 subspecies are generally recognised. There are two generations and it is one of the earliest blue butterflies to be seen, emerging in late spring. Later in the season, it can be confused with similar coloured species but it has very distinctive black speckling on its under wing.  
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds