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 Turvey Nature Reserve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turvey Nature Reserve. Show all posts

Tuesday 29 March 2022

EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula) at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) or more commonly known as a Robin is of the  family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Erithacus.

Thursday 24 March 2022

COMMON PHEASANT or RING NECKED PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus) at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Common Pheasant or Ring Necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is of the family Phasianidae which is in the genus Phasianus.

Tuesday 22 March 2022

MISTLE THRUSH (Turdus viscivorus) feeding on Common Ivy (Hedera helix) berries at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) is of the thrush family Turdidae which is in the genus Turdus.

Monday 21 March 2022

MISTLE THRUSH (Turdus viscivorus) feeding on Common Ivy (Hedera helix) berries at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) is of the thrush family Turdidae which is in the genus Turdus.

Sunday 20 March 2022

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.

Tuesday 14 December 2021

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is of the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.
 

Sunday 3 October 2021

GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus) adult from 29th September to 14th October 2021 at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a large wading bird of the family Threskiornithidae which is in the genus Plegadis. This nomadic species breeds in the warmer regions of North America, Eurasia, Africa and Australia.
This individual was first reported in 2020 on 12th August at North Bull Island and then at Balbriggan Golf Course on various dates from 20th to 27th September as well as at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords on 26th and 29th September. There were no further reports until 29th September 2021 when it was relocated at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate and remained there until at least 14th October, data per www.irishbirding.com 
There are 23 previous Co. Dublin records, the first of which was from Balrothery in October or November 1840. There are just over 500 Irish records. 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference:
A List of Some Rarer Birds in Dublin version 5.2  by Joe Hobbs (download pdf here)

Saturday 2 October 2021

EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis) 1st winter 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

Friday 1 October 2021

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

Thursday 30 September 2021

LITTLE GREBE or DABCHICK (Tachybaptus ruficollis) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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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

Wednesday 29 September 2021

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.

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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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.  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 25 September 2021

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.
 
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 

Friday 24 September 2021

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.

Sunday 5 September 2021

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 

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
 
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Saturday 8 May 2021

WILLOW WARBLER (Phylloscopus trochilus) fly catching on an Oak Tree, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) is of the family Phylloscopidae which is in the genus Phylloscopus. This insectivorous leaf warbler is a common and widespread summer resident from mid April to late September which breeds throughout the northern and temperate regions of Eurasia. It is strongly migratory, with almost all of the population wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a bird of open woodlands with a preference for habitats that include birch, alder and willow trees as well as ground cover for nesting.
    
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

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.

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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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

Tuesday 4 May 2021

GADWALL (Mareca strepera) pair, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, 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.