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 wildlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wildlife. Show all posts

Friday 3 July 2015

YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L .m. atlantis) adult at Corralejo, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

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Click external link here for detailed species information
 Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
 
The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland.
 
There are two subspecies recognised:
  • Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  
  • Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores where a dark headed form occurs.
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map
 

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

Wednesday 1 July 2015

COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY [Male] (Polyommatus icarus) Barranco de Betancuria, Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain


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Click here for detailed species information 

The Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It occurs throughout the temperate regions of Europe (including The Canary Islands) Asia and North Africa. In Europe, it is absent from Iceland, the Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Azores. As its name implies it is one of the most widespread and commonly encountered blue butterflies in the Palaerarctic  region. In 2005, it was discovered breeding in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada and it has since increased its distribution there. In southern Europe, it is on the wing from late March to early November but it has a shorter  flight (May to September) season in the northern parts of its range.  
Text © www.rawbirds.com

Sunday 28 June 2015

YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L .m. atlantis) adult at El Cotillo, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
 Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
 
The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland.
 
There are two subspecies recognised:
  • Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  
  • Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores where a dark headed form occurs.
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map
 

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

Sunday 21 June 2015

SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris rapae) Tindaya, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

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Click here for detailed species information 

The Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae), also known as Small Cabbage White Butterfly, occurs very commonly through out Asia, Europe and North Africa. It is also found as an introduced species in Australia, New Zealand and North America. This very worn individual is nectering on European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum).