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

Tuesday, 23 February 2021

COMMON REDPOLL (Acanthis flammea subspecies A. f. caberet) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) or more simply known as a Redpoll is of the finch family Fringillidae which is in the genus Acanthis. 
 There are several subspecies recognised including the Lesser Redpoll (Acanthis flammea caberet) which is resident in Ireland and Britain. It also breeds in Central Europe and Southern Scandinavia where it is a partial migrant, which moves south and west to more temperate regions for the winter.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday, 22 February 2021

YELLOWHAMMER (Emberiza citrinella) male, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) is of the bunting family Emberizidae which is in the genus Emberiza.

Sunday, 21 February 2021

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) male on left with female or immature, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, 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

Saturday, 20 February 2021

ROOK (Corvus frugilegus) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The Rook (Corvus frugilegus) is of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus.

Friday, 19 February 2021

EURASIAN BLUE TIT (Cyanistes caeruleus) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) is of the family Paridae which is in the genus Cyanistes.

Thursday, 18 February 2021

COMMON REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus) male, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) or more simply known as a Reed Bunting is of the bunting family Emberizidae which is in the genus Emberiza.

Wednesday, 17 February 2021

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) 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 

Tuesday, 16 February 2021

EURASIAN CURLEW (Numenius arquata) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


 
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 The Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Numenius.

Monday, 15 February 2021

EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) male, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is of the family Sturnidae which is in the genus Sturnus.

Sunday, 14 February 2021

COMMON REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus) male, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland



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 The Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) or more simply known as a Reed Bunting is of the bunting family Emberizidae which is in the genus Emberiza.