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Monday, 18 February 2013
EURASIAN WIGEON [Female] (Anas penelope) Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
MELODIOUS WARBLER (Hippolais polyglotta) Tavira, Portugal
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CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls The Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta) is of the warbler family Acrocephalidae which is in the genus Hippolais. It is a common breeding summer resident in southwest Europe and northwest Africa. In Mid September, it migrates south to spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ireland it's a rare but annual over shooting spring and autumn migrant to south coast headlands where it needs to be separated with care from the very similar Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina) which has noticeably longer primary projections being equal in length to the tertials. Melodious Warbler primary projections are half the length of its tertials. Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
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Saturday, 16 February 2013
GREAT CORMORANT [1st Winter plumage] (Phalacrocorax carbo subspecies P. c. carbo) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co. Louth, 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. Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
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.
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. Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
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.
Friday, 15 February 2013
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
MARSH WARBLER ( Acrocephalus palustris) Biebrza Marshes, Goniądz, Poland,
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Tuesday, 12 February 2013
YELLOW BROWED WARBLER ( Phylloscopus inornatus) Cotter's Garden, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co Cork, Ireland
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CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information The Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) is one of smallest leaf warbler in the genus Phylloscopus. This insectivorous species is a summer breeding resident in the temperate regions of Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to winter in the tropical regions of south east Asia. Small numbers also winter in western and southern Europe, as far south as the Canary Islands. In Ireland, it is a scarce or rare annual autumn passage migrant to coastal headlands and offshore islands. Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / RawBirds.com |
Monday, 11 February 2013
Sunday, 10 February 2013
HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY (Celastrina argiolus) male, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information 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 |
WESTERN ORPHEAN WARBLER Sylvia hortensis Tavira, Portugal
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RED VEINED DARTER (Female) Sympetrum fonscolombii El Rocio, Almonte, Huelva, Spain
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Saturday, 9 February 2013
GOLIATH DUNG BEETLE Scarabaeus viettei Parque Nacional de Doñana, Almonte, Huelva, Spain
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Friday, 8 February 2013
SARDINIAN WARBLER [Male] (Sylvia melanocephala) Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Tavira, Portugal
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Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com
Up to five subspecies are generally recognised:
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Thursday, 7 February 2013
COMMON POCHARD Aythya ferina El Rocío, Almonte, Huelva, Spain
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Wednesday, 6 February 2013
BRAMBLING (Fringilla montifringilla) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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The Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) is a member of the finch family Fringillidae which is in the genus Fringilla. It breeds in the northern birch and coniferous forests of Scandinavia and Russia. With the onset of colder weather, this migratory species moves south to winter in western and southern Europe, North Africa, the northern part of the Indian sub continent, China, and Japan. During migration, it regularly occurs in Alaska and as far south as the western United States.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK (Accipiter nisus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Sword, Fingal, Co.Dublin, Ireland
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Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk
(Accipiter nisus), alternative
names include Northern Sparrowhawk
or simply Sparrowhawk, is a
small bird of prey of the family Accipitridae which is in the genus Accipiter. It
has a widespread distribution across the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World.
It is a partial migrant and in the more northern and colder parts of its range,
it disperses south for the winter. The preferred habitats include open type
wood land, hedge rows, parks and gardens where a wide variety of small to
medium sized perching birds are preyed upon. Males are up to 25% smaller than
females and tend to prey upon sparrow sized passerines but can include starlings
and thrushes. Females, on the other hand, can tackle larger prey including doves,
pigeons and magpies.
This species is the most commonly encountered bird of prey in Ireland. |
Monday, 4 February 2013
Sunday, 3 February 2013
EUROPEAN BEE EATER (Merops apiaster) El Rocío, Andalusia, Spain
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EUROPEAN BEE EATER (Merops apiaster) El Rocío, Andalusia, Spain
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CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information |
Friday, 1 February 2013
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