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Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls 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 7 April 2019
GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) at Port Oriel Harbour, Clogherhead, Co. Louth, Ireland
Sunday 16 December 2018
REDWING (Turdus iliacus) Loop Head Peninsula, Kilbaha South, Co. Clare, Ireland
Sunday 8 July 2018
Saturday 2 June 2018
GREEN VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris napi) nectering on HAWKWEED (Hieracium sp.) Giles Quay, Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth, Ireland
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information The Green-veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Pieris. It
commonly occurs in Eurasia as well as North America. This species is on
the wing from March to October, over several generations, but in
Ireland the normal flight season
extends from mid April to mid September. It hibernates during the winter
as a chrysalis.
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Sunday 25 March 2018
EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds |
Monday 12 March 2018
Saturday 3 March 2018
EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (Turdus merula) male at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Click external link here for detailed species information Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear callsThe Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) or more simply known as a Blackbird is of the thrush family Turdidae which is in the genus Turdus. |
Friday 2 March 2018
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 breeding range to winter further south in Europe as well as parts of North Africa and the Middle East extending to northern Iran.
Text: Patrick J. O'Keeffe /Raw Birds
Thursday 1 March 2018
FIELDFARE (Turdus pilaris) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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The Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) is a species of thrush in the family Turdidae which is in the genus Turdus. This Palearctic species breeds in woodlands of Northern Scandinavia, Central Europe as well as Northern and Central Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to winter in Southern and Western Europe and the Middle East extending to Northern India.
Text: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Monday 1 January 2018
BRIMSTONE BUTTERFLY (Gonepteryx rhamni) [Male] Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
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The Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) is of the family Pieridae which is in genus Gonepteryx. It occurs in Europe, Asia and parts of northern Africa. The presents of its larval host plants, Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus carthartica)
influences its geographic range and distribution. This butterfly can
live for up to a year and the flight season is from April to August. It
then overwinters as an adult and emerges, after seven months, from
hibernation.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Tuesday 26 December 2017
COMMON REDPOLL (Acanthis flammea subspecies A. f. caberet) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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 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 |
Wednesday 29 November 2017
Monday 27 November 2017
SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) male at West Pier, Howth, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
is of the longspur family Calcariidae which is in the genus Plectrophenax. This circumpolar species breeds mainly in the arctic mountainous regions of North America and Eurasia. Isolated populations also breed south of this range in upland areas. Apart from small numbers breeding in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, this is an uncommon and local winter visitor, from October to March, at coastal
locations in Britain and Ireland. It occurs
singularly or in small flocks at shingle beeches near the edges of sand dunes, harbour piers and
headlands. Feeding close to the ground, it can be easily overlooked and
difficult to locate as
cryptic colouration helps it blend into the background. |
Saturday 25 November 2017
Thursday 23 November 2017
Sunday 29 October 2017
Monday 23 October 2017
EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus ) male at Rogerstown Estuary, Rush, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a small bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco.
Alternative names include European Kestrel, Common Kestrel or simply
referred to as a Kestrel. This falcon occurs throughout Europe, Asia and
Africa. More recently, the British and Irish populations have been in serious decline which
may be as a result of changes in agricultural practices and increased use of rodenticides (rat poisons). Nest predation by Common
Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Grey Crow (Corvus cornix), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Common Raven (Corvus corax), whose populations have increased, may also be a factor. |
Tuesday 17 October 2017
EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK [Male] (Accipiter nisus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Thursday 14 September 2017
BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecies. L .l. islandica) juvenile at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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|
The Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Limosa. This large, long-legged and long-billed shorebird's breeding range extends from Iceland through central Europe as well as central and northeastern Asia. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, sub Saharan Africa, southern Asia and parts of coastal Australia. The species breeds in fens, damp meadows, moorlands and bogs. In the winter, it occurs on estuaries, lake shores, and in damp fields.
There are three subspecies recognised;
- Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa islandica)
- European Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa limosa)
- Asian Black-tailed Godwit - (Limosa limosa melanuroides)
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Sunday 10 September 2017
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Spotted Flycatchers are estimated to have declined by 59% across Europe during 1980–2005 (PECBMS 2007). A predator 'control' experiment has indicated that the abundance of nest predators may be determining the breeding success of Spotted Flycatchers, especially in woodland, where nest success was lower overall than in gardens (Stoate & Szczur 2006). Another study using nest cameras has identified avian predators, especially Jays, as responsible for most nest losses (Stevens et al. 2008). Decreasing survival rates may have been caused by deterioration in woodland quality, particularly leading to declines in the large flying insects that are food to the flycatcher, or by conditions either on the wintering grounds or along migration routes (Fuller et al. 2005).
Source: https://www.bto.org/birdtrends2008/wcrspofl.shtml
Sunday 3 September 2017
RED VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum fonscolombii) female resting on COMMON KNAPWEED (Centaurea nigra) seed head, Togher Pond, Simonstown, Togher, Co. Louth, Ireland
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The Red-veined Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum.
It has a widespread distribution and is commonly found in Africa, Western, Central and Southern Asia as well as most of Europe. This
species is nomadic by nature and since the 1990’s has greatly expanded
its European range as far north as southern Scandinavia.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds |
Friday 18 August 2017
LANG'S SHORT TAILED BLUE BUTTERFLY (Leptotes pirithous) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
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The Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), also known as Common Zebra Blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae which is genus Leptotes. This migratory species occurs in southern Europe, most of Africa including Madagascar and southern Asia.
Saturday 29 July 2017
Monday 3 July 2017
EURASIAN HOOPOE (Upupa epops) Albufera Marsh, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
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