HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY [Female] (Brachytron pratense) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Hairy Hawker Dragonfly is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Brachytron. Alternative names include Hairy Dragonfly and Spring Hawker. It has a scattered distribution in Europe and parts of western Asia. It is absent from Iceland and other northern latitudes. In the warmer part of its range, it is on the wing from late March to early August but has a shorter flight season elsewhere.  
This close up view of a freshly emerged female clearly demonstrates where it got its English name from.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

LARGE RED DAMSELFLY [Female] (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) is of the family Coenagrionidae which is in the genus Pyrrhosoma. It is commonly found in Europe, smaller populations occur in northern Africa and western Asia. It is on the wing from April to early September.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

DINGY SKIPPER BUTTERFLY (Erynnis tagesi) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Dingy Skipper Butterfly (Erynnis tages) is of the family Hesperiidae which is in the genus Erynnis. It occurs in Europe and most of western Asia. The flight season is normally from late April to early June but in the warmer parts of its range there is a second generation on the wing during July and August.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY [Female] (Brachytron pratense) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Hairy Hawker Dragonfly is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Brachytron. Alternative names include Hairy Dragonfly and Spring Hawker. It has a scattered distribution in Europe and parts of western Asia. It is absent from Iceland and other northern latitudes. In the warmer part of its range, it is on the wing from late March to early August but has a shorter flight season elsewhere. 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

GREEN HAIRSTREAK BUTTERFLY (Callophrys rubi) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Green Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophrys rubi) is of the family Lycaenidae which is in the genus Callophrys. This small butterfly has a widespread distribution in Europe, Asia and northern Africa. When seen in flight, with its dull brown upper wings, it can easily be confused with darker coloured species. When not feeding it lands on green foliage always resting with the wings closed, revealing the iridescent green underwing. With this camouflage, it can be surprisingly difficult to spot. The flight season can extend from late March to early August but has a much shorter season in the northern part of its range.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

RAFT SPIDER (Dolomedes fimbriatus) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

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The Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) is a semi-aquatic member of the family Pisauridaeone which is in the genus Dolomedes. It is one of Ireland’s largest spiders. Also known as the Hunting Spider or the Jesus Christ spider for its ability to walk on water. It occurs in sphagnum bogs. Main prey items include aquatic and terrestrial  insects, invertebrates as well as tadpoles which it detects using its forelegs to sense any vibrations on the water surface. If threatened, it can submerge itself under water for up to 60 minutes.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EUROPEAN GREENFINCH [Male] (Carduelis chloris) Gile's Quay, Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth

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The European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) is a small passerine of the finch family Fringillidae which is in the genus Chlori. It has a widespread distribution in Europe, northern Africa and southwestern Asia. It  also occurs as an introduced species in parts of Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Uruguay. Before the onset of winter, northern populations migrate to the more temperate areas of its range. In recent times, there has been a dramatic decline in numbers due to the spread of trichomonosis disease that effects the digestive system which results in mortality.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies S. r. hibernans) female at Gile's Quay, Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth

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The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is of the chat family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Saxicola. Preferred habitats include rough grassland, sand dunes and heathland where it is typically seen perched on brambles, gorse or shrubs within the breeding area. 

In the temperate part of its range, nesting commences in late March and up to three broods are raised. It is a partial migrant. Populations from the colder regions move to spend the winter in southern Europe and northern Africa. Successive hard winters, as was the case in 2009/10 and 2010/11 caused severe losses in the mainly sedentary northwestern populations. 

 

There are two subspecies generally recognised: 

• Saxicola rubicola rubicola - occurs in central, eastern and southern Europe as well as northern Morocco and southeastern Turkey. 

•  Saxicola rubicola hibernans - occurs in northwestern Europe including Britain, Ireland, France and Norway.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds