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

Saturday 22 December 2012

SAND MARTIN (Riparia riparia) Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) is of the swallow family Hirundinidae which is in the genus Riparia. This insectivorous species which catches flies and midges on the wing, is a summer resident in North America, Europe as well as Northern Asia.The North American populations winters in South America and western Mexico. The European and western Asian population spends the winter in Sub Saharan Africa. In the Mediterranean region, that population is mainly sedentary. Other Asian populations over winter in Southeast Asia.There are a number of subspecies recognised.

Patrick J. O' Keeffe / Raw Birds

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) male in winter plumage, West Pier, Howth, 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

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) male in breeding plumage, Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co. Louth, 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

BLACK REDSTART (Phoenicurus ochruros) West Pier, Howth, Fingal, Co, Dublin, Ireland


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The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small perching bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is the genus Phoenicurus. It is a locally common resident in central and southern Europe and northern Africa. It also occurs in western and central Asia. In the warmer parts of its range it is sedentary. The northern populations migrate in the autumn to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, northern Africa and the Indian sub continent. 

Text © www.rawbirds.com

BLACK REDSTART (Phoenicurus ochruros) West Pier, Howth, Fingal, Co, Dublin, Ireland


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The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small perching bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is the genus Phoenicurus. It is a locally common resident in central and southern Europe and northern Africa. It also occurs in western and central Asia. In the warmer parts of its range it is sedentary. The northern populations migrate in the autumn to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, northern Africa and the Indian sub continent. 

Text © www.rawbirds.com
 

Friday 21 December 2012

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, 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 

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) at Skerries Millpond, Skerries, 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 

COMMON MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus) Skerries Millpond, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Common Moorhen
(Gallinula chloropus) is a member of the rail family Rallidae which is in the genus Gallinula. It is commonly encountered in wetlands, ponds, lakes, canals as well as wet areas in reed beds. It occurs in most of Europe and in many parts of Asia and Africa. There are several sub species recognised. The former sub species found in the Americas, the Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata), is now treated as a full species.

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) world distribution map
Yellow: breeding summer visitor. Green: breeding resident. Blue: non-breeding winter visitor
 Source: Map By Viktor Kravtchenko - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) world distribution map based on data from Handbook of the Birds of the World (del Hoyo et al), Birds of the Western Palearctic (Snow et al) and regional field guides. Updated with the split in 2011 by the American Ornithologists Union of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) which occurs in the Americas that was formally treated as a subspecies of Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

COMMON MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus) Skerries Millpond, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) is a member of the rail family Rallidae  which is in the genus Gallinula. It is commonly encountered in wetlands, ponds, lakes, canals as well as wet areas in reed beds. It occurs in most of Europe and in many parts of Asia and Africa. There are several sub species recognised. The former sub species found in the Americas, the Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata), is now treated as a full species.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) world distribution map
Yellow: breeding summer visitor. Green: breeding resident. Blue: non-breeding winter visitor
 Source: Map By Viktor Kravtchenko - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) world distribution map based on data from Handbook of the Birds of the World (del Hoyo et al), Birds of the Western Palearctic (Snow et al) and regional field guides. Updated with the split in 2011 by the American Ornithologists Union of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) which occurs in the Americas that was formally treated as a subspecies of Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

RED-EYED VIREO (Vireo olivaceus) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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In Ireland, Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) is a very rare transatlantic Autumn passage migrant to western and south western coastal headlands from North America.

RED-EYED VIREO (Vireo olivaceus) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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In Ireland, Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) is a very rare transatlantic Autumn passage migrant to western and south western coastal headlands from North America.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

TWITE (Carduelis flavirostris) Blackrock, Co. Louth, Ireland

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WESTERN JACKDAW (Corvus monedula) East Pier, Howth, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The Western Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) or Eurasian Jackdaw is of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

EURASIAN SISKIN (Carduelis spinus) male feeding on pine cones at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) is of the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Spinus.

Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) distribution map

Breeding                   Resident                    Non breeding - winter
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

EURASIAN SISKIN (Spinus spinus) female feeding on pine cones at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) is of the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Spinus.

Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) distribution map

Breeding                   Resident                    Non breeding - winter
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Monday 17 December 2012

ROCK DOVE (Columba livia) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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 The Rock Dove (Columba livia) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Columba.

ROCK DOVE (Columba livia) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

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 The Rock Dove (Columba livia) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Columba.

Sunday 16 December 2012

SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) male at Balcarrick, Donabate, 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 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.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) male at Balcarrick, Donabate, 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.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)  distribution map

   Breeding
    Migration    Resident    Non breeding-winter

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons