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 9 March 2013

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Biebrza Marshes, Goniądz, Poland

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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is of the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Biebrza Marshes, Goniądz, Poland

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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is of the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Biebrza Marshes, Goniądz, Poland

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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is of the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

Monday 4 March 2013

LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a small member of the heron family Ardeidae which includes Bitterns, Egrets and Herons. It is found in the temperate parts of Eurasia and Africa as well as Australia and New Zealand. Over the last 60 years or so this species has greatly expanded its range including recolonising its former breeding areas in Northern Europe, as well as Ireland. It first bred in the Caribbean in the mid 1990’s and is increasingly being recorded along the North American eastern seaboard.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 3 March 2013

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecies L .l. islandica) 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 coastal 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
 
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) distribution map
 
LimosalimosaWorldDistribution.jpg
Yellow breeding     Blue wintering     Green breeding resident
 
J. Schroeder, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

Saturday 2 March 2013

GOLDCREST (Regulus regulus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is of the family Regulidae which is in the genus Regulus.
  
 

GOLDCREST (Regulus regulus) collecting dog hairs for nest lining material Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is of the family Regulidae which is in the genus Regulus.

Thursday 28 February 2013

ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Saturday 23 February 2013

RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Arenaria.

GARGANEY (Male) Anas querquedula Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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GARGANEY (Female) Anas querquedula Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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Friday 22 February 2013

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)at The Horse Marsh, 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 

BLACK HEADED WEAVER Ploceus melanocephalus

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Thursday 21 February 2013

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) male, 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

EARLY BUMBLEBEE(Bombus pratorum) National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.