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

Tuesday 6 August 2013

RAFT SPIDER (Dolomedes fimbriatus) Girley Bog, Drewstown Woods, County Meath, 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

Friday 2 August 2013

IBERIAN WALL LIZARD (Podarcis hispanica) Parque Natural, Collados del Asón, Cantabria, Spain

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IBERIAN WALL LIZARD Podarcis hispanica Collados del Asón, Cantabria, Spain

 
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GRIFFIN VULTURE Gyps fulvus Los Barrios Dump, Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain

 
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YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L. m. atlantis) adult at Los Barrios Dump, Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain

 
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The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland.
 
There are two subspecies recognised:
  • Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  
  • Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores where a dark headed form occurs.
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map
 

  Year round resident         Breeding        Non breeding-winter
 
Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Saturday 27 July 2013

BRAMBLING (Fringilla montifringilla) male June 2009, Neljän Tuulen Tupa, Kaamasentie 3831 - KaamanenInari, Inari, Finland

 
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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

Monday 22 July 2013

EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula) juvenile, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is of the  family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Erithacus.

Friday 19 July 2013

RUFF (Calidris pugnax) male in transition to summer plumage, Kalloni Salt Pans, Lesvos Island, Greece

 
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The Ruff (Calidris pugnax) is a medium sized shorebird or wader of the sandpiper family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Calidris.

Sunday 14 July 2013

LESVOS BUSH CRICKET (Female) (Poecilimon mytelensis) Skala Kallonis, Lesvos Island, Greece

 
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The Lesvos Bush Cricket (Poecilimon mytelensis) is only found on the Greek island of Lesvos. It has a widespread distribution and is commonly encountered throughout the island.

Friday 12 July 2013

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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

HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) female, Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is of the sparrow family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

Wednesday 10 July 2013

EUROPEAN WATER VOLE Arvicola amphibius Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Fuente de Piedra, Málaga, Spain

 
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BROWN RAT Rattus norvegicus Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland

 
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BALKAN POND TURTLE (Mauremys caspica subspecies M. c .rivulata ) Almyropotamos River, Polichnitos, Lesvos Island, Greece

 
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 The Balkan Pond Turtle (Mauremys caspica rivulata) or Western Caspian Turtle is of the family Geoemydidae which is in the genus Mauremys. It is native to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Syria and Turkey. This taxon is widely treated as a subspecies of Caspian Turtle (Mauremys caspica) but has most recently been considered a full species by some authorities.