BLACK DARTER DRAGONFLY or BLACK MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum danae) female Abbeyleix Bog (Killamuck Bog), Co. Laois, Ireland

 

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The Black Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It occurs in northern Eurasia as well as parts of North America where it is know as Black Meadowhawk Dragonfly. The flight season is from July to September.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

BLACK DARTER DRAGONFLY or BLACK MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY (Sympetrum danae) male Abbeyleix Bog, (Killamuck Bog), Co. Laois, Ireland

 

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The Black Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) is of the family Libellulidae which is in the genus Sympetrum. It occurs in northern Eurasia as well as parts of North America where it is know as Black Meadowhawk Dragonfly. The flight season is from July to September.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WHITE RUMPED SANDPIPER (Adult) Calidris fuscicollis (on left) + DUNLIN Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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LITTLE STINT (Juvenile) (Calidris minuta) Gormanston Beach, Gormanston, Co Meath, Ireland

 

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In Ireland, the Little Stint (Calidris minuta) is a uncommon spring and a scarce autumn  passage migrant  which breeds in the Arctic and winters in sub Saharan Africa

SANDERLING (Calidris alba) juvenile at Gormanston Beach, Gormanston, Co. Meath, Ireland

 

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   The Sanderling (Calidris alba) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Calidris. It breeds in the Arctic tundra regions of North America and Asia. This small shorebird winters on the coastal beaches of southern North America, South America, Western Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australia. It also occurs as a spring and autumn passage migrant at inland locations.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

SHORT EARED OWL (Asio flammeus) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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    The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is a member of the owl family Strigidae which is in the genius Asio. It occurs on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Worldwide, there are 216 species of owl. 

    In Ireland, it is mainly a scarce winter visitor to northern, eastern and southern coastal locations. Historically, the absence of voles from the Irish landscape has prevented it from becoming a breeding resident. Elsewhere in Europe, breeding success is heavily dependent upon an abundance of voles which is an important prey item fed to young owlets. Probably as a result of accidental introduction, Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus) has now become established in southwestern Ireland and subsequently this species of owl has bred on a number of occasions in that region. 

    More recently, a small breeding population of Short-eared Owl has become established in northeastern Ireland.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

SANDWICH TERN (Thalasseus sandvicensis) Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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In Europe, Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)  is a summer resident  which breeds in coastal colonies and spends the winter in Africa

PURPLE SANDPIPER (Calidris maritima) East Pier, Howth Harbour, Howth, Fingal, Co.Dublin, Ireland

 

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MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) in 2nd winter or 3rd year plumage at Gormanston Beach, Gormanston, Co. Meath, Ireland

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 The Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Ichthyaetus. This species has greatly expanded its range in the last 60 years from Eastern Europe. 

The first breeding record for Britain was in 1968 and now in excess of 1200 pairs breed. In 1995 a pair was discovered breeding in Co. Antrim and the following year a pair bred in Co. Wexford. Since then the Irish population has gradually increased to over 60 pairs. In the autumn there is an influx of continental birds from Europe for the winter which has been proven by colour ringing and then a return migration takes place in late spring.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) distribution map

Breeding      Breeding resident     Non breeding - winter

 

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

ROSEATE TERN (Juvenile) (Sterna dougallii) Gormanston Beach, Gormanston, Co. Meath, Ireland

 

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In Europe, the Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) is a rare summer visitor which breeds in a small number of coastal colonies and spends the winter in West Africa