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

Monday 27 January 2014

COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia) Broadmeadow Estuary, Malahide, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) is a medium sized sandpiper of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Tringa. The breeding range of this wader or shorebird extends from northern Scotland eastwards across northern Europe and Asia. This migratory species winters in sub Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Australasia. In addition, small numbers overwinter along the coasts of northwest Africa and northwest Europe including Britain and Ireland.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) distribution map
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/TringaNebulariaIUCNver2018_2.png 
 
 Breeding           Passage           Non-breeding-winter           Vagrant  
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

Tuesday 21 January 2014

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa) on 4th May 2013 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.
As well as being colour ringed this bird's GPS transmitter aerial can be clearly seen.
 
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

Tuesday 14 January 2014

RED KITE (Milvus milvus) [Juvenile] Newbridge Demesne, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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The Red Kite (Milvus milvus) is of the family Accipitridae which is in the genus Milvus. This Welsh born bird was part of a successful scheme to reintroduce this species to Ireland in July 2011.

Saturday 11 January 2014

BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla) in 1st winter plumage at Gormanston Beach, Gormanston, Co Meath, Ireland

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The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is of the gull family Laridae which is in the genus Rissa. The only other member of the genus Rissa is the Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) where less than 200,000 pairs breed on some of the Bering Sea Islands between Russia and Alaska,USA.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe /Raw Birds

BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla) at Gormanston Beach, Gormanston, Co Meath, Ireland

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Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is of the gull family Laridae which is in the genus Rissa. The only other member of the genus Rissa is the Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) where less than 200,000 pairs breed on some of the Bering Sea Islands between Russia and Alaska,USA.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe /Raw Birds