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 24 May 2014

BEARDED REEDLING (Male) Panurus biarmicus Durankulak Lake, Durankulak, Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria

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The Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus) occurs in the temperate parts of Europe and Asia. Alternative names include Bearded Tit and Bearded Parrotbill. This species is found in reed beds and feeds on a wide variety of small invertebrates. In late autumn with the onset of colder weather, it develops a gizzard. This allows it to feed on seeds during the winter months when its normal food source is mainly absent. With the rise in temperature in late spring, invertebrates become more abundant again and its gizzard gradually dissolves. It then reverts back to being a totally insectivorous species.  Text © www.rawbirds.com

Sunday 18 May 2014

WOODCHAT SHRIKE (Lanius senator) Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

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The Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) is a medium sized migratory perching bird in the family Laniidae and is one of 31 species of shrike  found worldwide. It is a summer resident in southern Europe, the Middle East and north western Africa which spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa.



VAUCHER'S WALL LIZARD Podarcis vaucheri El Acebuche, Parque Nacional de Doñana, Almonte, Huelva, Spain

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Saturday 17 May 2014

WOODCHAT SHRIKE (Lanius senator) Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

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The Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) is a medium sized migratory perching bird in the family Laniidae and is one of 31 species of shrike  found worldwide. It is a summer resident in southern Europe, the Middle East and north western Africa which spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa.



SPINY FOOTED LIZARD Acanthodactylus erythrurus El Acebuche Visitor Centre, Parque Nacional de Doñana, Almonte, Huelva, Spain

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Wednesday 14 May 2014

IBERIAN (WESTERN) YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla flava subspecies m.f. iberiae) male, Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

 
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The Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) is of the family Motacillidae which includes longclaws, pipits and wagtails. It is a summer resident in the temperate regions of Western Asia and Europe which migrates south in early autumn to winter in southern Asia and Africa. Up to 20 subspecies are recognised including the Iberian Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava iberiae).
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 28 April 2014

EURASIAN KESTREL or COMMON KESTRAL (Falco tinnunculus) male at Doñana National Park, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain

 
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The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a small bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco. Alternative names include European Kestrel, Common Kestrel or simply referred to as a Kestrel. This falcon occurs throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. 
More recently, the British and Irish populations have been in serious decline which may be as a result of changes in agricultural practices and  increased use of rodenticides (rat poisons). Nest predation by Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Grey Crow (Corvus cornix), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Common Raven (Corvus corax), whose populations have increased, may also be a factor.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 27 April 2014

EURASIAN KESTREL or COMMON KESTREL Falco tinnunculus female at Doñana National Park, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain

 

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The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a small bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco. Alternative names include European Kestrel, Common Kestrel or simply referred to as a Kestrel. This falcon occurs throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. 
More recently, the British and Irish populations have been in serious decline which may be as a result of changes in agricultural practices and  increased use of rodenticides (rat poisons). Nest predation by Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Grey Crow (Corvus cornix), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Common Raven (Corvus corax), whose populations have increased, may also be a factor.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 20 April 2014

GRIFFON VULTURE (Gyps fulvus) José Antonio Valverde Visitor Centre, Doñana National Park, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain


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The Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) or Eurasian Griffon is a large Old World bird of prey in family Accipitridae which is in the genus Gyps. It breeds on crags in mountains in southern Europe, North Africa and Asia. Griffon vultures may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident. Juveniles and immature individuals may migrate far or embark on long distance movements. Like other vultures, it is a scavenger, feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over open areas, often moving in flocks. 
 Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffon_vulture

 Distribution map
 

Source:  By The Engineer - Own work based on: BlankMap-World-NoAntarctica.png by user Sting, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131341

Thursday 17 April 2014

SQUACCO HERON Ardeola ralloides Lucio de la Rianzuela, Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Andalucia, Spain

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The Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) is resident south of the Sahara Desert in western, eastern and south eastern Africa, including Madagascar. There is also a small population in Morocco and Tunisia on the North West African coast. This small heron occurs as a summer resident in central and southern Europe as well as in western central Asia. In the autumn, it migrates back to Africa to spend the winter months there. Its diet includes frogs, lizards, small fish and a wide variety of invertebrates. Text © www.rawbirds.com

Wednesday 16 April 2014

LUCIO DE LA RIANZUELA, Dehesa de Abajo, Saville, Andalucia, Spain

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GREATER FLAMINGO [Immature] (Phoenicopterus roseus) Lucio de la Rianzuela, Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Spain


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The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread  flamingo of the family Phoenicopteridae which is in the genus Phoenicopterus. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe. Sub-adult flamingos are whitish-grey and only attain the pink coloration several years into their adult life. The coloration comes from the carotenoid pigments in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds. Secretions of the urpoygial gland  also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, Greater Flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading of uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their colour.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_flamingo

Monday 14 April 2014

GREATER FLAMINGO [Adult] (Phoenicopterus roseus) Charco de la Boca, Doñana National Park, Almonte, Huelva, Spain


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The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread  flamingo of the family Phoenicopteridae which is in the genus Phoenicopterus. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe. Sub-adult flamingos are whitish-grey and only attain the pink coloration several years into their adult life. The coloration comes from the carotenoid pigments in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds. Secretions of the urpoygial gland  also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, Greater Flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading of uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their colour.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_flamingo


Wednesday 26 March 2014

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland


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The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucous_gull 

Friday 21 March 2014

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland


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The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucous_gull

Monday 17 March 2014

HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland


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The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) also known as Grey Crow is a member of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus. Four subspecies are generally recognized. Despite the fact that it is heavily persecuted, it occurs throughout Western Asia including parts of the Middle East as well as along the Nile Valley in North Africa. It is also commonly encountered and has a widespread distribution in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is resident in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Northern Scotland. In the rest of Britain as well as Southwestern and Western Europe, it is replaced by the closely related Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) from which it was split in 2002 and was recognised as a separate species. Where their breeding ranges overlap, they may hybridise. Some of the northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter.
    
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday 14 March 2014

BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa subspecie. L .l. islandica) juvenile in transition to 1st winter plumage at the Horse Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Donabate, 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