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 13 September 2014

GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus) Lake Mandrensko, Burgas, Bulgaria


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The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a large wading bird in the family Threskiornithidae which is in the genus Plegadis. The scientific name derives from Ancient Greek plegados and Latin falcis, both meaning sickle and referring to the distinctive shape of the bill.
 This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, as well as the Atlantic and Caribbean regions of the Americas. 
 This species is migratory, most European birds winter in Africa and in North America birds from north of the Carolinas winter farther south. Birds from other populations may disperse widely outside the breeding season.
 
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossy_ibis

Saturday 6 September 2014

STILT SANDPIPER (Calidris himantopus) Adult present from 4th to 7th September 2014. [This same individual was first sighted two days earlier in Co. Wexford from 2nd to 3rd and was seen again later in the month in Co. Wexford on 10th,!2th & 13th], Big Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
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 The Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) is a shorebird or wader of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Calidris
 This long legged medium sized sandpiper breeds in the tundra regions of Alaska and Canada. It then migrates south to spend the winter in South America. In addition small numbers over winter in California (Salton Sea), Texas, Florida, the Caribbean Islands and parts of Central America.  
 It also occurs as a very rare autumn passage migrant in northwest Europe including Ireland and this individual is the 16th Irish record.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference source: Irish Bird Report 2014  Carmody M. & Hobbs J.

Wednesday 13 August 2014

BLACK HEADED (WESTERN) YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla flava subspecies M. f. feldegg) male, Kaliakra, Bulgarevo, Bulgaria

 
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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 Black Headed Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava feldegg).
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 10 August 2014

BLACK HEADED (WESTERN) YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla flava subspecies M. f. feldegg) female, Kaliakra, Bulgarevo, Bulgaria

 
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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 Black Headed Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava feldegg).
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 2 August 2014

WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba) Goritsa Forest, Burgas Province, Bulgaria


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The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small ground nesting passerine and along with the longclaws and pipits is in the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Motacilla. This species is the commonest and most widespread wagtail that is found in Eurasia. It also breeds in parts of North Africa and there is a small Alaskan breeding population. The northern populations are migratory and winters in Southern Europe, Africa and Southern Asia. Up to 11 sub-species are recognised, including the Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) which breeds in Britain, Ireland and the near-continent
Text © www.rawbirds.com

Wednesday 23 July 2014

EURASIAN NUTHATCH (Sitta europaea) Goritsa Forest, Burgas Province, Bulgaria


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 The Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is of the family Sittidae which is in the genus Sitta.

Monday 21 July 2014

SEMI COLLARED FLYCATCHER [Male] (Ficedula semitorquata) Goritsa Forest, Burgas Province, Bulgaria


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The Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) is a small passerine or perching bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Ficedula. This long distant migrant is a summer breeding resident in South Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Western Asia. It winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sunday 20 July 2014

SEMI COLLARED FLYCATCHER (Male) Ficedula semitorquata Goritsa Forest, Burgas Province,, Bulgaria


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The Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) is a small passerine or perching bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Ficedula. This long distant migrant is a summer breeding resident in South Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Western Asia. It winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Saturday 19 July 2014

SEMI COLLARED FLYCATCHER (Female) Ficedula semitorquata Goritsa Forest, Burgas Province, Bulgaria


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The Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) is a small passerine or perching bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Ficedula. This long distant migrant is a summer breeding resident in South Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Western Asia. It winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Friday 18 July 2014

SEMI COLLARED FLYCATCHER [Female] (Ficedula semitorquata) Goritsa Forest, Burgas Province, Bulgaria


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The Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) is a small passerine or perching bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Ficedula. This long distant migrant is a summer breeding resident in South Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Western Asia. It winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Wednesday 2 July 2014

ALPINE SWIFT (Tachymarptis melba) Fortress of Kaliakra, Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria


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The Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a member of the family Apodidae which is in the genus Tachymarptis. It is a summer resident, from April to September, in southern Europe as well as parts of western Asia. In addition there are resident populations in Africa and on the Indian sub continent. During the spring and autumn, this large species is a rare but annual overshooting migrant north of its breeding range. In September, it moves south to spend the winter in sub Saharan Africa. 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) distribution map
 
Breeding summer   Breeding resident    Non breeding - winter  Passage
 
SSanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Monday 30 June 2014

ALPINE SWIFT (Tachymarptis melba) at Fortress of Kaliakra, Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria

 
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  The Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a member of the family Apodidae which is in the genus Tachymarptis. It is a summer resident, from April to September, in southern Europe as well as parts of western Asia. In addition there are resident populations in Africa and on the Indian sub continent. During the spring and autumn, this large species is a rare but annual overshooting migrant north of its breeding range. In September, it moves south to spend the winter in sub Saharan Africa. 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) distribution map
 
Breeding summer   Breeding resident    Non breeding - winter  Passage
 
SSanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Thursday 26 June 2014

PADDYFIELD WARBLER Acrocephalus agricola Durankulak Lake, Durankulak, Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria

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The Paddyfield Warbler (Acrocephalus agricola) is a species of marsh warbler of the family Acrocephalidae which is in the genus Acrocephalus. It is a summer resident in temperate parts of central Asia. In addition, there are also small breeding populations in eastern Europe along the western shores of the Black Sea around the border between Bulgaria and Romania. It mainly occurs in reed beds, tall grassland and rice fields. This migratory species winters on the Indian subcontinent. Outside its normal range, it occurs as a very rare overshooting autumn migrant to other parts Europe. The closely related Manchurian Reed Warbler (A. tangorum) was formally considered to be a subspecies of A. agricola.

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