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

Wednesday 17 February 2021

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


  CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
 
The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is of the family Ardeidae and is in the genus Ardea It is resident in the temperate regions of Eurasia as well as eastern and sub Saharan Africa. The more northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter. Wetlands are its main habitat and commonly occurs along estuaries, streams, rivers and lakes. Aquatic as well as terrestrial creatures are preyed upon. Prey items include amphibians, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds which are swallowed whole.
This species nests in tall trees in colonies which are known as heronries. Upto five eggs are laid and are incubated for 25 days. Fledging takes place after 60 days.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) distribution map
 Breeding     Resident     Winter     Vagrant      Introduced resident 
 
SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

Tuesday 16 February 2021

EURASIAN CURLEW (Numenius arquata) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Numenius.

Monday 15 February 2021

EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) male, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


 CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is of the family Sturnidae which is in the genus Sturnus.

Sunday 14 February 2021

COMMON REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus) male, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland



 CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) or more simply known as a Reed Bunting is of the bunting family Emberizidae which is in the genus Emberiza.

Saturday 13 February 2021

COMMON REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus) female, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) or more simply known as a Reed Bunting is of the bunting family Emberizidae which is in the genus Emberiza.

Friday 12 February 2021

COMMON REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus) female, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) or more simply known as a Reed Bunting is of the bunting family Emberizidae which is in the genus Emberiza.

Thursday 11 February 2021

YELLOWHAMMER (Emberiza citrinella) male, Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) is of the bunting family Emberizidae which is in the genus Emberiza.

Wednesday 10 February 2021

MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos) female, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Anas.

Sunday 7 February 2021

LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information
Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a member of the heron family Ardeidae which includes Bitterns, Egrets and Herons. It is found in the temperate parts of Eurasia and Africa as well as Australia and New Zealand. Over the last 60 years or so this species has greatly expanded its range including recolonising its former breeding areas in Northern Europe, as well as Ireland. It first bred in the Caribbean in the mid 1990’s and is increasingly being recorded along the North American eastern seaboard.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 2 February 2021

MISTLE THRUSH (Turdus viscivorus) at Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) is of the thrush family Turdidae which is in the genus Turdus.