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 28 June 2021

VIVIPAROUS LIZARD or COMMON LIZARD (Zootoca vivipara) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) or Common Lizard is of the family Lacertidae which is in the genus Zootoca. This viviparous reptile gives birth to live young, which is an adaptation that enables it to breed in colder regions where it hibernates for the winter. In the warmer parts of its range, it is oviparous or egg laying like other species of lizards and is active year round.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
 Distribution map of Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Vivaprous_lizard_range.png

Thursday 24 June 2021

Sunday 20 June 2021

Thursday 17 June 2021

GREEN VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris napi) nectaring on Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) at Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Green-veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Pieris. It commonly occurs in Eurasia as well as North America. This species is on the wing from March to October, over several generations, but in Ireland the normal flight season extends from mid April to mid September. It hibernates during the winter as a chrysalis.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 14 June 2021

COMMON SNOUT HOVERFLY (Rhingia campestris) female, Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Common Snout Hoverfly (Rhingia campestris) is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Rhingia. It commonly occurs in the Palaearctic region. The flight season is from late March to mid November and there are two generations. This is a very striking species with a long snout and its larvae are found in dung or silage.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference and highly recommended reading:
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Sunday 13 June 2021

CRYPTIC WOOD WHITE BUTTERFLY (Leptidea juvernica) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Cryptic Wood White Butterfly (Leptidea juvernica) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Leptidea.

Saturday 12 June 2021

LARGE RED DAMSELFLY (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) male Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland


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The Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) is of the family Coenagrionidae which is in the genus Pyrrhosoma. It is commonly found in Europe, smaller populations occur in northern Africa and western Asia. It is on the wing from April to early September.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday 11 June 2021

Thursday 10 June 2021

COMMON BANDED HOVERFLY or HUMMING SYRPHUS HOVERFLY (Syrphus ribesii) female, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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 Click external link here to see a Beginners Guide to Irish Hoverflies 
 
The Common Banded Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii) or Humming Syrphus Hoverfly is of the family Syrphidae which is in the genus Syrphus. This is a common and widespread species which is found throughout the temperate regions of the Holarctic. Separate with care from Syrphus vitripennis and Syrphus torvus which are almost identical in appearance. 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 
Reference and highly recommended reading: 
Britain's Hoverflies A field guide 2nd edition Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Wednesday 9 June 2021

FOUR SPOTTED CHASER DRAGONFLY or FOUR SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula quadrimaculata) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Libellula. It occurs in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is also found in North America where it is known as the Four-spotted Skimmer. The flight season is from mid April to early September. 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 8 June 2021

COMMON DOG VIOLET (Viola riviniana) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 
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The Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana) or more simply Dog Violet, also known as Wood Violet, is of family Violaceae which is in the genus Viola. This perennial wild flower is native to Eurasia as well as parts of northern Africa. Separate with care from the closely related Early Dog-violet (Viola reichenbachiana) and Heath Dog-violet (Viola canina) as well other European Viola.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 7 June 2021

COMMON REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus) male, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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 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.

Sunday 6 June 2021

NETTLE WEEVIL (Phyllobius pomaceus) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus) is of the family Curculionidae which is in the genus Phyllobius. This small beetle has a scattered distribution in Britain and Ireland but can be locally common in some areas. It overwinters as a pupa and emerges as an adult in late April. The adults feed on the leaves of Common Nettle (Urtica dioica) and Meadow Sweet (Filipendula ulmaria) until late June.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 5 June 2021

Friday 4 June 2021

ORANGE TIP BUTTERFLY (Anthocharis cardamines) a male nectaring on Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Orange-tip Butterfly information
 
 The Orange-tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Anthocharis. This common and widespread species is on the wing from early May to late June. The larval food plant is Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis) which is also known as Lady's Smock. It overwinters as a chrysalis.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday 3 June 2021

HAIRY HAWKER DRAGONFLY (Brachytron pratense) male, Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Hairy Hawker Dragonfly is of the family Aeshnidae which is in the genus Brachytron. Alternative names include Hairy Dragonfly and Spring Hawker. It has a scattered distribution in Europe and parts of western Asia. It is absent from Iceland and other northern latitudes. In the warmer part of its range, it is on the wing from late March to early August but has a shorter flight season elsewhere.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Wednesday 2 June 2021

DOWNLOOKER SNIPEFLY (Rhagio scolopaceus) male typically found resting facing downwards on tree trunks, fence posts or walls Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for details of Snipefly species found in Britain and Ireland
 
The Downlooker Snipefly (Rhagio scolopaceus) or Downlooker Snipe Fly is of the family Rhagionidae which is in the genus Rhagio.
Length 8 to 16 mm. This common species preys upon a wide variety of flies caught on the wing. Pollen is also eaten. Hedgerows, woodland rides and clearings with associated damp meadows are its typical habitats. The flight season is from early May to mid August. The larval stage, which occurs in soil and woodland detritus, feeds on earthworms as well as beetle larvae.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Tuesday 1 June 2021

BRIMSTONE BUTTERFLY (Gonepteryx rhamni) female egg laying on Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) is of the family Pieridae which is in genus Gonepteryx. It occurs in Europe, Asia and parts of northern Africa. The presence of its larval host plants, Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus carthartica) influences its geographic range and distribution. This butterfly can live for up to a year and the flight season is from April to August. It then goes into hibernation and emerges in early spring the following year.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Monday 31 May 2021

MARSH FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY (Euphydryas aurinia) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland



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The Marsh Fritillary Butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Euphydryas. It has a wide distribution in the Palearctic region
and is protected under Annex II of the European Union Habitats and Species Directive. The gregarious larvae overwinter in a silken web formed at the base of the larval host plant Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis). In mid March they emerge from hibernation and disperse prior to pupation in late April. Three to four weeks later, the adults appear and are on the wing until late June or early July. After mating the female lays batches of up to 300 eggs on the underside of the leaves of the host plant The larvae hatch in mid June and then form a new silken web from which they feed on the leaves of the host plant before the hibernation period begins.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 29 May 2021

GREEN TIGER BEETLE (Cicindela campestris) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris)  is of the family Carabidae which is in the genus Cicindela.

Friday 28 May 2021

WILLOW WARBLER (Phylloscopus trochilus) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) is of the family Phylloscopidae which is in the genus Phylloscopus. This insectivorous leaf warbler is a common and widespread summer resident from mid April to late September which breeds throughout the northern and temperate regions of Eurasia. It is strongly migratory, with almost all of the population wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a bird of open woodlands with a preference for habitats that include birch, alder and willow trees as well as ground cover for nesting.
    
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Thursday 27 May 2021

DINGY SKIPPER BUTTERFLY (Erynnis tagesi) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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The Dingy Skipper Butterfly (Erynnis tages) is of the family Hesperiidae which is in the genus Erynnis. It occurs in Europe and most of western Asia. The flight season is normally from late April to early June but in the warmer parts of its range there is a second generation on the wing during July and August. 
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Friday 21 May 2021

HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) female at Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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 The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is of the sparrow family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

Thursday 20 May 2021

COMMON LINNET (Linaria cannabina) Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Linnet (Linaria cannabina) or Common Linnet is of the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Linaria.
 It derives its name from its fondness for the seeds of the flax plant which is used to make linen. This small finch occurs in Europe as well as Western Asia but is absent from northern latitudes and has a limited distribution in North West Africa and the Middle East. 

There are seven subspecies :
  • Linaria c. autochthona - occurs in Scotland     
  • L. c. cannabina - occurs in the rest of Britain, Ireland also northern Europe, eastwards to central Siberia. It is a partial migrant, wintering in north Africa and southwest Asia
  • L. c. bella - occurs in Middle East, eastwards to Mongolia and northwestern China
  • L. c. mediterranea - occurs on the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Greece, northwest Africa and on the Mediterranean islands
  • L. c. guentheri - occurs on Madeira Island
  • L. c. meadewaldoi - occurs on the Western Canary Islands (El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria)
  • L. c. harterti - occurs on the Eastern Canary Islands (Lanzarote and Fuerteventura)
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_linnet

Wednesday 19 May 2021

HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) South Strand, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, 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, 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

Tuesday 18 May 2021

EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) Skerries Mills, Skerries, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


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The Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Streptopelia.
Over the last 150 years or so this dispersive species has greatly expanded its original range which stretched from Turkey eastwards to southern China and the Indian sub-continent. The first record for Europe was from Bulgaria in 1838 and by the end of the 20th century it had colonised the rest of Europe with the exception of Iceland but including the Canary Islands as well as the North African and parts of the Middle East. First record for Britain was in 1952 followed by the first for Ireland in 1958.   
To the east of its original range, it has also spread northeast to most of central and northern China as well as Japan. 
In 1974, less than 50 escaped from captivity in the Bahama Islands and from there it spread to Florida. It is now found in nearly every state in the USA, as well as in Mexico. 
 
Patrick J, O'Keeffe / Raw Birds