HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) attempting to remove a Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea) from its shell at Broadmeadow Estuary, Malahide, 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

COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia) at 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

 

 

 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 

BLACK REDSTART (Phoenicurus ochruros) immature at Balscadden Beach, Howth, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small perching bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is the genus Phoenicurus. It is a locally common resident in central and southern Europe as well as northern Africa. It also occurs in western and central Asia. In the warmer parts of its range it is sedentary. The northern populations migrate in the autumn to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, northern Africa and the Indian sub continent. 

 In Ireland, it is a very uncommon spring and autumn passage migrant, in addition very small numbers overwinter at traditional coastal locations.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (Phylloscopus collybita subspecies P. c. collybita) flycatching from the security fencing at the rear of Asgard Apartments, Balscadden Beach, Howth, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) is of the family Phylloscopidae which is in the genus Phylloscopus. This small insectivorous species of leaf warbler is a summer resident from mid March to October which breeds in the northern and temperate regions of Eurasia. In the autumn it migrates south to spend the winter in the Mediterranean Basin, sub Saharan Africa and southwestern Asia. Small numbers also overwinter in northwest Europe.  

There are several subspecies recognised including, Common Chiffchaff (P. c. collybita), Scandinavian Chiffchaff (P. c. abietinus) and Siberian Chiffchaff (P. c. tristis).  
 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) one of four workers and a Queen nectering on Hebe Shrub Blossoms (Hebe × franciscana) on 11th January 2022 at Howth Yatch Club, Howth Harbour, Fingal, Co, Dublin, Ireland

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The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus. This bumblebee is commonly found throughout the temperate regions of Europe, The Middle East, northern Africa and occurs as an introduced species in other countries including Australia (Tasmania), Japan as well as parts of South America. 

This species is not seen in Ireland during the colder months of the year, normally the worker bees and the males (drones) die off and the gravid Queen hibernates for the winter. In recent times, it has been on the wing all year round mainly at coastal locations where shrubs such as Hebe (Hebe × franciscana), Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica) have continued to flower in mild winters.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis) adult and a group of Black Headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) from 07-01-2022 to at least 03-02-2022 at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland. The above record may be the same individual that was present at this location during August 2021.

 

There are two subspecies recognised:

• Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  

• Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira as well as a dark headed form that occurs on the Azores.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map

 

  Resident           Breeding          Non breeding-winter

 

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

COMMON REDSHANK (Tringa totanus) at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) or more simply known as a Redshank is of the sandpiper family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Tringa.

 

 Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) distribution map

 

 

 

 Resident - year round  Breeding  Passage  Non-breeding - winter

 

SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

GREAT BLACKED GULL (Larus marinus) 2nd winter, at Faulmore Beach, Faulmore, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

 

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The Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus.

 

 

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) distribution map

  

Range_map for Larus marinus based on: Lars Larsson, Birds of the World, 2001, CD-rom Mullarney, K. Svensson, L. Zetterström, D. (1999) Fågelguiden, Europas och medelhavsområdets fåglar i fält. Stockholm: Albert Bonniers förlag David Allen Sibley, The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2000, ISBN 0-679-45122-6  No machine-readable author provided. AHA2 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

 Red - Breeding ground        Purple - All year round        Blue - Winter

CONTINENTAL CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo subspecies P. c. sinensis) immature on 1st January 2022 at Swords Sailing Club, Broadmeadow Estuary, Malahide, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

  

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The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is of the family Phalacrocoracidae which is in the genus Phalacrocorax. It has a scattered distribution in parts of North America, Eurasia, Africa and Australasia. 

There are a number subspecies recognised including the ground nesting Common Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo) which occurs in Britain and Ireland that breeds on coastal rocky outcrops and on off shore islands.  The tree nesting Continental Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) which breeds in Northern Europe extending eastwards to Japan, but has in recent times colonised parts of southern Britain. This is apparently a rare subspecies in Ireland with less than 70 records but is in all probability under recorded.

 

There are three previous Continental Cormorant (P. c. sinensis) records from Co. Dublin: 

1. Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, 1st winter from 4th to 30th January 2013. 
2. Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, 1st winter from 28th January to 16th May 2013, different from above. 
3. Scotsman Bay, Dunlaoire, adult on 1st February 2014.

 

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Reference:

A List of Some Rarer Birds in Dublin version 5.2  by Joe Hobbs (download pdf here)

 

Great Cormorant distribution map

 

 

 

 breeding  resident passage non-breeding

SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is of the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer.

 

GREY WAGTAIL (Motacilla cinerea) female at Clogher, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

 

 

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 The Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) is of the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Passer.

 

 Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) distribution map

 SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Breeding summer                Breeding resident                Non-breeding winter 

HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) male at Blacksod Village, Fallmore, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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

GREAT BLACKED GULL (Larus marinus) 2nd winter, feeding on a Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) carcass at Faulmore Beach, Faulmore, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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The Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus.

 

 

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) distribution map

 

  

 

 Range_map for Larus marinus based on: Lars Larsson, Birds of the World, 2001, CD-rom Mullarney, K. Svensson, L. Zetterström, D. (1999) Fågelguiden, Europas och medelhavsområdets fåglar i fält. Stockholm: Albert Bonniers förlag David Allen Sibley, The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2000, ISBN 0-679-45122-6  No machine-readable author provided. AHA2 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

 Red - Breeding ground        Purple - All year round        Blue - Winter

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies S. r. hibernans) female at Cross Lough, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is of the chat family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Saxicola. Preferred habitats include rough grassland, sand dunes and heathland where it is typically seen perched on brambles, gorse or shrubs within the breeding area. 

In the temperate part of its range, nesting commences in late March and up to three broods are raised. It is a partial migrant. Populations from the colder regions move to spend the winter in southern Europe and northern Africa. Successive hard winters, as was the case in 2009/10 and 2010/11 caused severe losses in the mainly sedentary northwestern populations. 

 

There are two subspecies generally recognised: 

• Saxicola rubicola rubicola - occurs in central, eastern and southern Europe as well as northern Morocco and southeastern Turkey. 

•  Saxicola rubicola hibernans - occurs in northwestern Europe including Britain, Ireland, France and Norway.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

FOX MOTH (Macrothylacia rubi) caterpillar at Blacksod Village, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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 The Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi) is of the family Lasiocampidae which is in the genus Macrothylacia.

COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (Phylloscopus collybita subspecies P. c. collybita) Blacksod Village, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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 The Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) is of the family Phylloscopidae which is in the genus Phylloscopus. This small insectivorous species of leaf warbler is a summer resident from mid March to October which breeds in the northern and temperate regions of Eurasia. In the autumn it migrates south to spend the winter in the Mediterranean Basin, sub Saharan Africa and southwestern Asia. Small numbers also overwinter in northwest Europe.  

There are several subspecies recognised including, Common Chiffchaff (P. c. collybita), Scandinavian Chiffchaff (P. c. abietinus) and Siberian Chiffchaff (P. c. tristis).  
 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

SANDERLING (Calidris alba) at Blacksod Harbour, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

 

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The Sanderling (Calidris alba) is of the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Calidris. It breeds in the Arctic tundra regions of North America and Asia. This small shorebird winters on the coastal beaches of southern North America, South America, Western Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australia. It also occurs as a spring and autumn passage migrant at inland locations.

  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis) at Clogher, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland

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The Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) is of the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Anthus.