Ronan.McLaughlin
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Red-necked Phalarope is about 18 cm (7 in) in length, with lobed toes and a straight, fine bill. The breeding female is predominantly dark grey above, with a chestnut neck and upper breast, black face and white throat. The breeding male is a duller version of the female. They have lobed toes to assist with their swimming. Young birds are grey and brown above, with buff underparts and a black patch through the eye. In winter, the plumage is essentially grey above and white below, but the black eyepatch is always present. They have a sharp call described as a "whit" or "twit".
The Red-necked Phalorope is a very rare and localised breeding species in Ireland and Britain, which lie on the extreme southern edge of its world range. The most reliable place for them is the Shetland Isles, particularly the Loch of Funzie on Fetlar, with a few birds breeding elsewhere in Scotland in the Outer Hebrides. It has also bred in Northern and Western Ireland.
One dream I have had was to photograph this species of bird. When I was a teenager I found a pair of these breeding on a very quiet loch, but I could not show these magnificent birds to anyone. Yesterday a long ambition was realised when I was lucky to photograph a pair of these birds in Ireland.
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Red-necked Phalarope is about 18 cm (7 in) in length, with lobed toes and a straight, fine bill. The breeding female is predominantly dark grey above, with a chestnut neck and upper breast, black face and white throat. The breeding male is a duller version of the female. They have lobed toes to assist with their swimming. Young birds are grey and brown above, with buff underparts and a black patch through the eye. In winter, the plumage is essentially grey above and white below, but the black eyepatch is always present. They have a sharp call described as a "whit" or "twit".
The Red-necked Phalorope is a very rare and localised breeding species in Ireland and Britain, which lie on the extreme southern edge of its world range. The most reliable place for them is the Shetland Isles, particularly the Loch of Funzie on Fetlar, with a few birds breeding elsewhere in Scotland in the Outer Hebrides. It has also bred in Northern and Western Ireland.
One dream I have had was to photograph this species of bird. When I was a teenager I found a pair of these breeding on a very quiet loch, but I could not show these magnificent birds to anyone. Yesterday a long ambition was realised when I was lucky to photograph a pair of these birds in Ireland.