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Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
A lot of renovations going on around where I live at the moment. People choosing to refresh and improve rather than move. One is just as expensive as the other at the moment. COVID-19, Level 3, June 2021.
Taken with a Leica Summarit-M 35mm f2.5 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Lomography Lady Grey (400 ASA) black and white film. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
St Mary street
My facebook page: www.facebook.com/MaciejDakowiczPhotography
"Cardiff After Dark" book: on Amazon UK, on amazon .com, worldwide on bookdepository.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Tree shadow cast on the western side of an apartment complex, Dublin.
Taken with a Canon A1 camera with a Canon FD 50mm f1.8 on Fujicolour (Kodak) 200 film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Curlew Sandpiper is an autumn passage migrant, rarely seen in Ireland outside August to October. A little larger than the similar Dunlin, and most easily distinguished by its longer legs, longer decurved bill and much cleaner underparts. Almost all Curlew Sandpipers occurring here are juveniles, which show a clean white belly, warm peachy tones on the breast and pale-fringed wing feathers giving a scaly effect to the upperwing. Occurs in very small groups or singly, in coastal marshes and estuaries, usually with Dunlin.
The species breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia. It is strongly migratory, wintering mainly in Africa, but also in south and southeast Asia and in Australia and New Zealand. It is a vagrant to North America.
This species occasionally hybridizes with the sharp-tailed sandpiper and the pectoral sandpiper, producing the presumed "species" called "Cooper's sandpiper" ("Calidris" × cooperi) and "Cox's sandpiper" ("Calidris" × paramelanotos), respectively.
Counts of the curlew sandpiper in South Africa, specifically at Langebaan Lagoon where they are most numerous, indicate a 40% decline in numbers between 1975 and 2009. A similar trend has been noted in Australia and may be linked to effects of global warming at the breeding grounds. It has an extremely large range but although the population is large it is very hard to determine and appears to be decreasing. (wikipedia)
There were a few mixed in with flock of Ringed Plover and Dunlin at Merrion Gates, Dublin Bay during the autumn. A very subtle but beautiful bird. This is a juvenile bird, born this year.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The back walls of the houses along the Grand Canal between Leeson Street Bridge and Charlemont, Dubin tend to get tagged and decorated.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and Leica Summarit 35mm f2.5 lens on Japan Camera Hunter (JCH) Streetpan black and white film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The view through the locked gates of Hatch Hall on Hatch Street, Dublin 2. The lone tree standing tall in a playground that is being taken over by plants and nature. It could be off a set of 28 Days Later or The Walking Dead! COVID-19, Level 3, June 2021.
Taken with a Leica Summarit-M 35mm f2.5 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Lomography Lady Grey (400 ASA) black and white film. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Irish Yeast Company in College Street was established in 1894 by Henry West who was a Barrister. The business first opened in what had been the foyer of the George Hotel, which later became a bank and subsequently reverted to what is now the Westin Hotel. At the time the main mission of the Irish Yeast Company was to supply and promote the use of yeast to all bakeries in the country.
The business changed direction when it was taken over by the Moreland family in the 1940s. Although it still supplied fresh yeast, its main business focus was wedding cake and icing equipment and the windows were decorated with silvered cake boards, cake ornaments, pillars, icing syringes, nozzles and forcing bags, attracting customers from all parts of Ireland. For a period of time the window was occupied by the resident cat.
Following the death of proprietor John Moreland in 2016, who operated the business and lived overhead for more than 60 years, the building was sold in 2018 to Doyle's Pub next door. As a listed structure, the development opportunity for the building is limited. The four-storey building was sold with contents in place, including a vast array of baking paraphernalia – foil-covered cake stands in all sizes, faded bunting and old style bride and groom figurines with hand-written price tags.
Taken with a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Lomography 400 film and a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
In Lockdown Level 5 in January 2021 and all is quiet on a lunchtime along Montague Lane leading onto Wexford Street, Dublin.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and a Leica Elmar 5cm f2.8 lens on Kodak TMax 400 black and white film.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
A temporary collection of three tents pitched on a foothpath not far from St. Stephen's Green and Leinster House, where our government sits to govern the country. The tents appeared during February/March 2021 and are still there now (May 2021). COVID-19 Level 3 lockdown, May 2021.
Taken with a FujiFilm X-T4 and a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Red Phalarope (called Grey Phalarope in Europe), Phalaropus fulicarius, is a small wader. This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a wader, migrating mainly on oceanic routes and wintering at sea on tropical oceans.
The breeding female is predominantly dark brown and black above, with red underparts and white cheek patches. The bill is yellow, tipped black. The breeding male is a duller version of the female. Young birds are light grey and brown above, with buff underparts and a dark patch through the eye. In winter, the plumage is essentially grey above and white below, but the black eyepatch is always present. The bill is black in winter.
The typical avian sex roles are reversed in the three phalarope species. Females are larger and more brightly coloured than males. The females pursue males, compete for nesting territory, and will aggressively defend their nests and chosen mates. Once the females lay their olive-brown eggs, they begin their southward migration, leaving the males to incubate the eggs and care for the young.
When feeding, a Red Phalarope will often swim in a small, rapid circle, forming a small whirlpool. This behaviour is thought to aid feeding by raising food from the bottom of shallow water. The bird will reach into the outskirts of the vortex with its bill, plucking small insects or crustaceans caught up therein. (wikipedia)
This young Red Phalarope spent about a week (give or take) along the Great South Wall in Dublin Port just before Christmas 2019. It was a real treat to be able to spend some time with this stunning little wader with nobody else around. It is unusual for them to be in Dublin Bay at this (or any) time of year.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The entrance to the Farrier, Dublin.
Taken with a Canon A1 camera with a Canon FD 50mm f1.8 on Fuji Superia 400 colour film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Dr. Martens store off Grafton Street, Dublin, has been boarded up for quite a while now due to COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions in Ireland.
Taken with a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Kodak C200 colour film.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The view the stretch of coast between 5-Mile Point and Broadlough, Co. Wicklow. COVID-19, Level 3, May 2021.
Taken with a Leica Summarit-M 35mm f2.5 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Lomography Lady Grey (400 ASA) black and white film. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America and Asia. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammal and bird populations. Forty-five subspecies are currently recognised, which are divided into two categories: the large northern foxes, and the small, primitive southern foxes of Asia and the Middle East.
The red fox is Ireland’s only member of the Canidae family. They are easily recognizable by their small doglike appearance. Coloration consists of a reddish to brown tint with a long bushy tail often with a white tip. The underbelly consists of a white to grey texture, black markings are present on the ears, feet and whiskered muzzle. The coat is moulted in spring with a second phase of hair growth occurring in the autumn to produce a heavier winter coat. There are variations in colour with some individuals having darker or sliver tinted coats. The body is long and sleek with a pointed head and muzzle with sharp pointed upright ears. Males are known as dogs and are only slightly larger and heavier than the female vixens. Adult males can grow to 1.5m from nose to tip with the tail accounting for up to half this total length.
Foxes are susceptible to pesticide accumulation in the environment which travels up the food chain and is mainly as a result of fox’s habit of eating carrion, especially some bird species. Foxes are also prone to sarcoptic mange which causes fur loss and skin lesions due to scratching at the embedded mites. The red foxes’ spread to urban areas is not a threat to domestic cats and dogs and is generally welcomed by people who leave food scraps for local foxes in their back gardens. Irish red foxes are only afforded the most basic legal protection under the Irish Wildlife Act.
While taking shelter in a bird hide from the torrential rain and wind, with most birds being sensible and keeping low in the reedbeds and undergrowth, this beautiful Red Fox made its way along a well-worn track through the undergrowth and grasses along the edge of a marsh. I had the wrong lens on to get a decent photograph but it was such a pleasure to see the animal at close quarters unaware of my presence.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The European goldfinch or goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), is a small passerine bird in the finch family that is native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It has been introduced to other areas including Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay.
The goldfinch has a red face and a black-and-white head. The back and flanks are buff or chestnut brown. The black wings have a broad yellow bar. The tail is black and the rump is white. The female is very similar to the male but has a slightly smaller red area on the face.
The goldfinch is often depicted in Italian renaissance paintings of the Madonna and Child. Goldfinches are commonly kept and bred in captivity around the world because of their distinctive appearance and pleasant song. In Britain during the 19th century many thousands of goldfinches were trapped each year to be sold as cage-birds. One of the earliest campaigns of the Society for the Protection of Birds was directed against this trade.
In the poem The Great Hunger by Patrick Kavanagh, the goldfinch is one of the rare glimpses of beauty in the life of an elderly Irish farmer:
"The goldfinches on the railway paling were worth looking at
A man might imagine then
Himself in Brazil and these birds the birds of paradise" (wikipedia)
An adult Goldfinch on some razor wire at Poolbeg, Dublin Port, Ireland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Teagasc, National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, with The Church of our Lady of Dolours, Glasnevin in the background.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f2 lens on Kodak Ektar 100 film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
kissing on the street at night after Wales-Scotland rugby match
"Cardiff After Dark" book: on Amazon UK, on amazon .com, worldwide on bookdepository.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
A dappled St. Stephen's Green, Dublin.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and Leica Summarit 35mm f2.5 lens on Kodak TMax 400 black and white film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Moorhen is a common bird of most waterways, ponds and lakes in Ireland. Usually quite secretive, but can also be seen out in the open on water sides and even out in open fields. A dark pigeon sized bird with long sturdy legs. The adult has a red bill and fore crown, the bill is tipped yellow. Has a white line along the flanks and white sides to its under tail. The under tail is east to see as it carries its tail high. The upperparts are brownish and the underparts are blue-grey. Juveniles lack any red in the bill and crown and are have greyish-brown plumage Moorhens are usually seen on the ground or in the water. If the bird is walking about look out for the long yellow/green legs with the very large toes; the legs project out from the tail in flight. (Birdwatch Ireland)
Taken on a Canon 7D Mark II in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae. It is a highly migratory bird, breeding in northern parts of Eurasia and North America and flying south to winter on coastlines almost worldwide. It is the only species of turnstone in much of its range and is often known simply as Turnstone.
At all seasons, the plumage is dominated by a harlequin-like pattern of black and white. Breeding birds have reddish-brown upper parts with black markings. The head is mainly white with black streaks on the crown and a black pattern on the face. The breast is mainly black apart from a white patch on the sides. The rest of the underparts are white. In flight it reveals a white wingbar, white patch near the base of the wing and white lower back, rump and tail with dark bands on the uppertail-coverts and near the tip of the tail. The female is slightly duller than the male and has a browner head with more streaking.
Non-breeding adults are duller than breeding birds and have dark grey-brown upperparts with black mottling and a dark head with little white. Juvenile birds have a pale brown head and pale fringes to the upperpart feathers creating a scaly impression. (wikipedia)
This was taken off the shoreline of Skerries, Co. Dublin in the teeth of Storm Agnes during the autumn of 2023.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Always love the reflections made by barges on the Grand Canal, Dublin.
COVID-19, Level 3, July 2021. Taken with a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Ilford HP5 (400 ASA) black and white film. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Páipéar by Hang Tough Gallery Contemporary, Dublin.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f2 lens on Kodak Ektar 100 film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Taken with a Leica M4-P and a Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f1.4 lens on Kodak Ultramax 400 colour film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
A 60ft piece of artwork by Joe Caslin was erected on a building on the corner of Harcourt Street and Clonmel Street in Dublin’s City Centre during the summer to mark Down Syndrome Ireland’s 50th birthday. The image entitled, Don’t Talk Down to Me, features a smiling 21-year-old Amanda Butler, whom Joe Caslin knows personally. (Down Syndrome Ireland)
Taken with an Leica M4-P camera coupled with a Leica Summarit-M 35mm lens on Kodak C200 colour film. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), also known as the ring-necked parakeet, is a medium-sized parrot in the genus Psittacula, of the family Psittacidae. It has disjunct native ranges in Africa and South Asia, and is now introduced into many other parts of the world where feral populations have established themselves and are bred for the exotic pet trade.
The rose-ringed parakeet is sexually dimorphic. The adult male sports a red and black neck ring, and the hen and immature birds of both sexes either show no neck rings, or display shadow-like pale to dark grey neck rings. Both sexes have a distinctive green colour in the wild, and captive bred ringnecks have multiple colour mutations including blue, violet and yellow. Rose-ringed parakeets measure on average 40 cm (16 in) in length, including the tail feathers, a large portion of their total length. Their average single-wing length is about 15 to 17.5 cm (5.9 to 6.9 in). In the wild, this is a noisy species with an unmistakable squawking call. Captive individuals can be taught to speak. They are a herbivorous and non-migratory species.
One of the few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in disturbed habitats, it has withstood the onslaught of urbanisation and deforestation. As a popular pet species, escaped birds have colonised a number of cities around the world, including Northern and Western Europe. These parakeets have also proven themselves capable of living in a variety of climates outside their native range, and are able to survive low winter temperatures in Northern Europe. The species is listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because its population appears to be increasing, but its popularity as a pet and unpopularity with farmers have reduced its numbers in some parts of its native range.
In the wild, rose-ringed parakeets usually feed on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds. Wild flocks also fly several miles to forage in farmlands and orchards, causing extensive damage. Feral parakeets will regularly visit gardens and other locations near human habitation, taking food from bird feeders.
The European populations became established during the mid-to-late 20th century. There is a burgeoning population of feral parakeets in Great Britain which is centred around suburban London and the Home Counties of South-East England. The winter of 2006 had three separate roosts of about 6000 birds around London. A major agricultural pest in locations such as India, as of 2011 the rose-ringed parakeet population was growing rapidly, but is generally limited to urban areas in southern England.
A Europe-wide count was held in 2015 and found 85,220 Rose-ringed parakeets in 10 European countries. (wikipedia)
This is a male Rose-necked Parakeet eating the fresh Cherry Blossom flowers near Griffith Park, Dublin, Ireland. A very nice contrast between the green and pink. The three resident birds were present in the tree, munching away.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Straddling Ranelagh and Rathmines, Dublin 6, a view of the dome of the Mary Immaculate, Refuge of Sinners Roman Catholic church in Rathmines.
Taken with a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Lomography 400 film and a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Mediterranean gull (Larus melanocephalus) is a small gull. This gull breeds almost entirely in the Western Palearctic, mainly in the south east, especially around the Black Sea, and in central Turkey. There are colonies elsewhere in southern Europe, and this species has undergone a dramatic range expansion in recent decades.
The Mediterranean Gull is slightly larger and bulkier than the Black-headed Gull with a heavier bill and longer, darker legs. The breeding plumage adult is a distinctive white gull, with a very pale grey mantle and wings with white primary feathers without black tips. The black hood extends down the nape and shows distinct white eye crescents. The blunt tipped, parallel sided, dark red bill has a black subterminal band. The non breeding adult is similar but the hood is reduced to an extensive dusky "bandit" mask through the eye. This bird takes two years to reach maturity. First year birds have a black terminal tail band and more black areas in the upperwings, but have pale underwings. (wikipedia)
A recent colonist, the Mediterranean Gull arrived in Ireland in 1995 and first bred in the Republic in 1996 in Co. Wexford. Prefers low lying islands near the coast on which to breed. Only two or three pairs breed but this is likely to increase with more and more birds seen in suitable habitat in the breeding season. Regularly breeds, at Ladies Island Lake in Co. Wexford, along with other nesting seabirds, including Black-headed Gulls, with which it is often associated. In winter, Ireland attracts birds from northwest France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and the Baltic States, occurring from September to April.
Dublin Bay is a good place to see them in winter.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Coots are medium-sized water birds which are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water. They are close relatives of the moorhen. The greatest species variety is in South America, and it is likely that the genus originated there. They are common in Europe, Japan (in winter) and North America.
They have prominent frontal shields or other decoration on the forehead, and coloured bills, and many, but not all, have white on the under tail. Like other rails, they have lobed toes. They tend to have short, rounded wings and are weak fliers, although northern species are nevertheless capable of covering long distances; the American Coot has reached Ireland on rare occasions. Those species that migrate do so at night.
Coots can walk and run vigorously on strong legs, and have long toes that are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. These birds are omnivorous, taking mainly plant material, but also small animals and eggs. They are aggressively territorial during the breeding season, but are otherwise often found in sizeable flocks on the shallow vegetated lakes they prefer. A flock of coots is known in the US as a cover. (wikipedia)
This is an adult Eurasian Coot being chased by another in a threatening manner in Dublin during a particularly cold spell in January 2021. Super aggressive to each other and typically fearless. Such characters.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Sitting on the edge of the Great South Wall, Poolbeg, Dublin.
Taken with an Leica M4-P camera, with a Leitz Elmar f2.8 50mm lens, and on native ISO 400 Ilford HP5 film pushed to iSO 800. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Northern Wheatear or Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small passerine bird and is the most widespread member of the wheatear genus Oenanthe in Europe and Asia. The Northern Wheatear makes one of the longest journeys of any small bird, crossing ocean, ice, and desert. It migrates from Sub-Saharan Africa in Spring over a vast area of the northern hemisphere that includes northern and central Asia, Europe, Greenland, Alaska, and parts of Canada. In Autumn all return to Africa, where their ancestors had wintered. Arguably, some of the birds that breed in north Asia could take a shorter route and winter in south Asia; however, their inherited inclination to migrate takes them back to Africa.
Birds of the large, bright Greenland race, leucorhoa, makes one of the longest transoceanic crossings of any passerine. In spring most migrate along a route (commonly used by waders and waterfowl) from Africa via continental Europe, the British Isles, and Iceland to Greenland. However, autumn sightings from ships suggest that some birds cross the North Atlantic directly from Canada and Greenland to southwest Europe (a distance of up to 2500 km). (wikipedia)
This is fresh juvenile bird migrating south through Ireland to Africa during the autumn, stopping off on the saltmarsh of the North Bull Island, Dublin along the way. Always a buzz seeing a Wheatear during migration time.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) is a species of true thrush. It is also called Eurasian Blackbird (especially in North America, to distinguish it from the unrelated New World blackbirds), or simply Blackbird where this does not lead to confusion with a similar-looking local species. It breeds in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to Canada, United States, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. It has a number of subspecies across its large range; a few of the Asian subspecies are sometimes considered to be full species. Depending on latitude, the common blackbird may be resident, partially migratory, or fully migratory.
The male of the nominate subspecies, which is found throughout most of Europe, is all black except for a yellow eye-ring and bill and has a rich, melodious song; the adult female and juvenile have mainly dark brown plumage. This species breeds in woods and gardens, building a neat, mud-lined, cup-shaped nest. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, earthworms, berries, and fruits.
Both sexes are territorial on the breeding grounds, with distinctive threat displays, but are more gregarious during migration and in wintering areas. Pairs stay in their territory throughout the year where the climate is sufficiently temperate. This common and conspicuous species has given rise to a number of literary and cultural references, frequently related to its song. (wikipedia)
A very fine male Blackbird was resting under the shade of some willow trees during a recent storm. It was not pleasant.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America and Asia. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammal and bird populations. Forty-five subspecies are currently recognised, which are divided into two categories: the large northern foxes, and the small, primitive southern foxes of Asia and the Middle East.
The red fox is Ireland’s only member of the Canidae family. They are easily recognizable by their small doglike appearance. Coloration consists of a reddish to brown tint with a long bushy tail often with a white tip. The underbelly consists of a white to grey texture, black markings are present on the ears, feet and whiskered muzzle. The coat is moulted in spring with a second phase of hair growth occurring in the autumn to produce a heavier winter coat. There are variations in colour with some individuals having darker or sliver tinted coats. The body is long and sleek with a pointed head and muzzle with sharp pointed upright ears. Males are known as dogs and are only slightly larger and heavier than the female vixens. Adult males can grow to 1.5m from nose to tip with the tail accounting for up to half this total length.
Foxes are susceptible to pesticide accumulation in the environment which travels up the food chain and is mainly as a result of fox’s habit of eating carrion, especially some bird species. Foxes are also prone to sarcoptic mange which causes fur loss and skin lesions due to scratching at the embedded mites. The red foxes’ spread to urban areas is not a threat to domestic cats and dogs and is generally welcomed by people who leave food scraps for local foxes in their back gardens. Irish red foxes are only afforded the most basic legal protection under the Irish Wildlife Act.
While taking shelter in a bird hide from the torrential rain and wind, with most birds being sensible and keeping low in the reedbeds and undergrowth, this beautiful Red Fox made its way along a well-worn track through the undergrowth and grasses along the edge of a marsh. I had the wrong lens on to get a decent photograph but it was such a pleasure to see the animal at close quarters unaware of my presence.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
All aboard!! This is the 331 metre long MSC Virtuosa operated by MSC Cruises that docked in Cobh in 2022. The ship is one of the biggest of its kind and carries 6,300 passengers and 1,700 crew members.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and Leica Summarit 35mm f2.5 lens lens on Santa Rae 125 film, and developed and scanned by the good folk in Gunns on Wexford Street.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds in the tundra and taiga regions of the arctic and winters along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is the only member of the genus Clangula.
Long-tailed ducks breed on tundra across northern Eurasia (in Russian Siberia, Kamchatka, and Karelia, for example), the Faroe Islands, Finland, parts of southern Greenland, Iceland, Norway, as well as across northern North America (Alaska and northern Canada).
In winter, they are found on and near large bodies of seawater, such as the Northern Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean, Hudson Bay and the American Great Lakes.
Adults have white underparts, though the rest of the plumage goes through a complex moulting process. The male has a long pointed tail (10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) long) and a dark grey bill crossed by a pink band. In winter, the male has a dark cheek patch on a mainly white head and neck, a dark breast and mostly white body. In summer, the male is dark on the head, neck and back with a white cheek patch. The female has a brown back and a relatively short pointed tail. In winter, the female's head and neck are white with a dark crown. In summer, the head is dark. Juveniles resemble adult females in autumn plumage, though with a lighter, less distinct cheek patch.
The long-tailed duck is still hunted across a large part of its range. There has been a significant decline in the number of birds wintering in the Baltic Sea, partly due to their susceptibility to being trapped in gillnets. For these reasons the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorised the long-tailed duck as vulnerable. (wikipedia)
This is a male in winter plumage that is settling into the winter in Dublin Bay. Long-tailed Ducks are a winter visitor to Ireland. It is likely that a substantial proportion of the birds that occur in Ireland and Britain come from the population breeding in Greenland/Iceland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America and Asia. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammal and bird populations. Forty-five subspecies are currently recognised, which are divided into two categories: the large northern foxes, and the small, primitive southern foxes of Asia and the Middle East.
The red fox is Ireland’s only member of the Canidae family. They are easily recognizable by their small doglike appearance. Coloration consists of a reddish to brown tint with a long bushy tail often with a white tip. The underbelly consists of a white to grey texture, black markings are present on the ears, feet and whiskered muzzle. The coat is moulted in spring with a second phase of hair growth occurring in the autumn to produce a heavier winter coat. There are variations in colour with some individuals having darker or sliver tinted coats. The body is long and sleek with a pointed head and muzzle with sharp pointed upright ears. Males are known as dogs and are only slightly larger and heavier than the female vixens. Adult males can grow to 1.5m from nose to tip with the tail accounting for up to half this total length.
Foxes are susceptible to pesticide accumulation in the environment which travels up the food chain and is mainly as a result of fox’s habit of eating carrion, especially some bird species. Foxes are also prone to sarcoptic mange which causes fur loss and skin lesions due to scratching at the embedded mites. The red foxes’ spread to urban areas is not a threat to domestic cats and dogs and is generally welcomed by people who leave food scraps for local foxes in their back gardens. Irish red foxes are only afforded the most basic legal protection under the Irish Wildlife Act.
This is one of the famous Red Foxes along the Dodder River, Dublin.