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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
Autumn in Dublin during Level 3 lockdown. The city centre was quiet and was about to get quieter. Strange to see Grogan's Bar, usually busy with a low murmur of conversation audible, quiet and lifeless.
Taken with a Canon A1 and a Helios 44M-4 f2 58mm lens on Fujicolour PRO 400H film.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia), in the background, is a wader, a subarctic bird, breeding from northern Scotland eastwards across northern Europe and Asia. It is a migratory species, wintering in Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Australasia, usually on fresh water.
Common Greenshanks are brown in breeding plumage, and grey-brown in winter. When in water, they can appear very similar to Marsh Sandpipers but are distinguished by the shape of the lower bill which gives it an upturned appearance to the bill. They have long greenish legs and a long bill with a grey base. They show a white wedge on the back in flight. They are somewhat larger than the related Common Redshank. The usual call is a rapid series of three short fluty notes syllabilized as teu-teu-teu.
Like most waders, they feed on small invertebrates, but will also take small fish and amphibians. The Common Greenshank is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
The Common Redshank or simply Redshank (Tringa totanus), in the foreground, is a Eurasian wader. Common Redshanks in breeding plumage are a marbled brown color, slightly lighter below. In winter plumage (as shown here) they become somewhat lighter-toned and less patterned, being rather plain greyish-brown above and whitish below. They have red legs and a black-tipped red bill, and show white up the back and on the wings in flight.
It is a widespread breeding bird across temperate Eurasia. It is a migratory species, wintering on coasts around the Mediterranean, on the Atlantic coast of Europe from Great Britain southwards, and in South Asia. They are wary and noisy birds which will alert everything else with their loud piping call. Like most waders, they feed on small invertebrates. (wikipedia)
This was taken at the River Santry outflow at Bull Island, Dublin.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Apis mellifera mellifera, (A.m.m.), also called the Black Bee or the Dark European Honey Bee or the Northern Dark Bee was originally widespread throughout the whole of northern Europe but sadly is no longer prevalent there now, due to hybridisation with other sub-species such as Apis mellifera ligustica or a hybrid form between the two types.
The Black Bee is thankfully still very much alive in Ireland and is the one kept by most beekeepers BUT it is severely threatened due to hybridisation with imported non-native sub-species as well as the potential detrimental effects of diseases that may be imported with non-native bees. Along with other bees and pollinators generally, it is also struggling due to habitat loss, pesticide use and intensive agriculture – sadly, 1/3rd of all Ireland’s bees are at risk of extinction.
The importance of protecting local bees is now being recognised throughout Europe; in March 2018, an EU Report on Prospects and challenges for the EU apiculture sector (2017/2115(INI)) “Calls on the European Commission and Member States to put in place measures to increase legal protection and financial support for local honey bee ecotypes and populations throughout the European Union, including by way of legally protected locally endemic honeybee conservation areas.” (Native Irish Rare Breed Society)
The native Irish Honey Bee is resilient to our unpredictable weather, including an ability to tolerate long periods of confinement to the hive in winter and an ability to fly at low temperatures and in drizzle or light rain. Clearly, our native bee is admirably adapted to life in Ireland! This individual was one of several feeding on Allium 'Millenium' flowers in my garden during the summer.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Canada goose (Branta canadensis), sometimes called Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe. Like most geese, the Canada goose is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; often found on or close to fresh water, the Canada goose is also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons.
Extremely adept at living in human-altered areas, Canada geese have established breeding colonies in urban and cultivated habitats, which provide food and few natural predators. The success of this common park species has led to its often being considered a pest species because of its excrement, its depredation of crops, its noise, its aggressive territorial behavior toward both humans and other animals, and its habit of stalking and begging for food, the latter a result of humans disobeying artificial feeding policies toward wild animals.
Canada geese were introduced in Europe in the early 17th century by explorer Samuel de Champlain who sent several pairs of geese to France as a present for King Louis XIII. The geese were first introduced in Great Britain in the late 17th century as an addition to King James II's waterfowl collection in St. James's Park. By the middle of the 18th century, the Canada geese have established populations in France and Great Britain, but also in Ireland. They were also introduced in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia, and Finland in the 20th Century, starting in Sweden in 1929. Most European populations are not migratory, but those in more northerly parts of Sweden and Finland migrate to the North Sea and Baltic coasts. Semi-tame feral birds are common in parks, and have become a pest in some areas. In Great Britain, they were spread by hunters, but remained uncommon until the mid-20th century. Their population grew from 2,200 to 4,000 birds in 1953 to an estimated 82,000 in 1999, as changing agricultural practices and urban growth provided new habitat. (wikipedia)
This bird was one of a hundred at Titchfield Haven reserve, near Southampton, on the south coast of England.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
A fantastic mural of Brendan Behan at Richmond Cottages, just off Summerhill Parade in the heart of Dublin's North inner city. Painted by the extremely talented Shane Sutton.
Taken with an Olympus XA camera on native ISO 400 Fujifilm Superia 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 Great Palm House in the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin. Lovely structure. Going for the Accidentally Wes Anderson look.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and a Summarit 35mm lens on Santa Rae 100 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
Wires everywhere.
Taken with a Leica M4-P and Carl Zeiss Planar T* f2 50mm lens on Santa Rae 125 Summer 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
There were some nice vistas at Portrane Beach while waiting for Ireland's 1st Least Tern to show itself. Cracking day. COVID-19, Level 3, June 2021.
Taken with a Leitz Elmar 50mm f2.8 lens on a Leica M4-P camera body, using Kodak C200 (200 ASA) colour film. Developed and scanned by the excellent John Gunn Camera Shop on Wexford Street.
Caroline street, the chippy alley
Cardiff Wales UK
"Cardiff After Dark" book: on Amazon UK, on amazon .com, worldwide on bookdepository.
www.maciejdakowicz.com - new website
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Skylark is a common resident throughout Ireland in uplands and areas of farmland, especially cereal. It is a rather nondescript species, with much brown and black streaking. Adult Skylarks have a prominent white supercilium and frequently raise their crown feathers to form a little crest. Juveniles have much of the black streaking replaced by spotting and lack the crest. When flushed from the ground, keeps close to the ground unlike the similar Meadow Pipit which typically rises straight up.
The song, which can be heard from February/March to June, is a distinctive continuous stream of warbling notes. It can last up to half an hour and is usually given while the bird is flying 50 to 100 metres overhead.
Skylarks usually moves out of breeding areas to winter in flocks on stubble fields, grasslands and coastal areas. Birds from continental Europe arrive in variable numbers in Ireland from September and depart March/April. (BirdWatch Ireland)
A collective noun for Eurasian skylarks is an "exaltation". Although the Oxford English Dictionary describes this usage as "fanciful", it traces it back to a quotation from John Lydgate dating from about 1430. (wikipedia)
The Skylark has been a bogey species for me to photograph well on the ground. I was lucky to stumble upon this semi-confiding individual recently on the North Bull Island, Dublin Bay, Ireland. Still a way to go to get a decent, clean shot on the ground but I'll take this one for now.
Shorebirds of Ireland with Jim Wilson.
Freshwater Birds of Ireland with Jim Wilson
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus, is a wader (shorebird) in the large bird family Scolopacidae. It breeds across northern Scandinavia and northern Asia and migrates south to Ireland, Britain, France, tropical Africa, and tropical Asia for the winter.
It is black in breeding plumage, and very pale in winter. It has a red legs and bill, and shows a white oval on the back in flight. Juveniles are grey-brown finely speckled white above, and have pale, finely barred underparts. (wikipedia)
Taken along the northern shore of Great Island, Co. Cork. This is an adult in winter plumage.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, after the rain.
Taken with an Leica M4-P camera, with a Leica Summarit-M 35mm 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 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente is a beacon/lighthouse located 7 km (4.3 mi) from the western edge of the civil parish of Sagres, guarding one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. A rudimentary lighthouse existed on the cape since 1520, in a special tower constructed on the site of the convent. The traditional land's end of Europe, the extreme southwesternmost point on the continent, it was an essential landfall for sailors returning from Africa and the Americas. One of the most powerful lighthouses in Europe (the most powerful being Phare du Creach on the French island of Ushant, off the coast of Brittany); its two 1,000 W lamps can be seen as far as 60 km (37 mi) away.
Taken with a Canon A1 and a Canon FD 50mm f1.8 lens on Washi X 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 fabulous piece by Subset in Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
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 chimney, which was built in 1935 on the north side of Dublin as part of the original Player's tobacco factory, is a popular landmark amongst locals and with tourists.
Taken with an Olympus XA camera on native ISO 400 Fujifilm Superia 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 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 feeding amongst the leaf litter in Northwood Park, Santry, Dublin recently.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Razorbill/Crosán (Alca torda) is a colonial seabird that only comes to land in order to breed. This agile bird chooses one partner for life; females lay one egg per year. Razorbills nest along coastal cliffs in enclosed or slightly exposed crevices. The parents spend equal amounts of time incubating. Once the chick has hatched, the parents take turns foraging for their young and sometimes fly long distances before finding prey.
The Razorbill is primarily black with a white underside. The male and female are identical in plumage; however, males are generally larger than females. In 1918, the Razorbill was protected in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Presently, the major threat for the population is the destruction of breeding sites.
The Razorbill has white underparts and a black head, neck, back and feet during breeding season. A thin white line also extends from the eyes to the end of the bill. Its head is darker than that of a Common Guillemot. During the nonbreeding season, the throat and face behind the eye become white, and the white line on the face becomes less prominent. The thick black bill has a blunt end. The tail feathers are slightly longer in the center in comparison to other alcids. This makes the Razorbill have a distinctly long tail which is not common for an auk. The Razorbill chooses one partner for life, and nests along coastal waters of the continental shelf. (wikipedia)
This is 1st summer/1st winter bird taken from the Great South Wall in Dublin Bay, Ireland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The European Robin is probably the most familiar garden bird in Europe - the bright orange-red breast and facial area make it unmistakable. Upperparts a uniform greyish brown, belly and lower breast greyish white. The bill is dark and pointed and the legs black. Can appear very plump and rounded, especially in cold weather when the bird fluffs out its feathers. Can be very confiding, often perching motionless close to gardening activity. Occasionally cocks tail briefly. (Birdwatch Ireland)
Taken at Rogerstown Nature Park, Dublin, Ireland. Happy Christmas, everyone.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Northern Lapwing, also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tew-it, green plover, or just simply lapwing, is a bird in the lapwing subfamily. It is common through temperate Eurosiberia. It is a distinct black-and-white, pigeon-sized wader, with wide rounded wings and floppy beats in flight. Wispy crest extending upwards from back of head and green/purple iridescence seen at close range. Pinkish legs.
Wintering distribution in Ireland is widespread. Large flocks regularly recorded in a variety of habitats, including most of the major wetlands, pasture and rough land adjacent to bogs.
It is highly migratory over most of its extensive range, wintering further south as far as North Africa, northern India, Nepal, Bhutan and parts of China. It migrates mainly by day, often in large flocks. Lowland breeders in westernmost areas of Europe are resident. It occasionally is a vagrant to North America.
The species has Near Threatened status globally, while it is red-listed in Ireland and the UK. It is the national bird of Ireland.
This lovely flock were bouncing along the rising tide at Rogerstown Estuary, Dublin, recently.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) is a carnivorous passerine bird and member of the shrike family Laniidae. Its breeding range stretches from Western Europe east to central Russia. It is migratory and winters in the eastern areas of tropical Africa and southern Africa. Once a common migratory visitor to Great Britain, numbers declined sharply during the 20th century, and it is now classified as a UK 'Red List' species. (wikipedia)
Shrikes like to perch prominently on the tops of bushes, fence posts and telephone wires, where they have a good view of potential prey. Items caught are then taken to a larder where they are impaled on a thorn or wedged in a fork. (RSPB)
This 1st year bird was found on Howth Head, Dublin during the autumn of 2021 by Mark Collins, and is on the 5th record for County Dublin. Fantastic bird.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Audouin's gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) is a large gull restricted to the Mediterranean and the western coast of Saharan Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.
In the late 1960s, this was one of the world's rarest gulls, with a population of only 1,000 pairs. It has established new colonies, but remains rare with a population of about 10,000 pairs.
This species, unlike many large gulls, rarely scavenges, but is a specialist fish eater, and is therefore strictly coastal and pelagic. This bird will feed at night, often well out to sea, but also slowly patrols close into beaches, occasionally dangling its legs to increase drag.
The adult basically resembles a small European herring gull, the most noticeable differences being the short stubby red bill and "string of pearls" white wing primary tips, rather than the large "mirrors" of some other species. The legs are grey-green. It takes four years to reach adult plumage.
This species shows little tendency to wander from its breeding areas, but there were single records in the Netherlands and England in May 2003, and one spent from December 2016 to April 2017 in Trinidad.
It is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. (wikipedia)
I was fortunate to bump into a small flock of Audouin's Gull on a local beach in Vilarmoura on the south coast of Portugal in the early summer of 2024. One of the nicest looking of the gull species. This bird had a white darvic ring with the code ARTU. The bird was ringed/banded with this ring on 5th July 2005 as a chick on Isla del Alboran, Almeria (a small islet of Spain in the Alboran Sea, part of the western Mediterranean Sea, about 56 kilometres (35 mi; 30 nmi) north of the Moroccan coast and 85 kilometres (53 mi; 46 nmi) from the Spanish mainland. The main buildings are an automated lighthouse built in the 19th century, a small cemetery, and a harbor). The island is a flat platform about 15 metres (49 feet) above sea level and about 71,200 m2 . The islet has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding population of Audouin's gulls as well as various species of passerines on migration. In 2001, the United Nations declared the island and its seabed a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance.
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
The purple heron (Ardea purpurea) is a wide-ranging species of wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia.
It is similar in appearance to the more common grey heron but is slightly smaller, more slender and has darker plumage. It is also a more evasive bird, favouring densely vegetated habitats near water, particularly reed beds.
Purple herons are colonial breeders and build a bulky nest out of dead reeds or sticks close to the water' edge among reeds or in dense vegetation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature notes that the global population trend is downwards, largely because of the drainage of wetlands, but assesses the purple heron's conservation status as being of "least concern". (wikipedia)
I stumbled upon a few Purple Herons during my holiday in Portugal in the summer of 2022. The heat haze here was criminal but I managed to get one okay shot through the haze. I saw my first Purple Heron in Garretstown, Cork, Ireland in 1987 with Jim Wilson! A rare bird for Ireland then.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae.
This is a small tern, 21-25 cm long with a 41-47 cm wingspan. It is not likely to be confused with other species, apart from Fairy Tern and Saunders's Tern, because of its size and white forehead in breeding plumage. Its thin sharp bill is yellow with a black tip and its legs are also yellow. In winter, the forehead is more extensively white, the bill is black and the legs duller. The call is a loud and distinctive creaking noise.
Over 75% of the breeding population in Ireland occur at Kilcoole in Co. Wicklow where they are protected by a fox-proof fence and a warden.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Red Kite (Milvus milvus) is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. The species is currently endemic to the Western Palearctic region in Europe and northwest Africa, though formerly also occurred just outside in northern Iran. It is a rare species which is resident in the milder parts of its range in western Europe and northwest Africa, but birds from northeastern and central Europe winter further south and west, reaching south to Turkey. (wikipedia)
The Red Kite's diet consists mainly of small mammals such as mice, voles, shrews, young hares and rabbits. It also feeds on a wide variety of carrion including sheep carcasses and dead game birds. Live birds are also taken and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. Earthworms also form an important part of the diet, especially in the spring.
As scavengers, red kites are particularly sensitive to poisoning. Illegal poison baits set for foxes or crows are indiscriminate and kill protected birds and other animals. This has occurred to the Red Kites from the reintroduction programme here in Ireland. Legislation has now changed such that leaving poisoned carcasses out on land is illegal. However, enforcement of this new law could prove difficult to police.
On the 19 July 2007, the first thirty red kites of the reintroduction program here were released in Co. Wicklow. The first successful breeding was in 2010. This stunning adult was coaxing its fledgling from the trees over Avoca Village, Wicklow. on a murky morning earlier in the summer. What a bird.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe and the Middle East, also known as the European Dipper or just Dipper. The species is divided into several subspecies on colour differences, especially of the pectoral band. The Dipper of Great Britain and Ireland is known as the "Brown-Bellied" Dipper (C. c. gularis), while the Irish race is Cinclus cinclus hibernicus.
The Dipper is a rotund, short-tailed bird, dark above and white-breasted, closely associated with swiftly running rivers and streams or the lakes into which these fall. The Dipper often perches bobbing spasmodically with its short tail uplifted on the rocks round which the water swirls and tumbles.
It acquired its name from these sudden dips, not from its diving habit, though it dives as well as walks into the water. It flies rapidly and straight, its short wings whirring swiftly and without pauses or glides, calling a shrill zil, zil, zil. It will then either drop on the water and dive or plunge in with a small splash. From a perch it will walk into the water and deliberately submerge, but there is no truth in the assertion that it can defy the laws of specific gravity and walk along the bottom.
This is one of a pair that were singing and appearing to be paired up under a bridge near Dublin city.
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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
The Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), also known as the European Starling, or in Ireland and the British Isles as just the Starling, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, which is speckled with white at some times of year. The legs are pink and the bill is black in winter and yellow in summer; young birds have browner plumage than the adults. It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature.
The common starling has about a dozen subspecies breeding in open habitats across its native range in temperate Europe and western Asia, and it has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, the Falkland Islands, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, South Africa and Fiji. This bird is resident in southern and western Europe and southwestern Asia, while northeastern populations migrate south and west in winter within the breeding range and also further south to Iberia and North Africa.
The species has declined in numbers in parts of northern and western Europe since the 1980s due to fewer grassland invertebrates being available as food for growing chicks. Despite this, its huge global population is not thought to be declining significantly, so the common starling is classified as being of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The common starling is a highly gregarious species, especially in autumn and winter. Although flock size is highly variable, huge, noisy flocks - murmurations - may form near roosts. These dense concentrations of birds are thought to be a defence against attacks by birds of prey such as peregrine falcons or Eurasian sparrowhawks. (wikipedia)
This youngster was begging for food relentlessly from its weary parents along the Wicklow coast, Ireland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Orange-tip Buttefly is one of the earlier butterfly species on the wing, seen in April. A true sign that Spring is coming.
The male has large orange patches at its wingtips. The female has black patches and is similar to the Small White.
The underside of both sexes exhibits a mottled green pattern.
This butterfly is found throughout England, Wales and Ireland, but is somewhat-local further north and especially in Scotland. In most regions this butterfly does not form discrete colonies and wanders in every direction as it flies along hedgerows and woodland margins looking for a mate, nectar sources or foodplants. More northerly colonies are more compact and also more restricted in their movements.
It was delighted to see my first first male Orange-tip along the Royal Canal bisecting Phibsborough, just outside Dublin city centre on one my early morning 2km walks with the kids.
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.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Autumn in Dublin during Level 3 lockdown. A mostly-empty Dublin Bus meets a mostly-empty LUAS tram on Dawson Street, Dublin city centre.
Taken with an Olympus XA on Kosmo Foto 100 black and white film.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe and the Middle East, also known as the European Dipper or just Dipper. The species is divided into several subspecies on colour differences, especially of the pectoral band. The Dipper of Great Britain and Ireland is known as the "Brown-Bellied" Dipper (C. c. gularis), while the Irish race is Cinclus cinclus hibernicus.
The Dipper is a rotund, short-tailed bird, dark above and white-breasted, closely associated with swiftly running rivers and streams or the lakes into which these fall. The Dipper often perches bobbing spasmodically with its short tail uplifted on the rocks round which the water swirls and tumbles.
It acquired its name from these sudden dips, not from its diving habit, though it dives as well as walks into the water. It flies rapidly and straight, its short wings whirring swiftly and without pauses or glides, calling a shrill zil, zil, zil. It will then either drop on the water and dive or plunge in with a small splash. From a perch it will walk into the water and deliberately submerge, but there is no truth in the assertion that it can defy the laws of specific gravity and walk along the bottom.
This is one of a pair that were singing and appearing to be paired up under a bridge near Dublin city.