View allAll Photos Tagged rollup
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-winged tern, or white-winged black tern (Chlidonias leucopterus or Chlidonias leucoptera), is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is a small species generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across much of the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Adult birds in summer have short red legs and a short black bill (small and stubby, measuring 22–25 mm from the feathers, decidedly shorter than the head), a black neck (often with a pale gray back) and belly, very dark grey back, with a white rump and light grey (almost white) tail, which often looks 'square' in juveniles. The face is tinged yellowish. The wings, as the name implies, are mainly white. The inner wing is grayish with brown-tipped coverts.
Their breeding habitat is freshwater marshes across from southeast Europe to Central Asia and the Russian Far East. In winter, they migrate to Africa, southern Asia and Australia. (wikipedia)
The White-winged Tern (WWT) is a rare marsh tern in Ireland, with only one record every year or so. This adult summer bird was found on a seawatch from Dalkey, Co. Dublin by Noel Keogh, and later that morning further north at Swords Estuary by Victor Caschera. WWT is a very rare bird for Dublin.
String rollup slat bllinds hanging on the edge of the walkway verandah of terrace shops in the city. They provide much needed shade for pedestrians and the shops in hot Penang.
This shop is obviously owned by Chinese people, as it has Chinese banner characters at the top of the entrance probably announcing the business name, the yin-yang i-ching symbol, and shiny red-and-gold chinese new year banners.
HAIR: Lamb. Lark
TOP: [Adversity] White Female Tank
BOTTOM: Santino Design Legging
POSE & PROPS: Secret Poses - Guitar Case
BACKDROP: WeArH0uSE [rollup] Backdrop/GroupGift
Pose 52
Taken @ Sunny's Studio
Wearing:
DAPPA - Offering Tattoo. [FADED]
Not Found - Tomas Hairbase
Not Found - Nicolas Skin Tan Browless
Volkstone Sergy Facial Hair / 01
.:E.A.Studio:. Inazuma Plug
Cold Ash HOLLOWAY Ripped Jeans (RollUp)
PUNCH / Haste / Unrigged
[Deadwool] Bjorn jacket - Legacy
[Deadwool] Blue moon -
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Black Guillemot or Tystie (Cepphus grylle) is a medium-sized alcid.
Adult birds have black bodies with a white wing patch, a thin dark bill, and red legs and feet. They show white wing linings in flight. In winter, the upperparts are pale grey and the underparts are white. The wings remain black with the large white patch on the inner wing.
Their breeding habitat is rocky shores, cliffs and islands on northern Atlantic coasts in eastern North America as far south as Maine, and in western Europe as far south as Ireland.They are one of the few birds to breed on Surtsey, Iceland a new volcanic island. In the UK it is a fairly common breeding bird in western and northern Scotland and Ireland. In the rest of Great Britain they only breed at St. Bees Head in Cumbria, the Isle of Man and on east Anglesey in north Wales. Some birds breed in Alaska where their range overlaps with the similar Pigeon Guillemot.
These birds often overwinter in their breeding areas, moving to open waters if necessary, but usually not migrating very far south.
They dive for food from the surface, swimming underwater. They mainly eat fish and crustaceans, also some mollusks, insects and plant material. (wikipedia)
This was an adult bird in breeding plumage swimming in the clear waters of Coliemore Harbour, Co. Dublin.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The common grasshopper warbler or just grasshopper warbler (Locustella naevia) is a species of Old World warbler in the genus Locustella. It breeds across much of temperate Europe and the western Palearctic. It is migratory, wintering across northern tropical Africa just south of the Sahara, and also locally in India.
This small passerine bird is found in dense grassland vegetation, often close to water, and usually with a few small scattered shrubs. The adult has a streaked brown back and whitish grey underparts which are unstreaked except on the undertail coverts. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are yellower below. Like most warblers, it is insectivorous.
This is a species which skulks in the undergrowth, creeping through bushes and low foliage, and which is very difficult to see except when singing from a prominent position. The song, which gives this species its name, is a mechanical grasshopper-like reeling, often given at dawn or dusk. (wikipedia)
This individual was photographed along the Wexford coast at Cahore. It appeared to be fresh in. A real sign of the beginning of Spring.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Eurasian Magpie or common magpie (Pica pica) is a resident breeding bird throughout Europe, much of Asia and northwest Africa. It is one of several birds in the crow family designated magpies, and belongs to the Holarctic radiation of "monochrome" magpies. In Europe, "magpie" is used by English speakers as a synonym for the European magpie: the only other magpie in Europe is the Iberian magpie (Cyanopica cooki), which is limited to the Iberian peninsula.
The Eurasian magpie is one of the most intelligent birds, and it is believed to be one of the most intelligent of all animals. The expansion of its nidopallium is approximately the same in its relative size as the brain of chimpanzees, orangutans and humans.
The gradual clinal variation over the large geographic range and the intergradation of the different races means that the geographical limits and acceptance of the various subspecies varies between authorities. The International Ornithological Congress recognise ten subspecies.
The range of the magpie extends across temperate Eurasia from Spain and Ireland in the west to the Kamchatka Peninsula and Taiwan in the east. There are also populations in northwest Africa and on Mediterranean islands. The species has been introduced in Japan on the island of Kyushu.The Eurasian magpie has an extremely large range. The European population is estimated to be between 7.5 and 19 million breeding pairs. Allowing for the birds breeding in other continents, the total population is estimated to be between 46 and 228 million individuals. The population trend in Europe has been stable since 1980. There is no evidence of any serious overall decline in numbers, so the species is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of Least Concern. (wikipedia)
Taken in the Griffith Park Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Black Guillemot or Tystie (Cepphus grylle) is a medium-sized alcid.
Adult birds have black bodies with a white wing patch, a thin dark bill, and red legs and feet. They show white wing linings in flight. In winter, the upperparts are pale grey and the underparts are white. The wings remain black with the large white patch on the inner wing.
Their breeding habitat is rocky shores, cliffs and islands on northern Atlantic coasts in eastern North America as far south as Maine, and in western Europe as far south as Ireland.They are one of the few birds to breed on Surtsey, Iceland a new volcanic island. In the UK it is a fairly common breeding bird in western and northern Scotland and Ireland. In the rest of Great Britain they only breed at St. Bees Head in Cumbria, the Isle of Man and on east Anglesey in north Wales. Some birds breed in Alaska where their range overlaps with the similar Pigeon Guillemot.
These birds often overwinter in their breeding areas, moving to open waters if necessary, but usually not migrating very far south.
They dive for food from the surface, swimming underwater. They mainly eat fish and crustaceans, also some mollusks, insects and plant material. (wikipedia)
This was an adult bird in breeding plumage swimming in the clear waters of Coliemore Harbour, Co. Dublin.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition 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 beach near Carne in Co. Wexford along the way. Always a buzz seeing a Wheatear during migration time.
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■ Gabriel
Knit jacket & shirt / Gray+White
Straight RollUp Jeans Light blue
La differenza tra me e te.
Non l’ho capita fino in fondo veramente bene
(Me e te)
Uno dei due sa farsi male, l’altro meno, però...
(Me e te)
È quasi una negazione.
Io mi perdo nei dettagli, nei disordini, tu no
E temo il tuo passato e il mio passato, ma tu no.
(Me e te)
È così chiaro
E sembra difficile.
La mia vita
Mi fa perdere il sonno, sempre
Mi fa capire che è evidente
La differenza tra me e te.
Poi mi chiedi come sto
E il tuo sorriso spegne i tormenti e le domande
A stare bene, a stare male, a torturarmi a chiedermi: «Perché?»
La differenza tra me e te.
The Heart Of The Ocean
Episode 9
Pic 1
"Reconciliation."
Ricky Is Wearing.
-Lapointe and Baschild Turtle Swear Havoc Sweater
- Cold ASh Holloway Ripped Jeans (RollUP)- Light Blue
- GST Converse Black Canvas
- Deep Static Reilly Glasses
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
There are three species: the Bohemian waxwing (B. garrulus), the Japanese waxwing (B. japonica) and the cedar waxwing (B. cedrorum). The Bohemian waxwing is a starling-sized bird. It is short-tailed, mainly brownish-grey, and has a conspicuous crest on its head. The male of the nominate subspecies has a black mask through the eye and a black throat. There is a white streak behind the bill and a white curve below the eye. The lower belly is a rich chestnut colour and there are cinnamon-coloured areas around the mask. The rump is grey and the tail ends in a bright yellow band with a broad black border above it. The wings are very distinctive; the flight feathers are black and the primaries have markings that produce a yellow stripe and white "fishhooks" on the closed wing. The adult's secondaries end in long red appendages with the sealing wax appearance that gives the bird its English name. The eyes are dark brown, the bill is mainly black, and the legs are dark grey or black. In flight, the waxwing's large flocks, long wings and short tail give some resemblance to the common starling, and its flight is similarly fast and direct. It clambers easily through bushes and trees but only shuffles on the ground.
The range of the Bohemian waxwing overlaps those of both the other members of the genus.
The Bohemian waxwing's call is a high trill sirrrr. The Bohemian waxwing has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in northern regions of Eurasia and North America.
This waxwing is migratory with much of the breeding range abandoned as the birds move south for the winter. Migration starts in September in the north of the range, a month or so later farther south. Eurasian birds normally winter from eastern Britain through northern parts of western and central Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and northern China to Japan. North American breeders have a more southeasterly trend, many birds wintering in southeast Canada, with smaller numbers in the north central and northeastern US states. Birds do not usually return to the same wintering sites in successive years. One bird wintering in the Ukraine was found 6,000 km (3,700 mi) to the east in Siberia in the following year.
In some years, this waxwing irrupts south of its normal wintering areas, sometimes in huge numbers. The fruit on which the birds depend in winter varies in abundance from year to year, and in poor years, particularly those following a good crop the previous year, the flocks move farther south until they reach adequate supplies.They will stay until the food runs out and move on again. (wikipedia)
Always a pleasure seeing Waxwing. This was the only Waxwing in the area, which is unusual. I had a single bird a couple of months previously in the broader area, so I wonder whether this is the same bird gone undetected since. Fabulous birds. Difficult to get a clean shot in the thick Rowan-type tree.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition 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 soaring over some fields east of Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition 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 at the East Coast Nature Reserve, Wicklow, Ireland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Black Guillemot or Tystie (Cepphus grylle) is a medium-sized alcid.
Adult birds have black bodies with a white wing patch, a thin dark bill, and red legs and feet. They show white wing linings in flight. In winter, the upperparts are pale grey and the underparts are white. The wings remain black with the large white patch on the inner wing.
Their breeding habitat is rocky shores, cliffs and islands on northern Atlantic coasts in eastern North America as far south as Maine, and in western Europe as far south as Ireland.They are one of the few birds to breed on Surtsey, Iceland a new volcanic island. In the UK it is a fairly common breeding bird in western and northern Scotland and Ireland. In the rest of Great Britain they only breed at St. Bees Head in Cumbria, the Isle of Man and on east Anglesey in north Wales. Some birds breed in Alaska where their range overlaps with the similar Pigeon Guillemot.
These birds often overwinter in their breeding areas, moving to open waters if necessary, but usually not migrating very far south.
They dive for food from the surface, swimming underwater. They mainly eat fish and crustaceans, also some mollusks, insects and plant material. (wikipedia)
This was an adult bird perched at the entrance to its nesting hole in the walls of Coliemore Harbour, Co. Dublin.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Black Guillemot or Tystie (Cepphus grylle) is a medium-sized alcid.
Adult birds have black bodies with a white wing patch, a thin dark bill, and red legs and feet. They show white wing linings in flight. In winter, the upperparts are pale grey and the underparts are white. The wings remain black with the large white patch on the inner wing.
Their breeding habitat is rocky shores, cliffs and islands on northern Atlantic coasts in eastern North America as far south as Maine, and in western Europe as far south as Ireland.They are one of the few birds to breed on Surtsey, Iceland a new volcanic island. In the UK it is a fairly common breeding bird in western and northern Scotland and Ireland. In the rest of Great Britain they only breed at St. Bees Head in Cumbria, the Isle of Man and on east Anglesey in north Wales. Some birds breed in Alaska where their range overlaps with the similar Pigeon Guillemot.
These birds often overwinter in their breeding areas, moving to open waters if necessary, but usually not migrating very far south.
They dive for food from the surface, swimming underwater. They mainly eat fish and crustaceans, also some mollusks, insects and plant material. (wikipedia)
This was an adult bird in breeding plumage coming into land at Coliemore Harbour, Co. Dublin.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition 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 some flowers in the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin earlier this autumn.
And through it all how could you cry for me?
Cos I don't feel bad about it.
So shut your eyes, kiss me goodbye,
And sleep.
Just sleep.
The hardest part is the awful things that I've seen.
My Chemical Romance - Sleep.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition 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.
This is the 1st-cal year bird on the Mediterranean coast of France near Argelès-sur-Mer.
All I need now is a little old lady to growl at menacingly.
Doing nothing to enhance my reputation, for FGR's Outlaws day.
Actually I'm a bit of a wuss really; the whole time I was taking the pictures for this challenge I kept worrying about what the neighbours might think. Yeah, I'm a real rebel, me, living outside the norms of society!
A year ago today I was looking at a rhino's arse. Actually I was looking like a rhino's arse as well; see how much weight I've lost in the last year ...
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) is a diving duck from North America. This strong migrant is a rare but regular vagrant to western Europe and Ireland, mostly from October to March, almost always associating with flocks of Tufted Duck. In September/October 2008, a flock of 15 was recorded on Inishmore on the Aran Islands.
It is very similar to Tufted Duck but is slightly smaller and lacks a crest. Adult males can be separated from Tufted Duck by having much greyer flanks with a white vertical stripe, as well as different pattern on the bill (broad white stripe near the tip). Adult females appear quite different to female Tufted Duck, being much paler overall and having an obvious white eyering. Also shows a hint of the obvious vertical white stripe found on the flanks of the male. Juvenile Ring-necked Ducks are similar to females, though the head pattern is not as contrasting and lacks the broad white stripe on the bill.
They mainly feeds by diving for freshwater invertebrates (beetles, shrimp). Ring-necked Ducks will also feed on plants, such as pondweeds.
This lone male was found by Ian Stevenson on the ponds in Farmleigh House in Phoenix Park, Dublin. The ring around its neck is visible in this photo.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Eurasian reed warbler, or just reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It breeds across Europe into the temperate western Palaearctic. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. This small passerine bird is a species found almost exclusively in reed beds, usually with some bushes.
This is a medium-sized warbler, about the same size of a Robin. The adult has an unstreaked brown back and buff underparts. The forehead is flattened, and the bill is strong and pointed. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are richer buff below. The Eurasian reed warbler looks similar to the great reed warbler, but the great reed warbler is larger in size and has a stronger supercilium. (wikipedia)
It is a summer visitor to large reedbeds in southern and eastern Ireland from late April to September. This adult was singing from a stand of willows and hawthorn along the edge of a reedbed in Co. Wicklow. The bird remained in the shadows and was difficult to see. Sometimes it perched and sang from a particular branch, which allowed a partial view. It is great to seeing this species doing so well in Ireland.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is a long-legged predatory wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn. A bird of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast. It feeds mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking its prey through the shallows.
Standing up to a metre tall, adults weigh from 1 to 2 kg (2.2 to 4.4 lb). They have a white head and neck with a broad black stripe that extends from the eye to the black crest. The body and wings are grey above and the underparts are greyish-white, with some black on the flanks. The long, sharply pointed beak is pinkish-yellow and the legs are brown.
The birds breed colonially in spring in "heronries", usually building their nests high in trees. A clutch of usually three to five bluish-green eggs is laid. Both birds incubate the eggs for a period of about 25 days, and then both feed the chicks, which fledge when seven or eight weeks old. Many juveniles do not survive their first winter, but if they do, they can expect to live for about five years.
The main call is a loud croaking "fraaank", but a variety of guttural and raucous noises are heard at the breeding colony. Grey herons have the ability to live in cities where habitats and nesting space are available. In the Netherlands, the grey heron has established itself over the past decades in great numbers in urban environments. In cities such as Amsterdam, they are ever present and well adapted to modern city life. They hunt as usual, but also visit street markets and snackbars. Some individuals make use of people feeding them at their homes or share the catch of recreational fishermen. Similar behaviour on a smaller scale has been reported in Ireland (Dublin, Galway and Cork). (wikipedia)
An adult Grey Heron standing regal on the weir in the Botanic Gardens Glasnevin, Dublin along the Tolka River.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, also known as Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter. This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptions to enable it to see prey under water. There are seven subspecies differing in the hue of the upperparts and the intensity of the rufous colour of the underparts; size varies across the subspecies by up to 10%.
Only a quarter of the young survive to breed the following year, but this is enough to maintain the population. Likewise, only a quarter of adult birds survive from one breeding season to the next. Very few birds live longer than one breeding season. This is in part due to cold winters, predators such as rats and mink, and fledged young drowning during their first forays as the king of fishers. (wikipedia)
A stunning bird which I always enjoy seeing. This male (lower mandible is black, while it is orange on female) was fishing along a small stretch of the River Tolka near Dublin city, deep in the riverside bushes. One in a while, the bird would fly out of the trees, hover, and dive for fish. I have yet to see it do this when there is light to be had! Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) is the largest gull in the world. It is 64–79 cm (25–31 in) long with a 1.5–1.7 m (4 ft 11 in – 5 ft 7 in) wingspan and a body weight of 0.75–2.3 kg. it is a very aggressive hunter, pirate, and scavenger. It breeds on the European and North American coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and is fairly sedentary, though some move farther south or inland to large lakes or reservoirs. The adult great black-backed gull has a white head, neck and underparts, dark grey wings and back, pink legs and yellow bill.
This species can be found breeding in coastal areas from the extreme northwest portion of Russia, through much of coastal Scandinavia, on the Baltic Sea coasts, to the coasts of northwestern France, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Across the northern portion of the Atlantic, this gull is distributed in Iceland, the Faroe Islands, southern Greenland and on the Atlantic coasts of Canada and the United States.
Great black-backed gulls are opportunistic feeders, apex predators, and are very curious. They will investigate any small organism they encounter and will readily eat almost anything that they can swallow. Unlike most other Larus gulls, they are highly predatory and frequently hunt and kill any prey smaller than themselves, behaving more like a raptor than a typical larid gull. They get much of their dietary energy from scavenging, with refuse, most provided directly by humans, locally constituting more than half of their diet. (wikipedia)
The Great-black backed Gull is resident along all Irish coasts. Less frequently seen inland, usually only following storms. They follow trawlers and other fishing boats along the coast, even hitching a ride on smaller lobster and crab fishermen's boats. This was one of quite a few pairs breeding on Dalkey Island, Dublin.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Common Redshank or simply Redshank (Tringa totanus), 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 Ireland 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 from the seawall at low tide along Clontarf seafront in Dublin. Such a beautiful bird. Pity about the state of the water quality.
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The theraband teaches how much the limbs have to be active for the Pilates roll down.
1. Sit with legs extended. Place theraband around the back and hold the theraband with the hands. Bend knees if hamstrings are tight.
2. Exhale, hollow abdominals and sequence the spine on to the floor.
3. Inhale and lengthen the head away from the feet.
4. Exhale, hollow and roll back up.
Repeat two more sets.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Crested Tit or European Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian Peninsula. In Great Britain, it is mainly restricted to the ancient pinewoods of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and rarely strays far from its haunts. A few vagrant crested tits have been seen in England. It is resident, and most individuals do not migrate.
It is an easy tit to recognise, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive. It is, like other tits, talkative, and birds keep up a constant zee, zee, zee birdsong, similar to that of the coal tit.
It makes a nest in a hole in rotting stumps. This bird often feeds low down in trees, but although not shy, it is not always easily approached. It will join winter tit flocks with other species.
Like other tits, it is found in pairs and it feeds on insects (including caterpillars) and seeds. (wikipedia)
I Crested Tits on a daily basis while on holidays in France in 2025, but they were notoriously skittish, skulky, and afraid of the camera. I was lucky to capture this guy near the beach
You can license this picture HERE.
Taken for IGP's hbw.
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Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
There are three species: the Bohemian waxwing (B. garrulus), the Japanese waxwing (B. japonica) and the cedar waxwing (B. cedrorum). The Bohemian waxwing is a starling-sized bird. It is short-tailed, mainly brownish-grey, and has a conspicuous crest on its head. The male of the nominate subspecies has a black mask through the eye and a black throat. There is a white streak behind the bill and a white curve below the eye. The lower belly is a rich chestnut colour and there are cinnamon-coloured areas around the mask. The rump is grey and the tail ends in a bright yellow band with a broad black border above it. The wings are very distinctive; the flight feathers are black and the primaries have markings that produce a yellow stripe and white "fishhooks" on the closed wing. The adult's secondaries end in long red appendages with the sealing wax appearance that gives the bird its English name. The eyes are dark brown, the bill is mainly black, and the legs are dark grey or black. In flight, the waxwing's large flocks, long wings and short tail give some resemblance to the common starling, and its flight is similarly fast and direct. It clambers easily through bushes and trees but only shuffles on the ground.
The range of the Bohemian waxwing overlaps those of both the other members of the genus.
The Bohemian waxwing's call is a high trill sirrrr. The Bohemian waxwing has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in northern regions of Eurasia and North America.
This waxwing is migratory with much of the breeding range abandoned as the birds move south for the winter. Migration starts in September in the north of the range, a month or so later farther south. Eurasian birds normally winter from eastern Britain through northern parts of western and central Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and northern China to Japan. North American breeders have a more southeasterly trend, many birds wintering in southeast Canada, with smaller numbers in the north central and northeastern US states. Birds do not usually return to the same wintering sites in successive years. One bird wintering in the Ukraine was found 6,000 km (3,700 mi) to the east in Siberia in the following year.
In some years, this waxwing irrupts south of its normal wintering areas, sometimes in huge numbers. The fruit on which the birds depend in winter varies in abundance from year to year, and in poor years, particularly those following a good crop the previous year, the flocks move farther south until they reach adequate supplies.They will stay until the food runs out and move on again. (wikipedia)
Always a pleasure seeing Waxwing. This was the only Waxwing in the area, which is unusual. I had a single bird a couple of months previously in the broader area, so I wonder whether this is the same bird gone undetected since. Fabulous birds. Difficult to get a clean shot in the thick Rowan-type tree.
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Episode 9
Pic 2
"Reconciliation."
Ricky Is Wearing.
-Lapointe and Baschild Turtle Swear Havoc Sweater
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- GST Converse Black Canvas
- Deep Static Reilly Glasses
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Rook (Corvus frugilegus) is a member of the Corvidae family in the passerine order of birds. Named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, the species name frugilegus is Latin for "food-gathering".
Rooks are distinguished from similar members of the crow family by the bare grey-white skin around the base of the adult's bill in front of the eyes. The feathering around the legs also look shaggier and laxer than the congeneric Carrion Crow. The juvenile is superficially more similar to the Crow because it lacks the bare patch at the base of the bill, but it loses the facial feathers after about six months. Collective nouns for rooks include building, parliament, clamour and storytelling. Nesting is always colonial (rookeries), usually in the very tops of the trees. Branches and twigs are broken off trees (very rarely picked up off the ground), though as many are likely to be stolen from nearby nests as are collected from trees.
Though resident in Great Britain, Ireland and much of north and central Europe, vagrant to Iceland and northern Scandinavia, it also occurs as an eastern race in Asia where it differs in being very slightly smaller on average, and having a somewhat more fully feathered face.
In captivity, when confronted with problems, rooks have recently been documented as one of multiple species of bird capable of tool use to obtain a goal. (wikipedia)
In the 7 years that I have been regularly walking through Griffith Park, Dublin 9, Rooks have only become a regular sight in the last few months. A very welcome addition to the avifauna of the park.
Just a simple candid street style snap taken at London UK of a guy concentrating on making a Roll Up cigarette.
"THANK YOU KINDLY" to anyone who finds this shot good enough to put amongst their "FAVES".
"THANK YOU KINDLY" to anyone who finds this shot good enough to leave a "Comment", I'll do my very best to reply to you individually.
Does this tunnel seem a bit narrow?
It is -- and not because of camera lens distortion or Photoshop trickery. The tunnel is (or was) part of the East Broad Top Railroad, a narrow gauge line in central Pennsylvania. The rails are only 36 inches apart, rather than the standard 56.5 inches.
Also note the collapsed remains of an overhead rollup door mechanism in the foreground ... the portal could be closed!
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Crested Lark, Galerida cristata, breeds across most of temperate Eurasia from Portugal to northeast China and eastern India, and in Africa south to Niger. It is non-migratory, and the sedentary nature of this species is illustrated by the fact that it is only a very rare vagrant to Ireland, despite breeding as close as northern France.
This is a common bird of dry open country and cultivation. Its food is weed seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season.
This is a smallish lark, slightly larger and plumper than the Skylark. It has a long spiky erectile crest. It is greyer than the Skylark, and lacks the white wing and tail edges of that species.
In flight it shows reddish underwings. The body is mainly dark-streaked grey above and whitish below. The song is melodious and varied, with mournful whistles and mimicry included.
Some care must be taken to distinguish this lark, which has many subspecies, from its close relatives in areas where they also occur. In the west of its range the Thekla Lark, Galerida theklae, is very similar. (wikipedia)
I did not stumble upon too many Crested Lark during our family holiday in 2025 in France. There were a dozen or so birds in the coastal dunes and scrub near where we were staying. They were quite skittish and best views were had when they were within the fenced off dune area.
Arrived in the High Street just as various nationalities were swarming over the pipe band which was packing up to go home. "You are not," I told myself, "so desperate to get a photo that you are going to jump on this bandwagon". So off I headed down to the river.
As I passed by the Smith & Jones pub I spotted Damien. Nice bloke. Totally up for getting his photo taken, he used to work in Smith & Jones, and was waiting for the manager to finish so he could go for a pint. I didn't press him on whether this meant he was going to go for a pint with the manager, or if he was waiting for the manager to leave so he could go in...
This picture is my third in the 100 strangers project. You can find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other folk at www.100strangers.com.
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-winged tern, or white-winged black tern (Chlidonias leucopterus or Chlidonias leucoptera), is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is a small species generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across much of the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Adult birds in summer have short red legs and a short black bill (small and stubby, measuring 22–25 mm from the feathers, decidedly shorter than the head), a black neck (often with a pale gray back) and belly, very dark grey back, with a white rump and light grey (almost white) tail, which often looks 'square' in juveniles. The face is tinged yellowish. The wings, as the name implies, are mainly white. The inner wing is grayish with brown-tipped coverts.
Their breeding habitat is freshwater marshes across from southeast Europe to Central Asia and the Russian Far East. In winter, they migrate to Africa, southern Asia and Australia. (wikipedia)
The White-winged Tern (WWT) is a rare marsh tern in Ireland, with only one record every year or so. This adult summer bird was found on a seawatch from Dalkey, Co. Dublin by Noel Keogh, and later that morning further north at Swords Estuary by Victor Caschera. WWT is a very rare bird for Dublin.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The green-winged teal (Anas carolinensis) or American teal is a common and widespread duck that breeds in the northern areas of North America except on the Aleutian Islands. It was considered conspecific with the Eurasian teal (A. crecca) for some time, but the two have since been split into separate species. This is once again under debate and the two species may be joined togetehr again.
This dabbling duck is strongly migratory and winters far south of its breeding range. It is highly gregarious outside of the breeding season and will form large flocks. In flight, the fast, twisting flocks resemble waders. (wikipedia)
Very similar to Common Teal and care is needed to separate the two species. Adult male Green-winged Teal can be identified by the white vertical stripe on the flank, a feature never shown by Common Teal. Adult male Green-winged Teal also lack the obvious horizontal white stripe, while the yellow markings on the head are much reduced. Adult females and juveniles are indistinguishable from Common Teal. (BirdWatch Ireland)
There are several records a year in Ireland. This male, flanked either side by his distant Eurasian Teal cousins, was found in Broadmeadows in the Swords Estuary, Co. Dublin.