Some pictures I took recently

V Bull

I was in Lough Boora Parklands on Saturday afternoon strolling around on a beautiful sunny day admiring the burst of colour from 20+ Peacock Butterfly’s on the same bush when 2 hunting Hen Harriers caught my eye. Gliding together over the landscape, a great sight, when they were buzzed by 5 Ravens. This went on for a while and the Harriers obviously got fed up with it. Both Harriers picked out the same Raven and attacked it, bringing it down and killing it, Harriers 1 – Ravens 0. The other Ravens made a rapid get away..

V_Moth

Considering that Ravens are as big if not bigger than a Hen Harrier, that is no mean feat! Fantastic capture!

littlebug

Not a great photo as it was taken from a distance but it's a one eyed seal. He/ she was watching us watching him/ her and escorted us along the shoreline.

V_Moth

Sandymount Strand yesterday - Oystercatcher and Sanderling


17 year-old Oystercatcher (blue and yellow rings)




Sanderling at roost



Running to the edge of the surf after spotting a Peregrine flying over head



Relaxing again after the danger has passed

V Bull

I was lucky today and bumped into 2 of Irelands top birders who pointed out the White-rumped Sandpiper, (Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow)....:)

Clearpreso

A few pics from out and about in Dalkey

whyulittle

woohoo Hen Harrier! Think there might have been two males, and one Ringtail.




Almost stepped on one of these a few weeks back, but failed to get a pic. Female Common Blue?






Must be learning, knew what this was!

Cinnabar?

Bsal

I have this juvenile Starling hanging around the garden for the last 8 weeks or so, all he/she does is relax and wait to be fed. We have given him the name Buddy

V Bull

Marsh Harrier..photo taken on Friday, a very dull and wet day...

vandriver

Northern Tenerife Lizard(Male) by carl cotter, on Flickr

blackbird99

IMG_1105 (2) by blackbird1973, on Flickr

IMG_1117 (2) by blackbird1973, on Flickr

IMG_1137 by blackbird1973, on Flickr

IMG_0892 by blackbird1973, on Flickr

blackbird99

IMG_1086 by blackbird1973, on Flickr

IMG_1047 by blackbird1973, on Flickr

whyulittle

Snipe? Something weird going on with its bill and it came in in a flock. I've only ever seen them in singles before.




Juvenile Stonechat




And this one. Thought I had seen it hovering like a Kestrel, didn't really pay much attention to it. But as it was flying by I had a look at it with the bins, but it just didn't look very Kestrel-like.

V_Moth

Yeah, its a Snipe. Probably some dirt or other debris (feather?) stuck to the beak. As for the bird of prey, I think it will prove to be quite tricky to identify from that angle. Its definitely a Falcon, but I can't really get much on it to identify it as either Kestrel or Peregrine.

dodderangler

Merlin?
Sayin merlin because your not sure if it was hovering
It's not a pere tho colours don't match
Not entirely sure bout it been a kestrel because it's tail doesnt look as long

V Bull

I agree with the guys above on the ID's. Snipe & Merlin, nice juvenile Stonechat....

I have seen Merlin on many occasions in LB, both dashing after prey and hovering........yep, sticking with Merlin..:)

whyulittle

I'll go with Merlin so. I did see a bird earlier heading to the general area this one was seen. Was too far away to tell if it was Sparrowhawk or Merlin though.

Couple of Buzzards and couple of Hen Harriers also about.

V Bull

One from the East Coast Nature Reserve today..

stevensi

Hey VBull

That first bird looks like a pied flycatcher to me....or am i missing something???

V_Moth

stevensi wrote: »

Hey VBull

That first bird looks like a pied flycatcher to me....or am i missing something???

Its a juvenile Wheatear, much greyer than the adult. Normally they moult fairly quickly into their first-winter plumage (see here). Not sure why it has retained it for so long, unless it is a locally reared bird.

stevensi

V_Moth wrote: »

Its a juvenile Wheatear, much greyer than the adult. Normally they moult fairly quickly into their first-winter plumage (see here). Not sure why it has retained it for so long, unless it is a locally reared bird.

I'm still not seeing a wheatear here. Would you mind if I used this photo for someone to look at?

Rainbowsend

Plenty of these little lizards about in Newcastle Co Wicklow, soaking up
the sun, this particular one measured about 8cm.


Also lots of Common Darters also soaking up the sun.

V Bull

stevensi wrote: »

Would you mind if I used this photo for someone to look at?

Hi Stevensi, Yes please use the photo to help ID...It is a flycatcher, but not quite sure which type, Pied or Spotted.

It was a quick snap shot with the wrong camera settings and the photo came out under exposed. It all happened so fast and unexpected. I had to brighten it up a bit to see the subjects properly and in the process lightened the colouring.

Northern Wheatear to the rear, Flycatcher to the front ...:p

stevensi

My first instinct is a pied flycatcher but I cant rule out spotted fly. Was this the only shot you got?

V Bull

stevensi wrote: »

My first instinct is a pied flycatcher but I cant rule out spotted fly. Was this the only shot you got?

Unfortunately this is the only photo. I was watching the Wheatear on the fence when the Flycatcher came out of no-where and perched right beside him. Then I thought to myself I had better get a snap of this, it would make a good photo. As I raised the camera I could see that the Wheatear was a bit twitchy and about to fly, and he did, just as I took that photo...

Some are saying Pied while others are saying Spotted, hard to know.

littlebug

Robin sat less than a metre from me watching as I checked the moth trap this morning.

Rainbowsend

A first sighting for me today, I hadn't realised just how colourful
a "grey" partridge is. Not a very sharp shot as I was hand holding
a very heavy lens and these dont hang around for long!

whyulittle

Where was this? Doesn't look like any Grey Partridge I've ever seen!

Nice looking bird all the same!

V_Moth

Rainbowsend wrote: »

A first sighting for me today, I hadn't realised just how colourful
a "grey" partridge is. Not a very sharp shot as I was hand holding
a very heavy lens and these dont hang around for long!

A very nice photo, but its a Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa), native to Iberia and western France. RLP's are occasionally released for hunting in Ireland.

V Bull

Defo a Red legged Partridge... A lot of regional game clubs hatch & release them for shooting prior to the hunting season.... I have seen 3 across the road from the model aircraft club at LB..