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Some pictures I took recently
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Knotted Pearlwort Sagina nodosa by Ciarán Byrne, on Flickr
Lesser Centaury Centaurium pulchellum by Ciarán Byrne, on Flickr
Lesser Sea-spurrey Spergularia marina by Ciarán Byrne, on Flickr 0 -
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I took the following photos during a recent visit to the Natural History Museum on Merrion Square, Dublin. For those who haven't been, it's next door to the rear entrance of the Dáil. I love the old Victorian charm of this place. I know seeing animal species like this is not everyone's cup of tea, but they were of their time and the exhibits were meant to help educate and inform the Victorian and Edwardian public.
Incidentally, photography is permitted within the museum, but the use of a flash is not. I didn't use a flash in any of the following images:
Tasmanian Wolf Thylacinus cynocephalus
Sadly, the Tasmanian Wolf is no longer with us. The last known Tasmanian Wolf died in captivity in 1936. Fascinating footage was shot of this very last Tasmanian Wolf shortly before its demise (you can see this footage on Youtube). They were hunted, snared and poisoned mercilessly in the late 19th Century; an "unknown disease" decimated the remaining population in the early 20th Century.
Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis
Staff at the Natural History Museum had concerns the horns of this Rhino were at risk of being stolen (it's happened elsewhere), so a decision was made to remove them, and place them in storage for safekeeping. However, the horns were subsequently stolen from the Museum's storage facility in 2013: http://www.thejournal.ie/rhino-horns-museum-874936-Apr2013/
Duck-billed Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus
An enigma of the natural world, this is an egg-laying mammal. When specimens were first brought to the British Isles many believed them to be fakes. This specimen was dated 1884.
The Partridge Family
This Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) family was "procured" in Co.Kildare in 1914. The Kildare Grey Partridge Project released a covey (approx. 15 birds) of Grey Partridge on the outskirts of Newbridge in August of this year. A further nine coveys will be released in due course, so it's thrilling to know they're once again present in the Kildare countryside following an absence of many decades.
Do you recognise these OYE? This display cabinet was at awkward angle, so unfortunately is not the best shot:
And just to finish off, I thought Capercaillie would appreciate the birds below?!
Corncrake crex crex
The Corncrake on the right was found at Tuskar Lighthouse in Co. Wexford (dated May, 1907), and was probably killed striking. The bird on the left was from Rathlin O'Birne Island, Donegal (dated May, 1905).
There were three other Corncrake on display on the ground floor (a male, a female and a chick). Both adult birds were found in Dublin (no dates attached), and the chick in Co.Kerry (dated 1898).
This very last image is poor; I couldn't for the life of me get a decent shot with the reflections on the glass!
I've a few more images from my museum visit, so I'll endeavour to upload those over the next couple of days.0 -
Got these photos on the Fog this Morning , but need some help in Identifying these Birds, I think the First one looks like a Linnet but the Beak is too long...
Sorry about the grain in the images , the photos were taken very early this morning, First light and in the Fog0 -
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Better late than sorry... Lovely Monday morning spent with Keps in Lucan Demesne with the sole objective of finding the kingfisher.
It wasn't easy, but eventually she showed up and put a 45 mins show mainly perching and doing a bit of fishing.
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Bonedigger wrote: »I took the following photos during a recent visit to the Natural History Museum on Merrion Square, Dublin. For those who haven't been, it's next door to the rear entrance of the Dáil. I love the old Victorian charm of this place. I know seeing animal species like this is not everyone's cup of tea, but they were of their time and the exhibits were meant to help educate and inform the Victorian and Edwardian public.
Incidentally, photography is permitted within the museum, but the use of a flash is not. I didn't use a flash in any of the following images:
Tasmanian Wolf Thylacinus cynocephalus
Sadly, the Tasmanian Wolf is no longer with us. The last known Tasmanian Wolf died in captivity in 1936. Fascinating footage was shot of this very last Tasmanian Wolf shortly before its demise (you can see this footage on Youtube). They were hunted, snared and poisoned mercilessly in the late 19th Century; an "unknown disease" decimated the remaining population in the early 20th Century.
Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis
Staff at the Natural History Museum had concerns the horns of this Rhino were at risk of being stolen (it's happened elsewhere), so a decision was made to remove them, and place them in storage for safekeeping. However, the horns were subsequently stolen from the Museum's storage facility in 2013: http://www.thejournal.ie/rhino-horns-museum-874936-Apr2013/
Duck-billed Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus
An enigma of the natural world, this is an egg-laying mammal. When specimens were first brought to the British Isles many believed them to be fakes. This specimen was dated 1884.
The Partridge Family
This Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) family was "procured" in Co.Kildare in 1914. The Kildare Grey Partridge Project released a covey (approx. 15 birds) of Grey Partridge on the outskirts of Newbridge in August of this year. A further nine coveys will be released in due course, so it's thrilling to know they're once again present in the Kildare countryside following an absence of many decades.
Do you recognise these OYE? This display cabinet was at awkward angle, so unfortunately is not the best shot:
And just to finish off, I thought Capercaillie would appreciate the birds below?!
Corncrake crex crex
The Corncrake on the right was found at Tuskar Lighthouse in Co. Wexford (dated May, 1907), and was probably killed striking. The bird on the left was from Rathlin O'Birne Island, Donegal (dated May, 1905).
There were three other Corncrake on display on the ground floor (a male, a female and a chick). Both adult birds were found in Dublin (no dates attached), and the chick in Co.Kerry (dated 1898).
This very last image is poor; I couldn't for the life of me get a decent shot with the reflections on the glass!
I've a few more images from my museum visit, so I'll endeavour to upload those over the next couple of days.
Great photos. Haven't been up there in a while. The birds always look a lot smaller in the museum than they do in real life!0 -
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Love that museum, couldn't care less that in some quarters it's seen as not 'PC' .. as a kid I found it a magical place, the exhibition cases covered with blinds for instance, still there I hope.. I haven't been for a long time either and for me it's just a matter of hopping on the DART. So having managed a number of 'must do's' this 'summer' one more won't hurt !
The last time I was there (over a decade ago) there were blinds covering the insect displays, but they have since been removed. The insect exhibits were very disappointing; many of the specimens have turned to dust at this stage, and the glass covering them is in need of a good dusting. I suppose the appeal of the place is that it has been largely left as it was over one hundred years or more ago. They still don't allow access to the upper floors following the accident with the stairs several years ago, so that really needs to be addressed at this stage. All in all it's a very interesting place, and a great place to bring the kids for a bit of natural history education.
Unfortunately, more than a few of the insect specimens were like this:
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Just reading on Bidrwatch Ireland that
‘Ireland does have four species of bird which have adapted to their Irish habitats to such an extent that they have become significantly different from their British/European counterparts and are considered distinct endemic Irish races. These are the Coal Tit (Parus ater hibernicus), Dipper (Cinclus cinclus hibernicus), Jay (Garrulus glandarius hibernicus) and Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus hibernicus).’
By a bit of chance,I saw three of these today... the Jay ( photos posted earlier today), the coal tit which feeds in the garden everyday and the Dipper... below which I spotted in Lucan Demesne today( where the Jay also was).
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Wild Asparagus Asparagus prostratus, restricted to south-east coastal sites in Ireland.
Wild Asparagus Asparagus prostratus by Ciarán Byrne, on Flickr 0 -
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