Some pictures I took recently

Hotei · 17-05-2016 10:46pm

I was in an old sand and gravel quarry late last Friday evening (the sun had gone down and the light was fading) when a large bird flew a foot or two over my head and landed several hundred metres away on a dirt track. I fired off a few shots thinking it a hen Pheasant, and then went on my merry way home. This evening I was deleting images from my memory stick and thought I'd just double-check to make sure I wasn't deleting anything interesting when I realised the bird I had photographed was not a Pheasant but a Grey Partridge! On closer inspection of the images it would appear the bird has been ringed (blue plastic ring on the right leg, and a metal ring on the left leg). I'm aware several coveys were released as part of a project early last year in a local bog which is only a couple of kilometres away, so I guess this could be one of those birds, although in saying that, it looks like a young bird.

Capercaillie · 17-05-2016 11:03pm

Hotei wrote: »

I was in an old sand and gravel quarry late last Friday evening (the sun had gone down and the light was fading) when a large bird flew a foot or two over my head and landed several hundred metres away on a dirt track. I fired off a few shots thinking it a hen Pheasant, and then went on my merry way home. This evening I was deleting images from my memory stick and thought I'd just double-check to make sure I wasn't deleting anything interesting when I realised the bird I had photographed was not a Pheasant but a Grey Partridge! On closer inspection of the images it would appear the bird has been ringed (blue plastic ring on the right leg, and a metal ring on the left leg). I'm aware several coveys were released as part of a project early last year in a local bog which is only a couple of kilometres away, so I guess this could be one of those birds, although in saying that, it looks like a young bird.

Are you near Lough Boora?

Hotei · 17-05-2016 11:10pm

Capercaillie wrote: »

Are you near Lough Boora?

No Capercaillie, it was seen close to Pollardstown Fen in south Kildare (Lough Boora would be 40 miles away due west).

Nightforce 65X55 · 17-05-2016 11:26pm

I don't really like taking photos of birds on Feeders if i can help it , but this is the first time I have seen a Jackdaw on a feeder , He seemed quite happy getting a feed of peanuts....

But what he pushed off the feeder was a slightly nicer Bird that I was after.....

keps · 18-05-2016 1:00am

Bringing home the bacon

robin

savagethegoat · 18-05-2016 3:52am

Nightforce 65X55 wrote: »

I don't really like taking photos of birds on Feeders if i can help it , but this is the first time I have seen a Jackdaw on a feeder , He seemed quite happy getting a feed of peanuts....

]

Your first Jackdaw on a feeder? I brought most of mine in yesterday because the place was black with them.! They broke a couple and dismounted more.

Hotei · 18-05-2016 11:46am

Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages subsp. tages
An uncommon species of butterfly found in Ireland, it is currently on the Butterfly Red List (Ireland: Red List No. 4 - Butterflies) as Near Threatened.

Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae

Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines

pegasus1 · 18-05-2016 1:02pm

Hotei wrote: »

Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages subsp. tages
An uncommon species of butterfly found in Ireland, it is currently on the Butterfly Red List (Ireland: Red List No. 4 - Butterflies) as Near Threatened

You can get confirmation of identity here..

https://www.facebook.com/groups/insectsinvertebratesire/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Also you should submit your find here Hotei..

http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/ or http://nmni.com/cedar

Hotei · 18-05-2016 1:19pm

pegasus1 wrote: »

You can get confirmation of identity here..

https://www.facebook.com/groups/insectsinvertebratesire/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Also you should submit your find here Hotei..

http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/ or http://nmni.com/cedar

Thanks for the links Niall.
I'd be confident enough with the I.D. Another subspecies of the Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages subsp. baynesi only appears to be present in limestone areas of Counties Clare, Galway and Mayo.

I regularly report sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre, and did so in this case too.

Hotei · 18-05-2016 10:48pm

Common Buzzard

keps · 18-05-2016 10:51pm

got my first photo of a static Kingfisher for 2016

kingfisher

What do you mean you can't see it!

Ok here it is enlarged by 6

kingfisherx6

savagethegoat · 18-05-2016 11:42pm

savagethegoat wrote: »

Nightforce 65X55 wrote: »

I don't really like taking photos of birds on Feeders if i can help it , but this is the first time I have seen a Jackdaw on a feeder , He seemed quite happy getting a feed of peanuts....

]

Your first Jackdaw on a feeder? I brought most of mine in yesterday because the place was black with them.! They broke a couple and dismounted more.

Now relocated within the main body of a couple of bushes to give the little guys a chance.

Nightforce 65X55 · 19-05-2016 1:00am

pegasus1 · 19-05-2016 1:51pm

Hotei wrote: »

Common Buzzard

I am Seeing more of these fine birds in recent years...latest 2 days ago not 2 miles from the house...alas no camera...but hard to take from a moving car...

Fab shot Hotei...

Hotei · 19-05-2016 2:05pm

pegasus1 wrote: »

I am Seeing more of these fine birds in recent years...latest 2 days ago not 2 miles from the house...alas no camera...but hard to take from a moving car...

Fab shot Hotei...

Thanks Niall.
Yes, it's always wonderful to see them. I reported here a couple of months ago that I saw six Buzzards flying together close to where I live. I know there's a female Buzzard sitting on a nest near me too which is great (I've had to avoid the area where she's nesting so that I'm not unnecessarily disturbing her).