Portrait of a Razorbill
one from the archives of my hard-drive. A stunning breeding plumage razorbill.
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Uploaded on Nov 18, 2009
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Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
Taken at Ballycotton, Cork, Ireland. It is the 34th or 35th record of this species in Ireland.
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The Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It, and similar small European species, are often called chats.
It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in wet birch wood or bushy swamp in Europe and Asia with a foothold in western Alaska. It nests in tussocks or low in dense bushes. It winters in north Africa and India.
The Bluethroat is similar in size to the European Robin at 13-14 cm. It is plain brown above except for the distinctive black tail with red side patches. It has a strong white supercilium. The male has a blue bib edged below with successive black, white and rust coloured borders. Some races, such as L. svecica svecica (Red-spotted Bluethroat) of northern Eurasia, have a red spot in the centre of the blue bib.
Others, such as L. svecica cyanecula (White-spotted Bluethroat) of southern and central Europe, have a white spot in the centre of the blue bib. L. svecica magna in Turkey has no central spot.
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Uploaded on Nov 15, 2009
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Sanderling
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The Exhibition
Sanderling making headway through the rising tide washing up the beach at Dollymount, Dublin, Ireland.
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Uploaded on Nov 12, 2009
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Sanderling (Calidris alba)
I was lucky enough to watch about 150 Sanderling make their way feeding along Dollymount Strand in Dublin Bay while on a study break over the weekend.
The Book now available.
The Exhibition
The Sanderling (Calidris alba) is a small wader. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, South Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches.
This bird is similar in size to a Dunlin, but stouter, with a thick bill. It shows a strong white wingbar in flight, and runs along the sandy beaches it prefers with a characteristic "bicycling" action, stopping frequently to pick small food items. It eats small crabs and other small invertebrates. In spring, the birds arrive on the High Arctic breeding grounds. The Sanderling is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
The winter bird is very pale, almost white apart from a dark shoulder patch. This is the source of the specific name, alba, which is the Latin for "white". Later in the summer, the face and throat become brick-red. The juvenile bird is spangled black and white, and shows much more contrast than the adult. Sanderling behavior is distinctive, but visually, if the size is misjudged, a breeding plumage sanderling can be mistaken for some varieties of stint, or a winter plumage sanderling can be mistaken for a Dunlin or Red Knot. It can be told from other small wading birds, given good views, by its lack of a hind toe.
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Uploaded on Oct 26, 2009
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Sanderling (Calidris alba)
I was lucky enough to watch about 150 Sanderling make their way feeding along Dollymount Strand in Dublin Bay while on a study break over the weekend.
The Book now available.
The Exhibition
The Sanderling (Calidris alba) is a small wader. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, South Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches.
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Uploaded on Oct 26, 2009
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Map
16 comments
