Today we have some lovely bird pictures by reader Paul Handford. Paul’s captions and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
A few words about me. I am an evolutionary biologist, retired since 2010. I grew up in UK, did my doctorate in E.B. Ford’s group, then to Rockefeller U, NYC, for post-doc (on possible genetic correlates of vocal dialects in the Rufous-collared sparrow, Zonotrichia capensis, in n.w. Argentina), then to Canada, home of my main career, on faculty at Western University Biology Dept, in London, Ontario. After a decade or so post-retirement living in British Columbia, we moved definitively to Ireland.
This these are all passerine birds from Ireland, mostly from the general Dublin area, taken in the past 2-3 years.
Male Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs. Drumcondra, Dublin, Mar, 2023:
European Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis. Kilmainham, Dublin. Mar, 2022:
Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea. River Tolka, Drumcondra. Feb 2023:
European Robin, Erithacus rubecula. Castletown, Celbridge, Dec 2021:
Eurasian Blackbird, Turdus merula. Drumcondra, Feb, 2023:
Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos, River Dodder, Dublin. Jan, 2022:
These shots are essentially portrait shots, so little to say about behaviour etc. (except the singing robin!)
More shots from around Dublin. You might be surprised to see the humble and much-maligned starling here; but though ubiquitous and pushy, close inspection shows them to be quite beautiful, and they are remarkable vocal mimics, with a highly complex song.
Eurasian Skylark, Alauda arvensis. Bull Island, Dublin Bay. Mar 2022:
White-throated Dipper, Cinclus cinclus. River Dodder. Apr 2023:
Eurasian Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. Drumcondra. Feb 2022:
Great Tit, Parus major. River Liffey, Kilmainham. Feb 2022:
European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris. Bull Island. Apr 2022:
Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes. River Dodder. Apr 2023:
Camera: Canon EOS 90D; lens: Canon EF 100-400mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS II USM
Oooo, a splendid set – Happy Spring!
Beautiful photos, thank you. (And lucky you retiring to Ireland, my family’s from Mayo and I’d love to spend more time there. Not sure I could stand the constant rain though.)
Gorgeous photos of lovely Irish birds, thank you.
Astounding clarity! Excellent set!
Great to see birds from The British Isles.
These are really well done! I also have this camera and lens, and it isn’t easy to carry.
I certainly was surprised by the heft of that lens on first encounter, but I got used to it well enough. And it’s such a boon to be able to had-hold it with no problem, given its seemingly faultless vibration-suppression. Its very close focus capacity makes it also suitable for flighty butterflies and many plants.
Beautiful photos. Thanks so much for introducing us to some of the common European birds.
Thank you so much for the beautiful photos. They remind me of my time spent in Göttingen doing doctoral research. Although I spent much time in the UB library, whenever possible I was out observing the birds–with almost all of these being familiar to me.
Beautiful! Thanks.
Thank you for sharing! Gorgeous-