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Seapoint (1 of 1)
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Velvet Scoter Duck- Vulnerable list
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Marsh Harrier
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Mount Usher Gardens
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Mount Usher Gardens
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Bee-eaters at the Chachuna Reserve, which borders Azerbaijan to the east/southeast and is situated within the Dedoplistskaro Municipality in the Kakheti region of southeastern Georgia, running along the Iori River floodplains and the Dalis-Mta Reservoir.
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4Y4A7600
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4Y4A7588
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Monk’s Graveyard, Skellig Michil
The hermit monk colony established by St Fionan lasted from 640 approx until the 1200’s when they resettled on the mainland. 5 shot panorama.
Wild Great Grey Owlet – well fed at sunrise
I spent the late evenings and early mornings with these owlets and their parents, deep in the forest. As dawn broke, the rising sun bathed the woodland in its golden rays, bringing the forest to life. The Owlets were quiet and I could not believe this little one posed so beautifully in the light. There is no better way to spend time than immersed in the beauty and quiet of nature.
Thank you so much for your faves and your comments. They are really appreciated.
©2022deirdreIrwin- all rights reserved.
No permission granted for its use
The bag of crisps
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Seapoint Dawn
Dublin
SWM summer outing Massy Woods july 2026 (6 of 6)
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Childen of the World
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Andean Avocats over Laguna Colorada
The colours in the water at Laguna Colorada in Bolivia were stunning. This flock of birds reflected in the bright colours
Another James’ flamingo
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ink jars on window
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Blackrock Park B&W
Steel Structure B&W
Is it a Hawk or an Owl? Its a Northern Hawk Owlet
Despite their hawk-like appearance, these unique birds are actually owls. Northern Hawk Owls resemble hawks with their long, tapered tails, smaller heads, and even their behaviour.
This Owlet is calling to their Parents for food and the Adults protect their young aggressively.
These owls fly with a mix of slow wing beats and long glides, much like hawks. They are often seen perching like hawks too- on the tops of tall trees, often near clearings- always watching for their favourite food: voles.
Owl research Institute
Thank you so much for your faves and your comments. They are really appreciated.
©2022deirdreIrwin- all rights reserved.
No permission granted for its use
Valentia Lighthouse
Valentia Island, Co. Kerry
Sunrise Dublin
Sunrise on Sunday morning looking across the city, Dublin Castle in foreground the old Central bank, the tall building on the left
Childen of the World
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Northern Hawk Owlet testing its wings
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Childen of the World
Taken in the Aquarium, Seville, Spain.
Dublin Skyline
Ireland
SWM summer outing 2026 Blackrock (18 of 18)
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SWM summer outing 2026 Blackrock (12 of 18)
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SWM summer outing 2026 Blackrock (9 of 18)
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SWM summer outing 2026 Blackrock (16 of 18)
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SWM summer outing 2026 Blackrock (8 of 18)
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SWM summer outing 2026 Blackrock 1 (4 of 18)
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SWM summer outing 2026 Blackrock
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Just Hangin Around
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Rock with a View
Chamonix
Blackrock
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Temple of Apollo + Vesuvius
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Little Skellig
Cathedral like rocky outcrop of an island, home to the second largest Gannet colony in the world
Messy Eater
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Wild Boreal Owlet snuggled deep in the forest floor
Thank you so much for your faves and your comments. They are really appreciated.
©2022deirdreIrwin- all rights reserved.
No permission granted for its use
butterfly 11-2 copy
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butterfly 9
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Peacock butterfly
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Childen of the World
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Val Ferret Bridge
Italy
Childen of the World
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Egret
Sandymount Strand
Great Crested Grebe
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The Wild Boreal Owlet Family waiting to be fed
I was so lucky to spend some days in the Forest with this Family. Such cute Owlets.
Boreal Owls occur in stands of spruce, aspen, poplar, birch, and fir in the vast boreal forest that stretches across much of northern North America and Eurasia. They also occur in high elevation mountains with subalpine forests in Canada and the western U.S. Known locally as Tengmalm’s owl, they are widespread in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland) and extend into the Alps and other central mountain ranges.
Boreal owls practice “asynchronous hatching,” meaning their eggs hatch days apart.
Boreal Owls eat small mammals, birds, and insects. Small mammals in their diet include voles, mice, shrews, and squirrels. They hunt at night, except in the far north where the sun doesn’t set in the summer. From hunting perches, they sit and wait for prey before attacking it with their talons. Like other owls, they cough up pellets of indigestible bones and fur, usually once a day.
Thank you so much for your faves and your comments. They are really appreciated.
©2022deirdreIrwin- all rights reserved.
No permission granted for its use
Mont Blanc
France
Wild Great Grey Owlet learning to Fly
Thank you so much for your faves and your comments. They are really appreciated.
©2022deirdreIrwin- all rights reserved.
No permission granted for its use
2U4A7289 copy
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2U4A8917 copy
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International Space Station transits at approx 24,000km/hr altitude approx 400km above the beacon marking the entrance to Castlehaven Harbour, West Cork, with Galactic Core on the Atlantic horizon
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Powerscourt Gardens
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On the hunt
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Wild Boreal Owlet-Tengmalm’s Owl
Such a cute little Owlet. one of a brood of four.
Boreal Owls are secretive, spending their winters hidden away in mature forests, hunting by night and roosting by day, usually well camouflaged in dense cover. This elusive little owl even has the scientists who study them scratching their heads while learning more about them.
BOREAL OWL RANGE:
A northern owl; interior Alaska, Canada, U.S. Rocky Mountains, south to New Mexico; also northern Europe and Asia.
(Boreal Owl research Institute) Thank you so much for your faves and your comments. They are really appreciated.
©2022deirdreIrwin- all rights reserved.
No permission granted for its use
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
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Bee feeding
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Val Veny Hut
Tour Du Mont Blanc, Italy
West Cork summer
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Childen of the World
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Bee on flower
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Digitalis Purpurea
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Ringlet butterfly
Lavender Farm – Inch
Silver-washed Fritillary
Kilanerin Wood
Tired Wild Female Great Grey Owl
Both parents work tirelessly to care for their owlets, and with five hungry mouths to feed, it’s an exhausting task. Sadly, we found one of the owlets dead and believe it may have fallen victim to a Goshawk. All that remained were a few feathers.
It was a heartbreaking discovery, especially after spending four days in the forest watching the owlets grow and observing the dedication of their parents. Nature can be both beautiful and cruel, and while this was difficult to witness, it is a reminder of the challenges wildlife faces every day.
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Val Veny Sunset – TMB
Tour du Mont Blanc
Wild Great Grey Owlet deep in the Forest waiting for Dad to bring a mouse
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Powerscourt Waterfall
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Wild Pygmy owl taking off
Wild pygmy owl in Slovakia
Owlet calling to be fed
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Let the light in copy
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P6172670 copy (1)
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Allihies, through the fields
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Refugio Elisabetta, Val Veny
Italy
Childen of the World
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2U4A5822-Edit copy
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Golden dawn
Some beautiful light as the sun rose on a pre-dawn trip from Howth to Ireland’s Eye last week.
Just playing
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Camargue Cattle
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Childen of the World
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Courmayeur
Italy, TMB route
Into the Venice Lagoon
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Peek a Boo
Taken in Mt. Usher Gardens Co. Wicklow Ireland
Wild Great Grey Owl fledgling
Not strong enough to fly but able to climb trees and flap their wings to build up strength. They call to be fed and are encouraged by the Female to call out to their Father. A bit difficult when there are 5 mouths to feed in this brood. The Female was close by keeping watch while the male hunted for mice and voles.
Very interesting behaviours among the Chicks as some have a good strategy to stay more in the open and call out so get fed first.
It is a long time waiting in the forest, some days you cannot sit as you are standing on a swamp and very little sleep, and being attacked by hungry mosquitos is not at all pleasant.
You had to decide which Chick may be fed first and waited quietly without disturbing for 5-6 hours and may not get a shot but you try for 2 hours sleep and go out again. The joys of Wildlife.
Many thanks for your faves and comments. They are much appreciated
©2022deirdreIrwin- all rights reserved.
No permission granted for its use
Green-veined White butterfly
Mt Usher Gardens
Red Damselfly
Mt Usher Gardens
Bath
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Bath
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Coolalingo Falls
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