Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 21h

Wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, October 2025.

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 1d

Otters (Lutra lutra) on the Jandúla River in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, last week.

The Jandúla is a tributary of the Guadalquivir River and is designated as a SAC under the EU Habitats Directive. This stretch lies downstream of the Encinarejo Dam and hydroelectric station.

1 3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 3d

Iberian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) stag in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, last week.

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 3d

Wild Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, last week.

This species is listed under Annexes II & IV of the Habitats Directive. In the early 2000s, it was on the brink of extinction, but numbers are now recovering thanks to intensive conservation efforts.

1

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 4d

Wild Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) in Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, Andalusia, Spain, last week. The prey is a European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), the main food source for this species.

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 14d

Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) recorded during one of my recent electrofishing surveys. This is Ireland’s most widespread freshwater fish species, occurring in rivers, lakes, and streams throughout the country.

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 15d

Stone Loach (Barbatula barbatula) from a site in the Lower River Shannon catchment.

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 16d

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Brown trout (Salmon trutta), Brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri), and Stone loach (Barbatula barbatula) from one of my recent electrofishing surveys.

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 18d

More footage of wild Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) attempting to pass Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick. This weir serves no purpose, yet it blocks fish migration in the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation.

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 19d

Juvenile Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), known as parr, from one of our recent electrofishing surveys. The individual on the top is in its second year (age 1+), while the one on the bottom is in its first year (age 0+).

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 21d

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) with a pronounced spinal deformity at Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick.

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 22d

Freshwater Pearl Mussels in a river in Co. Cork. Small numbers of old mussels remain in this stretch of river.

Freshwater Peal Mussels are indicators of the overall health of our rivers, much like canaries in a coal mine. However, this sentinel species is critically endangered in Ireland.

5

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 23d

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) attempting to pass Annacotty Weir on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick. This ornamental weir, a legacy of a flood scheme, serves no purpose and obstructs fish migration in the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation.

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 23d

Current trail camera footage of wild Fallow Deer (Dama dama) at a site in north Co. Tipperary. This is a doe with her fawn, which I have recorded several times at this site. Fawns are normally weaned in September and begin to develop their winter coats.

1

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · 28d

Current trail camera footage of wild Fallow Deer (Dama dama) at a site in north Co. Tipperary.

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 9

Current trail camera footage of wild Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) at a site in east Co. Clare.

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 8

Current trail camera footage of a Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Fallow Deer (Dama dama) at a site in north Co. Tipperary.

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 7

Dippers (Cinclus cinclus) on the River Mulkear, Co. Limerick, this morning. Watch to the end to see a territorial fight between two individuals.

See the 4k full version here:-
youtu.be/vlfFYayfqcY?...

1 3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 6

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day – a day to celebrate the value of these unique birds. Few are as impressive as the Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus).

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 6

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day – a day to celebrate the value of these unique birds. Few are as distinctive as the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus).

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

4

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 6

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day – a day to celebrate the value of these unique birds. Few are as extraordinary as the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

3

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 6

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day – a chance to celebrate these extraordinary but often misunderstood birds.

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

1 4

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 5

River/Brook Lamprey (Lampetra spp.) ammocoetes and transformers captured during an electrofishing survey of a tributary of the River Boyne.

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 5

Juvenile Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) from one of our electrofishing surveys in the River Moy catchment.

Read the full post here:-
x.com/EcofactEcolo...

2

Will O'Connor @entosphenus.bsky.social · Sep 3

Current trail camera footage of a Pine Marten family at a site in Co. Tipperary. Pine Martens breed in summer, but implantation of the fertilised egg is delayed until winter, so kits are born in spring. By August, juveniles are 3-4 months old and forage with their mother.

3 4