Zvezda & Alex 4th time: Just birdin'

[Dave Williams]

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is an enviable find, I have only ever seen one once. Excellent quality photography too Alex.

[xelas]

Sunny Sunday morning asked me to get out, this time to Zbiljsko jezero. There were other photographers already assembled there as the light was nice.

 

Zbiljsko jezero

13-jan-19

 

 

BY 019 / SI 019

Mute Swan - Cygnus olor

 

 

 

BY 020 / SI 020

Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula

male

 

female

[xelas]

Finished early at Zbiljsko jezero, I had time to browse Barje before lunch. The weather was perfect but the birding was slow.

 

 

Ljubljansko Barje

13-jan-2019

 

 

BY 021 / SI 021

Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella

 

 

 

BY 022 / SI 022

Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus

 

 

Edited January 13, 2019 by xelas

[PeterHG]

More Yellowhammers in one tree than I've seen during the last five years. Really good set of photos again, @xelas !

[Zim Girl]

Lovely Dipper @xelas, and that is a lot of Yellowhammers!!

[Dave Williams]

Haven't seen a Yellowhammer in many years , must look harder! Edging ahead already Alex!

[xelas]

Ljubljansko Barje

19-jan-2019

 

 

BY 023 / SI 023

Chaffinch (Common ) - Fringilla coelebs

[xelas]

Škocjanski Zatok

20-jan-2019

 

 

Sunday weather report was promising, sun from early morning, so to catch up with fast runners I have decided to look for the ducks and other seaside water birds at Škocjanski Zatok near Koper.

Ducks were there but most of them hang out far from the shore. However, not disappointed as my first sighting of the morning was a special one! Luckily for the magpie and for me, the fox has already got its breakfast, a much larger, all-

white bird.

 

 

 

BY 024 / SI 024

Magpie (Common) - Pica pica

 

 

BY 025 / SI 025

Gadwall - Anas strepera

 

 

BY 026 / SI 026

Wigeon - Anas penelope

 

 

BY 027 / SI 027

Cormorant (Great) - Phalacrocorax carbo

 

[xelas]

Škocjanski Zatok

20-jan-2019

 

 

Lovely sunny weather invited the smaller birds to get out of the bushes.

 

 

BY 028 / SI 028

Reed Bunting - Emberiza schoeniclus

 

 

BY 029 / SI 029

Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros

female

 

 

BY 030 / SI 030

Robin (European) - Erithacus rubecula

 

 

And just before going home, there was the "Bird Of The Day"! Very shy, very rare to see it on the open in Slovenia.

 

BY 031 / SI 031

Wren (Winter) - Troglodytes troglodytes

 

[xelas]

Foce dell'Isonzo

26-jan-2019

 

Saturday forecast was for having a coldest day of the winter in Ljubljana, so decision was to drive towards coastal area. This time to the Italian side of the border, and nearby reserves.

Estuary of Soča river (Isonzo river) is great for finding all kind of birds; the actual reserva is Isola della Cona; if anyone is interested to do some birding in Slovenia, this place is only 1hr 15 min by car from Ljubljana.

The weather forecast was too cold for Zvezda or Tanja to join me, so you will have to endure another batch of my so-so photos. There were more taken, but were put in the secure vault only to be used in emergency .

 

 

First batch of photos are from outside the actual reserve; canals trimmed with bushes and trees, and fields are where I have hoped to find new additions to BY.

 

BY 032 / IT 001

Pheasant (Common) - Phasianus colchicus

 

 

BY 033 / IT 002 

Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla

 

 

BY 034 / IT 003

Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus

 

 

BY 035 / IT 004

Pygmy Cormorant - Phalacrocorax pygmeus

 

 

[xelas]

Inside reserve, shallow ponds were all frozen over, only a deeper one was hosting all the ducks; unfortunately they were heavily back-lighted so no luck (but I did come back for them in the afternoon).

Just before the entrance there is a large canal where gulls are always presented, with some other finds.

 

BY 036 / IT 005

Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos

 

 

BY 037 / IT 006

Black-headed Gull - Chroicocephalus ridibundus

 

 

BY 038 / IT 007

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major

 

 

BY 039 / IT 008

Egyptian Goose - Alopochen aegyptiaca

 

 

BY 040 / IT 009

Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis

 

 

 

 

[Galana]

If these are 'so so efforts' I look forward to seeing what you call 'good'.

Keep em coming.

[michael-ibk]

Looks like an interestig area. I´m sceptical about the Tree Pipit, would rather suggest Water Pipit for that one. I don´t think Tree Pipits are overwintering in Europe at all (unlike Meadow or Water Pipits).

[xelas]

11 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Looks like an interestig area. I´m sceptical about the Tree Pipit, would rather suggest Water Pipit for that one. I don´t think Tree Pipits are overwintering in Europe at all (unlike Meadow or Water Pipits).

 

Lets call it Water Pipit. The count stays.

 

BY 040 / IT 009

Water Pipit - Anthus trivialis

[xelas]

15 min by car is another bird gathering place, Valle Cavanata. A shallow lagoon attracts flamingos so I was looking forward to get some nice photos again.

They must have heard about the cold front, and have left only one bird behind.

 

BY 041 / IT 010

Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus roseus

 

 

BY 042 / IT 011

Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus

(winter edition)

 

 

BY 043 / IT 012

Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis

 

 

BY 044 / IT 013

Pochard (Common) - Aythya ferina

female

 

 

BY 045 / IT 014

Goldeneye (Common) - Bucephala clangula

male

 

female

 

 

BY 046 / IT 015

Little Egret - Egretta garzetta

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

7 hours ago, Galana said:

If these are 'so so efforts' I look forward to seeing what you call 'good'.

Keep em coming.

 

I keep em coming but for good quality you will have to wait until Zvezda gets his camera back !

[xelas]

Returning back to Isola della Cona to see if the sun has moved enough to get a decent photo of those ducks. 

 

BY 047 / IT 016

Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis

 

 

BY 048 / IT 017

Teal (Eurasian) - Anas crecca

 

 

BY 049 / IT 018

Pintail - Anas acuta

 

 

BY 050 / IT 019

Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna

 

 

BY 051 / IT 020

Greylag Goose - Anser anser

 

 

 

BY 052 / IT 021

White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons

 

 

BY 053 / IT 022

Black-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis

 

[Galana]

6 hours ago, xelas said:

Lets call it Water Pipit. The count stays.

 

BY 040 / IT 009

Water Pipit - Anthus trivialis

Only if you get the name right!

 

I missed this one first time around so thanks @michael-ibk

I would make so bold as to say Meadow Pipit.

[xelas]

11 hours ago, Galana said:

I would make so bold as to say Meadow Pipit.

 

Now, would you two be so kind and decide what the bird is?! Because as of today, also Meadow Pipit is a countable ID .

[Galana]

19 hours ago, xelas said:

BY 040 / IT 009

Water Pipit - Anthus trivialis

Well you have both options covered here!

I am inclined to suggest Spinoletta pratensis!!

Habitat Water meadows!

 

But I will stick with Meadow.

[TonyQ]

@xelas I will leave the pipit to the experts!

But 50+ already- you are setting a good pace.

[xelas]

2 hours ago, Galana said:

Well you have both options covered here!

I am inclined to suggest Spinoletta pratensis!!

Habitat Water meadows!

 

But I will stick with Meadow.

 

Darn, reading between lines of your posts sometimes is a difficult task . If I would also add the local name "Vriskarica" then all three options would be indeed covered.

 

So this is my last try with that not so little brown bird:

 

BY 040 / IT 009

Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis

 

Slo: Mala cipa - for those inclined, try searching for various meaning of slovenian word "cipa" .

[xelas]

1 hour ago, TonyQ said:

But 50+ already- you are setting a good pace.

 

I need to build up some buffer as I will not post much during next 3 weeks 

[TonyQ]

@xelas  but a lot to post when you get back.......

[xelas]

37 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

@xelas  but a lot to post when you get back.......

 

Lets your words reach out to as many of birds ears, @TonyQ .