Zvezda & Alex 4th time: Just birdin'

[PeterHG]

A quiet period, I know. Still, you managed to dig up some very nice 'left-overs'!

[Galana]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

I could paraphrase yours "I'm not dead if I'm still posting."  . 

But you were not and had us worried that your camera might have got worn out.

[Soukous]

On 5/18/2019 at 12:29 PM, xelas said:

 No need to investigate too much, Dave. Just ask Michael, he is an expert on that area.

If not in Wales, we might have a birding day at Seewinkel?!

 

that sounds like fun

[Dave Williams]

Nice images, why so long to post them!

Too hot to go out here and besides, we have been cut off from our cars for a month now as the lane up to our house has been dug up to lay a new electricity supply and it's a long walk with all the gear to where the car is parked which means I haven't made any BY progress either really.

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

Nice images, why so long to post them!

Too hot to go out here and besides, we have been cut off from our cars for a month now as the lane up to our house has been dug up to lay a new electricity supply and it's a long walk with all the gear to where the car is parked which means I haven't made any BY progress either really.

 

wheelbarrow?

[Dave Williams]

20 minutes ago, Soukous said:

 

wheelbarrow?

 

I was reduced to using one yesterday as I have run out of essential provisions needed during a heat wave.Could only manage 6 bottles of wine, 16 cans of lager and 20 "stubbies". A severe dent in the supply has already happened!!

[Galana]

6 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Could only manage 6 bottles of wine, 16 cans of lager and 20 "stubbies"

Going out again today then Dai?

[xelas]

While Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with splendid mountains, deep canyons, and many rivers, birding was not that excited. Only one new bird was found.

 

 

BY 324 / BH001

Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea

 

 

Vrelo Bosne, 18-Aug-2019

 

[Dave Williams]

Just one..... that's a bit like the hare loosing two legs

[Galana]

17 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

that's a bit like the hare loosing two legs

Hare today - gone tomorrow!

[xelas]

8 hours ago, Galana said:

Hare today - gone tomorrow!

And back again next year  !

[xelas]

Migration should have started already, so we went out again to find some new additions to our Big Year. There were many waders at Isola della Cona in Italy  but water level was low so they kept themselves away, and anyway we knew most of them already. Yet we came home with 2 new additions.

 

BY 325 / IT 024

Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus

 

Isola della Cona, 31-Aug-2019

 

 

BY 326 / IT 025

Honey Buzzard - Pernis apivorus

 

Valle Cavanata, 31-Aug-2019

[Galana]

Good to see you coming out of retirement and getting some practice in.

Honeybuzzard is very special.

[xelas]

7 hours ago, Galana said:

Good to see you coming out of retirement

More like coming out of summer hibernation 

[Peter Connan]

Lovely shot of the buzzard.

 

Migration has started. We saw some White-breasted Swallows at Zibulo yesterday!

[PeterHG]

A Honeybuzzard and a really good shot at that! Very special, @xelas !

 

[xelas]

6 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Migration has started.

 

We were surprised to see European Bee-eaters still hanging around (and hunting). 

 

 

[Galana]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

We were surprised to see European Bee-eaters still hanging around

If you can get them to hang around for five more days that would be a kindness?

[xelas]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

If you can get them to hang around for five more days that would be a kindness?

 

I can not promise but we will try our good luck!

[Alex Rogers]

Love the honeybuzzard!

[Peter Connan]

Well, I guess one swallow does not a summer make...

 

Lovely shot of the Bee-eater!

[Dave Williams]

What kind of race is it for the Tortoise to have to compete with a Hare and a Three-legged Man who have joined forces to make life even more difficult for me!!

[xelas]

All the good vibes from fellow safaritalkers have kept the rainy clouds at bay, and we have had almost a perfect day at Foce dell'Isonzo. The bee-eaters have left the scene but there were others to keep us entertained.

 

This was also the lesson in why birding with an experienced birder yields much better results.

 

Example #1:

 

I have taken one photo a week ago but have filed it under the Lesser Whitethroat folder. We have seen the bird again and Fred was adamant that was no LW.

 

BY 327 / IT 026

Eastern Orphean Warbler - Sylvia crassirostris

 

female

 

juvenile

 

male

[xelas]

One has to have a good sight (and even better binoculars) to find also the smallest birds that are feeding on the other side of the pond.

 

BY 328 / IT 027

Little Stint - Calidris minuta

 

(bird on the left)

[xelas]

Sometimes unexpected cousins are hidden among more numerous and usual brotherhood.

 

BY 329 / IT 028

Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea