Michael´s Year

[michael-ibk]

294/S144.) Scaly-Feathered Finch (Sproropipes squamifrons) / Schnurrbärtchen

 

Kgalagadi, 23/05/2016

 

Edited August 28, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

295/S145.) Swee Waxbill (Coccopygia melanotis) / Wellenastrild

 

Kirstenbosh, 16/05/2016 - perfect ebc!

 

[michael-ibk]

296/S146.) White-Throated Canary (Crithagra albogularis) / Weißkehlgirlitz

 

Augrabies, 20/05/2016

 

[michael-ibk]

297/S147.) Black-Throated Canary (Crithagra atrogularis) / Angolagirlitz

 

Kgalagadi, 28/05/2016. The black throat is often barely visible.

 

[michael-ibk]

298/S148.) Yellow Canary (Crithagra flaviventris) / Gelbbauchgirlitz

 

Kgalagadi, 25/05/2016

 

[michael-ibk]

299/S149.) Forest Canary (Crithagra scotops) / Waldgirlitz

 

Kirstenbosh, 16/05/2016

 

Edited August 28, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

300/S150.) Cape Bunting (Emberiza capensis) / Kapammer

 

Cape Point, 15/05/2016

 

[Peter Connan]

Oh my goodness! 300!

 

And a beautiful photo to get you there too!

[michael-ibk]

Thank you, @@Peter Connan ! That was it for my South African birds (very lucky they brought me to 300 exactly!), now I will slow down considerably, pretty tricky to find new birds here back home. But Rwanda/Kenya is on the horizon.

[Tdgraves]

So busy ticking "like" that I didn't even realise that you'd got to 300! I am going to be last this year ?

Edited August 29, 2016 by Tdgraves

[michael-ibk]

Thank you @@Tdgraves , and I highly doubt it, after all you have a trip coming up very soon, don´t you?

[Tdgraves]

Yes @@michael-ibk but not going to get that many new ones in KTP, given that only 102 species are resident there

[xelas]

Booom! 300 reached! What an achievement, @@michael-ibk ! With Rwanda/Kenya still to come, it will be very difficult to come even close ! But who knows, maybe Seewinkel will make a difference??

[michael-ibk]

Thanks, Alex! Seewinkel might get me a few new ones, but I already have most of the common Austrian waders, and anything else will be lucky. But let´s see. And I´m still working on Golden Eagle, Rock Ptarmigan, Snowfinch & Co. - they can run but they cannot hide (forever).

[michael-ibk]

@@Tdgraves

 

But 273 birds in total according to this list.

 

https://www.sanparks.org/docs/groups_birders/checklists/birds-kgalagadi.pdf

 

[Atdahl]

@@michael-ibk, congrats on reaching 300! That's really amazing. That's my total goal for ALL of 2016 and you reached it in August. Well done.

 

Love all the photos. Can't wait to see more from Rwanda/Kenya in the future.

[michael-ibk]

Thank you, @@Atdahl , "bird hunting" has been very enjoyable for me, and I´m sure for all of us Big Year participants. I also can´t wait to get to Rwanda/Kenya - only in November unfortunately.

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on the 300 mark, @@michael-ibk ! That's an impressive number and you even have another Africa trip coming up. And one to Seewinkel I see. That's an area I've only visited once in spring, many years ago. Is it still a worthwile area, even in the autumn?

Looking forward to more of your additions, though I've given up hope of equalling that number !

Edited August 31, 2016 by PeterHG

[michael-ibk]

Thanks, @@PeterHG

 

Well, I think Seewinkel is certainly better in spring but should still be good in Autumn. There´s a very handy homepage called ornitho.at, where people can report their bird sightings. I checked, last September there were quite a few of days when over a 100 species were reported, still quited a good amount of (late) migrating birds among them.

[elefromoz]

@@michael-ibk, congrats on the 300. I'll be waiting to see your Golden Eagle too, go gettem!

[michael-ibk]

Thanks, @@elefromoz , I will try my best but am not too optimistic. I´ve been out in the mountains quite a bit this year but have yet to see an Eagle. But you never know.

 

Meanwhile, on the ebc-front ...

 

301/E161.) Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) / Wintergoldhähnchen

 

This is Europe´s smallest bird, and it´s a pretty restless little fellow. Terrible shot but still an exciting sighting for me - my very first one one.

 

Schmirntal, 04/09/2016

 

 

A while ago we had discussions (I think in Tony´s thread as well) about the differences/similarities between Marsh and Willow Tit. Well, the next shot definitely shows a Willow Tit because the other species does not occur at that altitude (about 1,800 m). The white wing panel is clearly visible.

 

[michael-ibk]

302/E162.) Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus) / Haubenmeise

 

The last of the proper Tits we have here, the others are Great, Coal, Blue, Marsh and Willow Tit. And I think it´s the coolest looking one.

 

Wildeben, 3/09/2016

 

 

 

On the home front we´ve started feeding - and the Greenfinches are very happy about it.

 

 

[Treepol]

@@michael-ibk what a lovely collection of European and African birds. I liked the scenery shots too.

 

My favourites were the Common Crossbill, Yellowhammer, Blue Crane and the sunbirds. Strange to see a mandarin duck in Kgalagadi.

 

The count from Kgalagadi is very impressive.

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

Congratulations on reaching 300 - what an achievement. So many beautiful birds and so many stunning photos. I think the Big Year has made a significant difference to a number of lives!

[michael-ibk]

On Sept 16th to 18th we spent a nice weekend in Burgenland´s Seewinkel, hoping to get some new birds - especially migrants. We saw quite a lot (more than 60 species) but I already have most of them in the count. Also, the weather could have been much better, it was mostly dark and gloomy and even raining heavily one morning. But still, it was a super weekend because we were in the company of @@xelas and Photography godess Zvezda - a very enjoyable BYGTG, and I´m sure more will be coming. A few pics to set the Seewinkel scene (most of these by @AndMic):

 

 

Sunday morning - when the weather still was promising.

 

 

 

We spent much of our time staring at the reed in the hope of finding something special.

 

 

Greylag Geese were flying in in huge numbers.

 

 

Scores of Red-Crested Pochards were leaving.

 

 

But nothing was more numerous than Starlings - their flocks made for an impressive spectacle.

 

 

Nice, sunny weather on Sunday, good light - unfortunately only for five minutes, then it was ...

 

 

Typical Seewinkel fields:

 

 

 

 

On to the new entries - and some repeats.

Edited September 27, 2016 by michael-ibk