Michael´s Year

[michael-ibk]

303/E163.) Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) / Bekassine

 

Seewinkel, Sept 18th

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

I already have Common Greenshank in the count but only very distant ones so here is a somewhat proper entry for this bird.

 

Seewinkel, Sept 18th

 

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

304/E164.) Dunlin (Calidris alpina) / Alpenstrandläufer

 

The most common of the smaller waders. Seewinkel, Sept 18th

 

 

And a closer one from the Rheindelta at Lake Constance where I spent some hours last Wednesday, Sept 21st:

 

 

[michael-ibk]

A few Seewinkel doubles of birds I only have in the count with very distant shots. And a few I just like.

 

 

Greater Spotted Woodpecker. We had to work hard for this one. Hoped it could be a Syrian Woodpecker but the closed collar clearly states it is not.

 

 

Northern Shoveler - in eclipse plumage.

 

 

Grey Plover - not a common migrant in Austria.

 

 

Another one from the Rheindelta

 

 

Common Teal

 

 

Eurasian Spoonbill

 

 

Marsh Harrier

 

 

Pied Avocet

 

 

White-Tailed Eagle

 

 

Common Kestrel

 

 

Ruddy Turnstone (already seen in Lissabon) turning stones.

 

 

Collared Dove

 

 

The bird in the right upper quarter could be a Bar-Tailed Godwit (and therefore new) but I´m really not sure so won´t include it in the count.

 

 

Pygmy Cormorant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

305/E165.) Common or Eurasian Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) / Eisvogel

 

I´m not finished with this one yet - hope to get closer. But great to see it - definitely one of my favourite birds.

 

Seewinkel, Sept 18th.

 

 

Rheindelta, Sept 21st:

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

306/E166.) Sanderling (Calidris alba) / Sanderling

 

Seewinkel, Sept 18th. Ebc!

 

[michael-ibk]

307/E167.) Little Stint (Calidris minuta) / Zwergstrandläufer

 

As the name implies one of the smallest waders. Seewinkel, Sept 18th.

 

[michael-ibk]

308/E168.) Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope, and sometimes Mareca penelope) / Pfeifente

 

Rheindelta, Sept 21st. The Ducks with the brown head.

 

[michael-ibk]

Another bird that is already in the count, but with a photo you couldn´t tell it shows a Jay. So I was happy to get some more acceptable shots at Rheindelta, Sept 21st. (Unfortunately the weather was quite bad there as well.)

 

 

 

 

And a somewhat better Reed Warbler.

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

309/E169.) Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) / Wendehals

 

Rheindelta, Sept 21st. A very secretive bird not seen very often - hid deep inside the leaves.

 

[michael-ibk]

310/E170.) Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus) / Bartmeise

 

Rheindelta, Sept. 21st - my new favourite bird.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

311/E171.) Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) / Bergente

 

Cesky Krumlov (CZ), Sept. 24th - a surprise bird found in the Castle gardens. They must be migrating through to their winter homes, they are not breeding in Middle Europe and only very few are staying here for the winter.

 

 

And a few others from the gardens:

 

 

Mistle Thrush

 

 

Grey Wagtail

 

 

Nuthatch

Edited September 27, 2016 by michael-ibk

[JohnR]

Nice picture of the nuthatch.

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

Great new additions! What a magnificent Bearded Reedling (we call it a bearded Tit). I can see why it is your new favourite bird.

Godd to hear about your GTG with @@xelas and Zvezda!

[elefromoz]

@@michael-ibk, as I've recently been in Europe I can now recognise some of your birds. I agree with @@JohnR, nice nuthatch, you've manages to capture his beautiful colours. Also interesting to see some of your shorebirds are the same that are now starting to arrive here from Siberia for our spring/ summer.

[PeterHG]

@@michael-ibk, quite a few good additions again! That Scaup was a good find and the Wryneck is always something special ( and hard to get a picture of). I agree that the Godwit could well be a bar-tailed one. The number of apecies you manage to 'shoot' this year is truly amazing and still a trip coming up! Keep up the good work and enjoy!

Peter

[michael-ibk]

@@michael-ibk

What a magnificent Bearded Reedling (we call it a bearded Tit). I can see why it is your new favourite bird.

Godd to hear about your GTG with @@xelas and Zvezda!

 

@@TonyQ

 

It´s also a Tit (=Meise) in German but I have read that scientifically it´s not really one. About the BYGTG - come join us for the next one in Seewinkel!

 

@@michael-ibk, as I've recently been in Europe I can now recognise some of your birds. I agree with @@JohnR, nice nuthatch, you've manages to capture his beautiful colours. Also interesting to see some of your shorebirds are the same that are now starting to arrive here from Siberia for our spring/ summer.

 

@@elefromoz

 

Are you referring to your Spain trip? Or have you come again? Really fascinating about the extreme range of birds and where they show up. I wonder if I will see some Austrian birds later this year in Africa. Too bad I will never know for sure.

 

@@michael-ibk, quite a few good additions again! That Scaup was a good find and the Wryneck is always something special ( and hard to get a picture of). I agree that the Godwit could well be a bar-tailed one. The number of apecies you manage to 'shoot' this year is truly amazing and still a trip coming up! Keep up the good work and enjoy!

Peter

 

Thanks, @@PeterHG , just tell me you are sure it´s a Bar-Tailed and I will up the count.

 

I mostly enjoy but also have my lows - this Wednesday I was in Vienna and spent a few hours in a big park (Lainz) with a good reputation for no less than six species of Woodpeckers. I found - nil! And swore I will quit with this frustrating birding stuff!

 

Or, just try again next time.

[wilddog]

I think you are hooked on birding now @@michael-ibk . No point in thinking you can give up....................

[elefromoz]

@@michael-ibk,no haven't been back again, just the June Spain trip.That was my first trip back to Europe in 30+ years and I certainly was not looking at birds then.It is nice to see the European birds you and others post and to think I now know some of them. You don't strike me as a quitter...

[michael-ibk]

Last week I was in Barcelona for work reasons and of course used the opportunity to do some birding in Ebro Delta, and also went to Montgri Nature Park for Spanish Ibex. The weather was not too favourable (mostly rainy and gloomy), but quite a productive trip - I saw almost 100 species, and a few new ones among them.

 

312/E172.) Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) / Mönchsittich - also known as the "Queaker Parrot".

 

Barcelona, Parc Güell, 16/10/2016 (taken with Powershot Camera)

 

 

Of course these are not natives to Spain, they are from South America, but (like in some other European cities) a feral self-sustaining population has ocurred in Barcelona for decades now, and so they are considered "tickable" for wild bird lists as my guide Carles told me. Almost 3,000 live in the city now, they are an everpresent sight, and easy to see in the major city parks.

 

Edited October 26, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

I already have Sanderling in the count but only a barely recognizable ebc-shot, and this very cool bird deserves a proper post, I think it´s one of my favourite waders.

 

Ebro Delta, 22/10/2016

 

 

Great fun to watch, very restless waders, always picking and running.

 

 

 

This one looks quite different, and I am not 100 % sure but do think this is a juvenile Sanderling. I originally thought Little Stint (very similarly marked) but those have some white stripes on the back. Also, Sanderlings do not have a hind toe.

 

 

A size comparison with a Kentish Plover and a Dunlin. Dunlins and Sanderlings are pretty much the same, a very big Plover could reach the size of a small Sanderling.

 

 

A Kentish Plover:

 

 

Grey Plover (with some Dunlins in the foreground) - a much bigger bird.

 

 

Common Ringed Plover

 

Edited October 26, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

313/E173.) Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) / Wanderfalke

 

Ebro Delta, 22/10/2016. This is one of the fastest raptors, reaching over 320 km/h when "diving". It is the world´s most widespread bird of prey according to Wiki.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

314/E174.) Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) / Samtkopf-Grasmücke

 

Ebro Delta, 22/10/2016. A common small Mediterranean warbler. This is a female:

 

 

And a male from Montgri Nature Park, Oct 23rd.

 

[michael-ibk]

315/E175.) Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata) / Provencegrasmücke

 

Montgri Nature Park, 23/10. The females (as shown below) look quite similar to Sardinians but the throat is not white but more washed-out.

 

[michael-ibk]

316/E176.) Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) / Wiesenpieper

 

Ebro Delta, 22/10.

 

 

A Water Pipit for comparison´s sake - Montgri, Oct 23rd. Clear supercilium, markings on breast not as pronounced.

 

 

At least in the bird books I often struggle to differentiate Pipits from Larks, but when you see them their general look and movement is quite different. Here´s a Crested Lark from Ebro Delta: