Michael´s Year

[michael-ibk]

141.) Audouin´s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) / Korallenmöwe

A fairly rare Gull, but it is common in the Delta. Only about 15,000 pairs worldwide.



The other large Gull in the area is the Yellow-Legged Gull (already in the count). They are all over the place, especially in Barcelona. Black-Headed Gulls are also very common - but then they are common everywhere.

 

[michael-ibk]

142.) Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) / Zwergseeschwalbe

 

Not that hard to find here, but the smallest (and rarest) Tern in Middle Europe. Used to be common near all large rivers but regulations and dams have taken their habitats away.

 

 

A comparison shot with a Gull-Billed Tern

 

[michael-ibk]

143.) Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) / Brandseeschwalbe

 

 

(The larger Tern near the middle with the black bill)

 

[michael-ibk]

144.) Gull-Billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) / Lachseeschwalbe

 

 

 

(And a juvenile Ruddy Turnstone in the background.)

[michael-ibk]

145.) Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne or Sterna caspia) / Raubseeschwalbe

 

This is the world´s largest Tern.

 

[michael-ibk]

The other two Tern species here are Common Tern and Whiskered Tern. Both are already in the count, just to have all Terns on one page. Both very common - they are beautiful birds.

 

 

Common Terns (with one Sandwhich Tern in there)

 

 

Common Terns, a Sandwhich Tern (to the left), one juvenile Yellow-Legged Gull (flying towards the camera), and one Black-Headed Gull (to the right)

 

 

Common Terns in flight

 

 

Common Tern colony

 

 

Breeding

 

[michael-ibk]

And some Whiskered Terns:

 

 

[michael-ibk]

146.) Lesser Short-Toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens) / Stummellerche

 

 

And a somewhat better photo of a Crested Lark:

 

[michael-ibk]

147.) Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) / Cistensänger

 

The only Cisticola found in Europe

 

[michael-ibk]

148.) European Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) / Teichrohrsänger

 

[michael-ibk]

149.) Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) / Drosselrohrsänger

 

 

[michael-ibk]

150.) Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus) / Beutelmeise

 

[michael-ibk]

151.) Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) / Einfarbstar

 

[michael-ibk]

And two more, one just because it´s my favourite bird, and one because I never had a Swallow as acommodating as this one:

 

 

 

That´s it for the Ebro Delta - back to work here in Austria.

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

That looks like a really productive trip to Spain. I really like terns, so it was a pleasure tosee so many different ones in your photos.

The Penduline Tit is a beauty!

[xelas]

And that should be a business trip, eh, @@michael-ibk ?! Lovely photos! Using a guide was a great move.

[Peter Connan]

Some great photos. That swallow was truly accommodating, but that head-on whiskered Tern! Man that's great!

[PeterHG]

@@michael-ibk

Great variety in your Spain series! I also managed to see the Audouin's Gull in the Delta ( beautiful picture!), but not the Penduline Tit ( great catch and picture, too!)

[michael-ibk]

Yesterday I had another go at finding some of our high alpine birds again - and it was a bit more successfull than the last one. People were probably thinking me pretty mad for lugging my big lens up the mountains, but who cares.

 

The following photos were taken in the mountain area of the Stubai valley, a hiking route called "Sulzenau", very close to where I live.

 

152.) Common Redpoll (Carduelis or Acanthis flammea) / Birkenzeisig

 

 

This little guy was found here, from the point where this shot was taken:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

153.) Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) / Bergpieper

 

 

 

These two I´m sure about, they look exactly like in my bird-book, and the habitat is right too - about 2400 m above sea level, near water:

 

 

 

A harsh place to live - it has been quite cold this week, snow has returned, and not every animal made it:

 

 

This bird was in the same area, but I´m not sure it is a Water Pipit as well - any thoughts?

 

 

And this one was found at lower altitude, I was thinking Tree Pipit (because of the habitat) but am not sure.

 

 

Edit: I have just been told in the local bird forum that the last two photos also show Water Pipits, a juvenile (the first one) and an adult.

Edited July 17, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

154.) Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) / Alpenbraunelle

 

 

Classic mountain bird, they like to forage and hide between stones.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

And a few more shots from the landscape and some birds I already have:

 

 

Willow Tit - I´m reasonably sure because of the very moist habitat, this was taken very close to a waterfalls area, and the forest here is very wet indeed.

 

 

 

Northern Wheatear

 

 

Black Redstart

 

Sharing their habitat

 

 

with

 

 

Marmots

 

 

 

And these very cool-looking goats (Valais Blackneck)

 

 

I have no clue what species this is - some juvenile, I assume but I was flipping back and forth through my book and could not find a match.

 

(Edit: Mystery solved - it is a juvenile Wheatear.)

 

 

Eurasian Wren - incredibly noisy for such a tiny bird!

Edited July 17, 2016 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

And two from today - a Yellowhammer:

 

 

And I´m becoming friends with the Nutcrackers, it seems. Saw more than ten today, something brought them out in numbers. Most from respectable distances like this one:

 

 

But one was incredibly patient with me and let me approach very closely!

 

 

[PeterHG]

Great pictures of the Nutcracker! I've never seen one; they rarely venture into our country.

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

Lovely photos -of the birds and the environment!