Mfuwe's second year.

[Tdgraves]

Screenery is an excellent word, I shall endeavour to use it forthwith 

[Dave Williams]

That's a classic....smudge of dirt on the lens! The shot of the legs is good enough for me though. You are rapidly catching me up but suddenly I have had the go ahead to book a trip and I have managed 10 days in Corfu in October between the Man City fixture and my hospital appointment. The price was SO cheap I couldn't refuse and as I renewed the holiday insurance today and I'm covered to travel as long as I have my GP's approval I thought why not! 

Expected additions to my year list...between 1-5 !

 

[xelas]

Sorry to hear Rhine was not bird-productive. At least they have good wine there. The EBC is perfectly sharp photo; only you should tell the Hawk not to move while you are taking her/his photo 

[Galana]

Yup, all I got on the Rhine were nice sunsets and some strange congestion of River boats held back by police. We think a local politician may have been walking on the water.

 

And back to reality here is the Sparrowhawk in entirety.

 

Edited September 12, 2018 by Galana

[Galana]

Meanwhile here are a couple more scores:-

338. Common Pochard. North Cave Wetland. North Yorks..

 

And one especially for @xelas  

 

339. Black Swan. North Cave Wetland, North Yorkshire, as in England.

[xelas]

Thank You, @Galana! 

[Galana]

Last of the Yorkshire side trip are:-

340. Black-tailed Godwit. Kilnsea Wetlands. North Yorkshire.

 

and to close this session a complete surprise with a sought after bird that has eluded the lens for way too long. And when it did come it made it seem oh so easy.

341. Grey, (Hungarian) Partridge.  Whilst parked and taking a picnic by the A3 near Regensburg this sole bird came to glean some crumbs. I am in shock.

[xelas]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

I am in shock.

 Because of the IQ of the second photo ?

[Galana]

IQ of 125.

Currently in Austrian Alps awaiting a meeting tomorrow. 15th.

 

We were unsure of how to get there so asked a friendly Tengmalm's Owl.

 

Very wise little chap. High IQ.

 

[Kitsafari]

much enjoying the additions. what a cute and friendly little partridge. 

[Galana]

While waiting for a planned and much anticipated day's birding I thought some of you may wish for more news of the delightful Tegmalm's Owl. I rarely anthropomorphise wildlife but this chap just asks for more exposure. Not counted as he was not free to roam but.........

 

Also on my jouneying I met a young lady counting/recording dragonflies as part of her college work. (I never got such opportunity as this) Always quick to learn I give you mating "Silver tipped Emerald" Damselflies.

Now for that meeting.

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Galana

[Galana]

I had long planned to meet up with @xelas one day and this trip presented an opportunity as we got close to his home at this point. The plan then expanded as the same area was also home to @michael-ibk and so a  joint day was planned and so it happened. At that time @xelas was anxious to add Dipper to his collection and I knew they were fairly certain here in Gschnitz on the local beck as I had seen them there previously.

A later target of Spotted Nutcracker was added following @michael-ibk

's addition to his BY recently. Oh well nothing like a good challenge.

The appointed day arrived and despite rising early, a glance from our window whilst clearing the breakfast table revealed four smiling faces in my car parking space.

The game was on. After introductions we took off for the beck side track,( fellow north Britons will note my use of 'beck' for a stream which matches nicely with the German 'Bach') where Dippers were initially in very short supply. Ooops!

However we met a large forageing party of "Tits" with everything from Great,through Coal, to Willow and Crested.

Very hard to get these so we, at least I, were soon in EBC country.

I need a larger screen to be sure but here two folders entitled 342 & 343 which I suggest contain Coal and Willows. the  Crested, if any, will have to wait.

AND,

 

Pending verification this will have to do.

 

The walk continued and eventually the first target bird was brought to book.

I had scored this already in Ladakh in June so it is recorded here for record purposes only:-

245. White breasted Dipper. Gschnitzback. Austria.

One down,one to go.

 

Further on our looped walk we entered some woodland and whilst admiring some friendly goats we met :-

344. Whinchat.   and several

345. Tree Sparrow.

 

And so ended the mornings walk as our loop had brought us back to the start point where debate ensued as to whether :- 1, Lunch, 2.. a further location,

3. Some promised Sacher Torte followed by dinner should take preference.

The decision in order was 2, then 3. with a short beak between for R&R.

 

And so it came about. My eyes are dimming with this small type/font so part two will follow shortly after a short intermssion..

 

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Galana

[Galana]

The group outing part 2.

Our second excursion was to the end of the valley road where we parked up and headed into the forested verges of the Gschnitzbach among many Arolla pines which are favoured habitat of the final target. First we found White-wagtails and a pair of Buzzards. Crag Martins also plus a 'called' Alpine Swift.

Then as we took our ease on a convenient seat our final target appeared. Those whose Cameras can do flying shots clicked away. I think @xelas got his bird or at least his lady did!!

More Nutcrackers flew by and eventually one posed long enough in a distant tree for a portrait that enable me to tick off 346 of my not yet so BY.

Then we returned back to the cars for a brief rest as further delights awaited later.

@michael-ibk and Andreas wished to host us all for dinner and having combed my thinning hair we were taken to their home for afternoon tea of home made Sacher Torte mit schlaan with glasses of a local delicacy whilst the main meal was cooking. Many yarns were exchanged and photos decorating their home admired until we were called to the table for a magnificent Italian based dinner. Calabrese salad, followed by baked Lasagne before dessert of Directors pudding.

A perfect end to a perfect day where having met 'just' as BY members we parted as friends to hopefully meet again some time. Such is the strength of the bond on ST and in BY.

Sorry if my temporary lapse into a travelogue has intruded into a BY report but I cannot let the occasion pass unrecorded.

Speaking of BY of course here follows my humble #346

346. Spotted Nutcracker. Complete with Nut. Gschnitz, Austria.

Tomorrow I leave for Italy where Wiffy may not be up to speed at 2500 metres in the Dolomites so my total may suffer a temporary halt. 

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Galana
Rubbish spelling

[Kitsafari]

I so thoroughly enjoyed the travelogue and was envious of this BY GTG!

 

 

[Galana]

Back in contact with the Wiffy if not the target birds which eluded us for five whole days!

Something to do with daily vertical migration. So no Alpine Accentors or Snowfinches.

I did 'get' a suspected Accentor, complete with streaked flanks etc..but when back at the hut it looked wrong. I fear the bill blew it and it is either a very oddly marked Linnet, which really should NOT be at 8000feet, 2500metres, or a Bunting of some sort. 

Otherwise I got to build on my collection of YB Chough and Black Redstart even though the latter was totally different to those counted in Ladakh.

Five days without a new tick.

Black Redstart. But not as Ladakh sees it.

 

And this is NOT an Alpine Accentor. Despite the streaked flanks...

 

A high flying Linnet.

[michael-ibk]

Sorry to hear about the lack of Snowfinches and Accentors, hope you had a good time there despite that. FWIW, I´d agree with Linnet. If it´s any consolation they are actually pretty rare in the Alps. Though normally a lowlands bird they are known to even breed in alpine pastures in very low populations, and more of them are migrating through in September/October, they are not flying around. So seeing a Linnet that high up is not abnormal.

[Dave Williams]

Nice to see your BY is kicking back to life, keep them coming. Strangely I haven't got a Linnet in either this year or last year's BY. Must try and correct that asap!

 

[Galana]

@michael-ibk Thanks for the consolation of knowing Linnets are 'rare' in the high Alps.

I am applying to Cornell to claim a split to Alpine Linnet, "Galanaensis"

Until then I shall continue with a small travelogue for @Kitsafari and others:-

Left Gsnitch and entered Italy over the Brenner to reach Schlern Nature Park above Seiser Alm, Alpe di Suisi, the highest/largest "Alp" in Europe. Limited vehicular access.

Our home for five nights was at 2440mtrs at the 'hut' Rifugio Tierser Alpl, owned by our good friends of many years.

Here we were NOT to photograph our target birds but we did enjoy our stay with lots of other sightings from Golden Eagle down. The hiking was excellent and the food as always superb.

Our room.

 

Our neighbours.....

The location from the track up. Rosszahn Scharte or Denti di Terrarossa. "Red horses teeth pass."

After five nights we descended and headed via Bolzano and Merano to Val de Venosta and another favourite lodging and my 2nd special place for finding Dipper in the head waters of the Aldige which is here called the Etsche bach.

 

To end with a bird in name only here is the Alps answer to the Humming bird as seen on our balcony.

Flying shots too....

Teaser alert.

I redeemed my EBC of Coal Tit today and had some modest success in improving my Dipper experience exactly where I knew they would be.

 

 

 

[Galana]

19 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Strangely I haven't got a Linnet in either this year or last year's BY. Must try and correct that asap!

Take advantage of my SafariPal offer and I can show you a bucketful and have you back on the same plane.

[Galana]

Here follows my 'redemption offering' for the EBC Coaltit  342 along with a final offering of White-fronted Dipper for this year if only to record that my good location delivered again this year. A pair nest within sight of this Gasthaus and have brought up three chicks this year.

I will refrain from posting a lot of what the site provided but the filtering was darn hard.

 

342. Coaltit redeemed.

 

My local Dipper site came good. Just three of my pick from around 20 decent shots.

 

Today I moved the score along a bit. Plus one well out of normal range and one total mystery. Til then I shall await Cornell's view on my High Alpine Linnet.

[TonyQ]

A lovely Dipper!

[Galana]

13 hours ago, TonyQ said:

A lovely Dipper!

Thanks Tony,

Dippers are a great favourite and challenge to my fellow EBC people.

Rarely from a hide and not only able to hide behind screenery etc., but have the additional dimension of Dipping out of sight into another element altogether.

The two subjects were hours apart. The first on a rock from a footbridge, the second a bonus bird actually feeding from a fallen tree in a lake. Appeared as I was taking my ease at a small picnic site and paid little heed to my presence..

EBC alert as to what follows:-

[Galana]

Yesterdays scorers:-

347. Yellowhammer.

 

348. Water Pipit.

 

349. Yellow-legged Gull. I hope to get a better one but a bird in the lens beats twelve elsewhere.

 

Finally two no scores.

Something doing its best to be a Tchagra.

and something that really is not supposed to be where I saw it. Being mobbed by Kestrel and Common Buzzards.

Either way a no score as I saw Rough legged Buzzard in Ladakh and this is Alpine Italy.

Or am I wrong??

[Dave Williams]

Yellowhammer is a great addition, haven't seen one for ages.

Can't help on the Buzzard Fred, difficult at the best of times.

[Kitsafari]

what a cute little bird the dipper is. and what a chubby-looking dude the yellowhammer is.