Peter's third attempt

[Geoff]

Some darn nice images since I last looked. Special mention for the Bee-eaters and some excellent flight shots.

 

I'd try processing the batleur flight image again and lighten up the underside/shadows.

[Dave Williams]

Some excellent additions Peter.

[PeterHG]

221. Mediterranean Gull. April, Utrecht.  I was alerted to its presence by the characteristic call. It is an uncommon bird over here, but numbers are steadily increasing.

 

[PeterHG]

222. Common Pochard. April, Utrecht

 

[PeterHG]

223. Great Grey Shrike. April, Utrecht. An unexpected find in the same wetland area that held the Mediterranean Gull. It kept its distance though

 

[PeterHG]

224. Bluethroat. April, Utrecht. Bright colours in the reedbeds..

 

[PeterHG]

225. Garganey. April, Utrecht. In Dutch it is called 'zomertaling': Summer Teal as opposed to the Common Teal, which is 'wintertaling': Winter Teal. 

 

[xelas]

Bluethroat is a very colourful bird. And you were able to get close to the Garganey ... something I have failed.

[Dave Williams]

That's the sort of Garganey image I was hoping to take in Estonia, sadly it wasn't't to be. Didn't manage a Bluethroat either. Excellent images Peter.

[Kitsafari]

you're quite a master in BIFs! amazing shots. 

 

the tufted duck looks well suited for a black-tie event. 

[michael-ibk]

Awesine BIFs, Peter, you really are a master in that field. Great Bluethroat, how did you get it? Hide or on foot?

[PeterHG]

Thanks for the kind words @xelas, @Dave Williams, @Kitsafari , @michael-ibk 

 

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

Awesine BIFs, Peter, you really are a master in that field. Great Bluethroat, how did you get it? Hide or on foot?

I do not really consider myself a ‘bif’ specialist at all. I’ve seen many great examples from a lot of others here and it’s mainly that it is something I really enjoy trying my hand at. The Bluethroat was not from a hide, but just walking around in a wetland reserve and doing a very slow approach when it kept singing in the same spot. It is such a beautiful little bird!

[PeterHG]

226.Northern Wheatear. April, Utrecht. We get a few of them each year when passing through on migration.

 

[PeterHG]

227. Wood Pigeon. April, Utrecht. The most common of our pigeons and doves.

 

[PeterHG]

228. Tree Sparrow. April, Utrecht. I have the feeling that their numbers are diminishing.

 

[PeterHG]

229. White Wagtail. April, Utrecht. Very common in the meadows around here.

 

[PeterHG]

230. Common Linnet. April, Utrecht. I love its bright red colours this time of the year.

 

[michael-ibk]

I love the Linnets as well in spring. The Tree Sparrows are declining here in Austria as well.

[PeterHG]

231. Dunnock. April, Utrecht. 

 

[PeterHG]

232. Reed Bunting. April, Utrecht. They can be seen all year round, but in spring the males are very conspicuous both by appearance and by song.

 

[PeterHG]

233. Great Crested Grebe. May, Utrecht. Very common and fiercely territorial.

 

[PeterHG]

234. Eurasian Spoonbill. May, Utrecht. One of the earliest migrants to return to our country. The first ones may already be back in February. They are doing very well in the Netherlands, From some 170 pairs in the 70s to more than 2500 now.

 

 

[PeterHG]

235. Short-eared Owl. May, Texel. We decided to do a quick two-day trip to the beautiful island of Texel. We saw fewer species than we'd expected, but the sudden appearance of a Short-eared Owl was a nice surprise. Heavily cropped, so not great quality, but we do not get to see them often, so we were quite happy.

 

[PeterHG]

236. Eurasian Oystercatcher. May, Texel. Numbers are declining, but still quite common.

 

[PeterHG]

Ah that reminds me ! We also saw the African Oystercatcher in Namibia this year, but I never included it into my thread. So here it is:

 

237 / Nam 189. African Oystercatcher. February Walvis Bay