Birding on 3 continents

[xelas]

I was observed from above 

 

 

BY 313 / EU 060

Kestrel (Common) - Falco tinnunculus

 

Barje, 19.04.2018

[xelas]

And finally Zvezda got her camera back .

 

 

BY 314 / EU 061

Coal Tit - Periparus ater

Volčji Potok, 21.04.2018

 

[TonyQ]

An excellent set from back home- I am very jealous of the Redstart from your balcony!

[Peter Connan]

Stunning shots of the Kestrel Alex!

[Dave Williams]

Well done Alex, now hold on to the lead.You are on schedule time wise but will you still make 600? 

[xelas]

Not all birds are as cooperative .

 

BY 315 / EU 062

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia curruca

Barje, 14.04.2018

 

 

BY 316 / EU 063

Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus

Barje, 19.04.2018

 

 

 

Just now, Dave Williams said:

Well done Alex, now hold on to the lead.You are on schedule time wise but will you still make 600? 

 

Dave, it all depends on what Costa Rica will be willing to reveal to us; I am confident of surpassing #500 by the end of this year (and remember I have one migration and one possible extra trip till then).

[Dave Williams]

500 isn't good enough, you said 600! I was a little more restrained and the way it's going rightly so!! 

 

[Galana]

6 hours ago, xelas said:

@Dave Williams only Flying Fox might be able to do that !

Flying foxes eat fruit but Cats will take a fox and you have all three big cats on your scent.

 

By the way are you counting two species with your Redstarts? The female looks awfully like Black Redstart to me with that uniform dusky grey breast.

[xelas]

19 minutes ago, Galana said:

By the way are you counting two species with your Redstarts? The female looks awfully like Black Redstart to me with that uniform dusky grey breast.

 

Not because this two are obviously a couple, tending for the same nest. I do have a Black redstart from Kopački Rit so even if they are mingling no harm done to BY count.

[xelas]

51 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

500 isn't good enough, you said 600! I was a little more restrained and the way it's going rightly so!! 

 

Yes, that is a good strategy, making the opponent nervous and !! 

Was that 200/continent?! Africa gave me 253 birds; Europe will be 100+; so indeed if Central America will be at least at normal count (and weather) even 600 is not "a bridge too far". But lets not count the birds while they are still in the eggs .

[Dave Williams]

Wow, 253 is indeed an impressive count for Africa, you need the same for CR.

 

[xelas]

To increase our chances in the race against the Hare and the Leopard (and who knows what other predators might get involved ) we have decided to visit two birding locations in Hungary over the 1st of May holidays.

Our first three nights we have spent at Farm Lator near Bukk National Park. This is a hilly and heavily forested area. Rob, the co-owner and the resident naturalist and birder gave us a short tour on the first day where we showed us the nest of this tiny bird (early in the morning, low light, far distance).

 

BY 317 / EU 064

Collared Flycatcher - Ficedula albicollis

 

Bukk, 27.04.2018

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

He has built a very natural looking hide/perch inside an old orchard. We have spent there several hours over 2 days, yet this one is the only new addition to BY from this spot

 

BY 318 / EU 065

Middle Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopus medius

Bukk, 27.04.2018

 

[xelas]

I have been sitting in front of our little house and listening to the morning sounds when Rob asked me:Are you listening to the Wryneck?" After a few minutes of dedicated searching I have found the bird!

 

BY 319 / EU 066

Wryneck (Eurasian) - Jynx torquilla

Bukk, 29.04.2018

[xelas]

The most often seen Bird of Prey has been photographed in all four locations: Bukk, Little Hortobagy, Kiskunsag and Kopački Rit.

 

 

BY 320 / EU 067

(Western) Marsh Harrier - Circus aeruginosus

Little Hortobagy, 28.04.2018

 

Bukk, 29.04.2018

 

Kiskunsag, 30.04.2018

 

Kopački Rit, 02.05.2018

[Galana]

Well done with the Wryneck. Have we ever seen one on BY before?

[xelas]

20 minutes ago, Galana said:

Well done with the Wryneck. Have we ever seen one on BY before?

 

Yes we have! In BY 2017 the Eurasian from @PeterHG and @TonyQ , the Red-throated by @Peter Connan. How do I know?! Not by using the finest filling system ever but by using the Search option . 

Edited May 12, 2018 by xelas

[Geoff]

Finally caught up. Wow, 320 and not even halfway through the year.

 

Things that caught my eye...

 

#362 lovely robin image

#416 Chestnut-banded plover (never heard of one before) but's is cracking bird, nice pic too

#423 lovely African jacana shot

#441 the lesser striped? swallow bif

#488 middle spotted woodpecker

 

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations on surpassing 300, Alex, expertly done. Zvezda needs to take care to remain the premier family photographer considering the quality of your images. The Swallow is just wow. Jealous about your Pygmy Goose and the Middle-Spotted Woodpecker. Maybe I overlooked the discussion but I'd say your Gabar Goshawk is actually a Little Sparrowhawk?

[xelas]

3 hours ago, Geoff said:

Finally caught up. Wow, 320 and not even halfway through the year.

 

Things that caught my eye...

 

#362 lovely robin image

#416 Chestnut-banded plover (never heard of one before) but's is cracking bird, nice pic too

#423 lovely African jacana shot

#441 the lesser striped? swallow bif

#488 middle spotted woodpecker

 

 

Thanks, @Geoff! It really feels good hearing compliments from a photographer like yourself!

[xelas]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

Congratulations on surpassing 300, Alex, expertly done. Zvezda needs to take care to remain the premier family photographer considering the quality of your images. The Swallow is just wow. Jealous about your Pygmy Goose and the Middle-Spotted Woodpecker. Maybe I overlooked the discussion but I'd say your Gabar Goshawk is actually a Little Sparrowhawk?

 

Welcome home, @michael-ibk! Don't worry about Zvezda ... but she has started to mention D500 way to many times ....

 

Hmmm, the yellow ring around the eye is missing so I (and surely also @Peter Connan) will stay with Gabar. But thank you for looking our photos that closely.

[Galana]

I am also good with Gabar.

There is a hint of the Gabar's eyebrow and the breast is vertically streaked and belly barred as it should be, Cere and legs orange/yellow. The only caveat is the grey head but this could be because the bird is in transition to adult plumage.

The eye does not have the furious fierce glare of the Sparrowhawk.

[xelas]

The most famous birding site in Hungary is without any doubt Hortobagy National Park. However it is almost 2 1/2 hr by car from Farm Lator so Rob gave us the indications how to reach Little Hortobagy. This one has similar birds but not that much water, just a couple of canals and one lake. Basically one is birding along a dirt road between the towns of Szentistvan and Negyes. Here we have seen the highlight bird of our trip for the first time:

 

BY 321 / EU 068

Roller (European) - Coracias garrulus

 

Little Hortobagy, 28.04.2018

 

 

 

[xelas]

Every few hundred meters there was a canal and around it a lot of sounds but not many sights! Those darn warblers were just too quick or too low . Luckily Zvezda has been able to surprise at least some.

 

 

BY 322 / EU 069

Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

 

 

Little Hortobagy, 28.04.2018

 

 

BY 323 / EU 070

Whitethroat (Common) - Sylvia communis

Little Hortobagy, 28.04.2018

[xelas]

We were hoping to get some lakes, ponds or similar but although it was a very wet spring we have not seen many. And even the one we have seen the bird(s) were at quite a distance.

 

BY 324 / EU 071

Ruff - Philomachus pugnax (different age and breeding plumage)

 

 

Little Hortobagy, 28.04.2018