Michael´s Third Year

[michael-ibk]

210/E83.) Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarynchos) / Nachtigall

 

Even worse than the reed birds, heard often but so damn hard to find. I tried for half an hour to locate this one, and for all my efforts this was all I got. Famous in literature for the beauty of their song but I have to confess I just find them very loud.

 

[michael-ibk]

211/E84.) Red-Backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) / Neuntöter

 

Our default Shrike, and the only one we commonly see. A female here:

 

 

And a male from Dobruja in Romania:

 

[michael-ibk]

212/E85.) Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) / Ringeltaube

 

Very easy to get in the parks of bigger cities, in Vienna they don´t mind people at all and would be very easy to get a good shot of. But there I never have my camera with me. Out in the country they are actually pretty shy.

 

 

Very surprisingly one just turned up at our feeders on the balcony yesterday, never ever have I seen one nearby before. Let´s see how long it will be around.

 

Edited June 13, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

-/E86.) Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) / Rohrweihe

 

By far the most common raptor in the area but although we saw plenty of them they did not pose too well this time. And yes, there is an Eastern Marsh Harrier (now considered a separate species), found in East Asia.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

213/E87.) Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) / Rotschenkel

 

The only Tringa wader breeding in Austria.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

214/E88.) Rook (Corvuc frugilegus) / Saatkrähe

 

Highly intelligent birds. From Wiki:

"Although outside of captivity rooks have not shown probable tool-use, captive rooks have shown the ability to use and understand puzzles. One of the most commonly tested puzzles is the Trap-Tube Problem. Rooks learned how to pull their reward out of the tube while avoiding a trap on one side.In captivity, when confronted with problems, rooks have been documented as one of several species of birds capable of using tools as well as modifying tools to meet their needs.Rooks learned that if they push a stone off a ledge into a tube, they will get food. The rooks then discovered they could find and bring a stone and carry it to the tube if no stone was there already. They also used sticks and wire, and figured out how to bend a wire into a hook to reach an item. Rooks also show the ability to work together to receive a reward. In order to receive a reward, multiple rooks had to pull strings along the lid of a box in order for it to move and them to reach the reward. Rooks seem to have no preference regarding working as a group comparative to working singularly."

 

 

[michael-ibk]

215/E89.) Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) / Schilfrohrsänger

 

One of the easier reed birds to get in Seewinkel. Very common.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

-/E90.) Great Egret (Ardea alba) / Silberreiher

 

Already seen in Zakouma. Not that difficult to find but not a very common bird in Austria.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

216/E91.) Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria) / Sperbergrasmücke

 

One of my favourite findings this year, and a Big Year first for me. While I had known in previous years where they should be this was the first time they also knew that. A really cool looking bird IMO.

 

 

[TonyQ]

Racing along Michael. A lovely Lapwing sequence and a very productive trip.

and a beautiful Warbler as I was writing the post!

Edited June 13, 2018 by TonyQ

[michael-ibk]

217/E92.) Common Gull (Larus canus) / Sturmmöwe

 

This so-called "common" Gull is anything but in Austria, I think this is the first time I´ve seen one here.

 

[michael-ibk]

218/E93.) Temminck´s Stint (Calidris temmincki) / Temminckstrandläufer

 

One of the smallest waders, the lighter leg colour helps to tell them apart from Little Stints.

 

 

My bird book describes them as mini-Common Sandpipers, so I was happy to get a comparison picture:

 

 

[michael-ibk]

219/E94.) Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) / Turmfalke

 

We were actually looking for Owls but this year a different raport has taken over that nesting box.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

220/E95.) European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) / Turteltaube

 

Our prettiest - and rarest - Dove, and the only migrating Dove/Pigeon. A species which has drastically declined, more than 60 % in the last 25 years. Modern agriculture and also the Mediterranean "sport" of catching and killing birds are to be thanked for that. Estimates say two to three million(!) birds are killed every year there. Can only hope that number is not correct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2018 by michael-ibk

[xelas]

What a set of teasing photos from Seewinkel: lakes full of water and waders, plenty of hares, lovely weather, ... we would love to be in your company. But then, we could not get these photos, and I hope you like them, @michael-ibk  (all are as-is = no cropping applied):

 

"Hey fella, have you seen that birder from Austria, Michael or what?!"

 

"I am waiting for him ..."

 

"... but he must be avoiding me, or else!?"

 

"Oh well, maybe next year!"

 

[michael-ibk]

I hate you, @xelas.

Edited June 13, 2018 by michael-ibk

[xelas]

12 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

I hate you, @xelas.

 

But you must admit that the Hawfinch looks beautiful, and it fits nicely into your selection of excellent bird photos .

[michael-ibk]

If I have learnt one thing from my "clients" it´s "Never admit anything."

[michael-ibk]

More from Seewinkel:

 

221/E96.) Black-Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) / Uferschnepfe

 

Scarcer than in the previous years.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

222/E97.) Long-Eared Owl (Asio otus) / Waldohreule

 

Took some tree-searching but after a while we found them (three different individuals, one of them probably a couple) in the same place they´ve used for breeding previously - unfortunately no signs of chicks this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

223/E98.) White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) / Weißstorch

 

Fortunately still a regular sight on the roofs in Austria´s Eastern villages. Some of them have started to stay for the winter.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

-/E99.) Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) / Schafstelze

 

Already seen in Zakouma. In Austria we mostly get the subspecies flava:

 

 

Another one from Lake Constance:

 

 

There we also saw a Black-Headed individual - subspecies feldegg ("Masked Yellow Wagtail").

 

 

Feldegg was common in Romania.  Some had a clearly visible supercilium there - signs of "superciliaris"?

 

 

 

While this one looked a bit "Thunbergi"?

 

[michael-ibk]

Moving on to Romania´s Danube Delta area where we spent a week from May 6th to 13th. For some background info see the trip report here.

 

224/E100.) Long-Legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) / Adlerbussard

 

Similar to the Common Buzzard but (most morphs) a bit more rufous, with a brighter-white underwing colour and a distinctive black carpal patch.

 

[michael-ibk]

225/E101.) Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo) / Baumfalke

 

Loves hunting dragonflies and other insects, so the wetlands of the Danube Delta are perfect for them.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

226/E101.) European Roller (Coracias garrulus) / Blauracke

 

Delightfully common in the area. A far cry from Austria where they are all but extinct, maybe 20 or 30 breeding pairs left.