Michael´s Third Year

[michael-ibk]

267/E151.) Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) / Steppenmöwe

 

Extremely similar to our Yellow-Legged Gull, dark iris, larger bill, erect stance are all hints for ID. And it´s the regular Gull here in the area which makes it easy.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

268/E152.) European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) / Stieglitz

 

My pretty favourite gardenbird but I had to travel to Romania to get a close picture of it.

 

 

This one in Seewinkel was collecting nesting material I suppose.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

269/E153.) Feral Pigeon (Columba livia domestica) / Straßentaube

 

Every bird counts even if it´s a flying rat (as we affectionately call them in the city). From Bucarest, just to get it over with.

 

[michael-ibk]

270/E154.) Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) / Trauerseeschwalbe

 

All the Marsh Terns can be easily found in the Delta, and at one place we even saw all of them (plus Common Terns) together.

 

[michael-ibk]

271/E155.) Eurasian Stone-Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) / Triel

 

One of my main targets in Dobruja, I was very happy that our guide managed to find it.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

272/E156.) Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) / Türkentaube

 

The German name means "Turkish Dove". The reason is that this bird is a late arrival to Middle Europe, it only came here in the 1930s from the South-East. An immigration success story one could say!

 

 

[michael-ibk]

273/E157.) Banded Martin (Riparia cincta) / Uferschwalbe

 

Very common in Dobruja, with some nice colonies roadside.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

274/E158.) Whiskered Tern (Chlidonia hybrida) / Weißbart-Seeschwalbe

 

Out of plumage all three Marsh Terns look almost identical but in spring they are impossible to misidentify. All very striking in their breeding plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

275/E159.) White-Winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) / Weißflügel-Seeschwalbe

 

The third Marsh Tern, and the one I enjoyed the most - a new one for me.

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

-/E160.) Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) / Wiedehopf

 

I was thrilled when I got an identifiable picture of one in Seewinkel this year.

 

 

Little did I know that later in Romania we would not even stop for them after a while - they are extremely common there.

 

[michael-ibk]

276/E161.) Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) / Zwergdommel

 

Such a close sighting, and photo dumbass me blew this by not checking the settings. ISO 12,800, argh! Thank God for RAW.

 

[michael-ibk]

277/E162.) Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) / Zwergmöwe

 

Did not take notice of this at first but after a while I thought, hm, that´s a weird looking Black-Headed Gull.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

278/E163.) Red-Breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) / Zwergschnäpper

 

Just to prove that I have not lost my ebc-prowess. In Bucarest.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

279/E164.) Little Stint (Calidris minuta) / Zwergschnäpper

 

And so we have reached "Z" (with the German names in case you were wondering about my order of posting birds) and the end of my Romanian clicks.

 

 

[xelas]

Very close to #300 @michael-ibk! Will you reach it before Costa Rica ?!

[michael-ibk]

300, pfff.... I have hundreds more on my harddrive, just don't want to demoralize you, Alex.

[TonyQ]

Amazing progress, so many beautiful additions. I think the Grebe is my favourite!

[xelas]

13 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

300, pfff.... I have hundreds more on my harddrive, just don't want to demoralize you, Alex.

 

Then don't !

[michael-ibk]

Ok, I am a merciful soul, so I will leave all my sensational pics from my awesome secret birding trips to incredible places in Africa, Asia and the Americas on my computer and won´t post them. The world will be a poorer place for not seeing them but you know I would do anything for you, Alex.

Edited June 16, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

But I am still allowed to get new ones, right? I saw on ornitho.at that a Marsh Warbler is seen now and then in a place not far from home, so I thought I´d give it a try this morning. And I love it when a plan works out.

 

280/E165.) Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris) / Sumfrohrsänger

 

16/6, Gaisau (Tirol). Looks almost identical to a Reed Warbler but the habitat is different, they don´t live in reedbeds but prefer moist areas with lots of shrubbery and nettles. A master imitator, each male incorporates more than 75 different other birds calls into its songs.

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

281/E166.) European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) / Schwarzkehlchen

 

16/6, Gaisau. And one more goody found this morning - my first Tyrolean Stonechat, yippieh!

 

 

[michael-ibk]

282/E167.) Common Swift (Apus apus) / Mauersegler

 

Gaisau, Tirol. I should just bring my camera to the office and shout them out of the window which would probably achieve better results but my colleagues might become suspicious if I finally went totally bonkers.

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

On 6/14/2018 at 8:47 PM, michael-ibk said:

Spotted Flycatcher

 

Only one sigthing. Should be able to get a better one later this year.

 

Et voilá, also seen today:

 

 

 

And a very obliging Yellowhammer:

 

[xelas]

Good to know that you were not (yet?) visiting India also . Nice birds in local woods, @michael-ibk !

[michael-ibk]

283/E168.) Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) / Elster

 

Skotsch .... Scozj ... Skocjanski zatok, Slovenia, 2/6. Alex, I´m afraid we can never go there again, it´s just too complicated to spell this place!

 

 

And from the Danube Delta:

 

Edited June 17, 2018 by michael-ibk