Michael´s Third Year

[michael-ibk]

I should be working on way too many Costa Rica pictures and catch up on a zillion Safaritalk threads but the weather has been nice (mostly) and autumn migration is kicking in so I actually got a few new ones and will use them as a blatant excuse to post some doubles just because. All from August, Lake Constance or Chiemsee (which has been better this last weekend than ever before, it can be totally dead now it´s really happening there.) :-)

 

301/E187.) Dunlin (Calidris Alpina) / Alpenstrandläufer

 

One of the more common smaller waders but I missed them in spring so it´s a good thing a couple of them were flying by at Lake Constance.

 

 

One lonely Redshank was also there, probably lost his pals.

 

 

I knew from reading the bird books that the size of male and female Ruffs can be extremely different but never before did I see that so clearly. At first I thought the female could be some of those super-rare wader species listed in the books.

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

302/E188.) Montagu´s Harrier (Circus pygargus) / Wiesenweihe

 

A pretty rare sighting in Austria and I have to confess I didn´t even realize when "shooting" it, just noticed the Harrier shape and thought Marsh Harrier. But no, it is a juvenile Monty.

 

 

And a Marsh Harrier from Chiemsee:

 

 

Which had another surprising species in store - Caspian Tern! Haven´t seen them ever before in Middle Europe but this time of the year some of them can pop up.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

303/E189.) Common Snipe (Gallinago gallingo) / Bekassine

 

Many of them coming through right now. Chiemsee is not a really good place for waders normally but this year it has been so hot in summer that the water is very low, and therefore more suitable places are available for many long-legged specialists.

 

 

 

I was particularly delighted to get Greenshank here, not a bird that is often so accommodating here in my region.

 

 

 

I guess the weird position of the tongue helps produce their familiar call.

 

 

Here with a friend:

 

 

Common and Wood Sandpipers are around in good numbers, others (like Curlew Sandpipers, Plovers, Spotted Redshanks, Lapwings and Curlews) kept their distance.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

304/E190.) Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) / Zwergtaucher

 

Not an uncommon bird but normally pretty shy and their diminutive size makes getting a photo of them quite difficult - unless you have a real bazooka of a lens. I was quite surprised about the size of their food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its cousin, a young Greater Crested Grebe:

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

305/E191.) Gadwall (Anas strepera) / Schnatterente

 

Quite a common duck but I had not managed to get an acceptable photo earlier in the year.

 

 

Some more water birds, Great Egret.

 

 

And a Little Egret. Actually quite of a big deal here they are a rare sight in our region.

 

 

And the Little Grebe is not the only accomplished fishermen, watching this Great Heron was great fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never really thought about it but being swallowed alive like that is a pretty brutal death, not sure if the fish would suffocate or die thanks to the dissecting acids.

 

[michael-ibk]

306/E192.) Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga carycatactes) / Tannenhäher

 

And now to something completely different. Obviously not taken at one of the lakes, this is one of our more common wood inhabitants. Taken on a hike in Stubai valley.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

307/E193.) Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) / Zaunkönig

 

Same time and place as the Nutcracker. Haven´t seen them a lot this year, mostly because due to our unusually timed summer holiday (when we are normally in Austria) we didn´t manage to hike as much as usually, and they are mostly found in forests in our region.

 

 

Absolutely no point in posting this with the Wren but who cares, I´m always super delighted when I get a Kingfisher at home. From Chiemsee again.

 

 

Also a Sedge Warbler here, first time I´ve seen one out of Seewinkel.

 

 

And a better Reed Warbler.

 

 

And outing myself as a rank amateur, I am unsure about this last one. Willow Warbler? Icterine Warbler? Opions? Either way, it´s a better photo for both species than the ones posted.

 

 

Now, back to work and trying to ID all that identical looking Tyrant Flycatcher stuff from Costa Rica - headache!

[Dave Williams]

Looking forward to the CR additions, one of my possible destinations next year!

Particularly love the diving Caspian Tern shots, well caught action.

[Galana]

Good to see you are keeping in practice. Is the Heron sequence in reverse from the strike onwards?

I am brave/foolish enough to suggest your final bird is a Willy Warbler and not an Iccy.

Looking forward to my own Nutcracker soon and we will make  a point of pulling off the A8 at the Chiemsee picnic site just in case. Always the optimist.

[xelas]

I can feel your pain, @michael-ibk; unlike you, my progress is even slower and thus it does not allow me for any quality time with camera and birds . But I will be ready to post shortly, at least those easy to ID birds .

 

 

[xelas]

2 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Looking forward to the CR additions, one of my possible destinations next year!

 

You will enjoy Costa Rica, specially if coming between February and April. Do you need any help with planning the trip?

[michael-ibk]

12 minutes ago, Galana said:

Good to see you are keeping in practice. Is the Heron sequence in reverse from the strike onwards?

I am brave/foolish enough to suggest your final bird is a Willy Warbler and not an Iccy.

 

I don´t really remember without checking (and am in the office right now unfortunately), there were several strikes. But could well be.

 

Ok, did not really get an "Iccy" feel from the bird either (and the very long supercilium does not look quite right) but the colour of the legs puzzled me.

[PeterHG]

20 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

And now to something completely different. Obviously not taken at one of the lakes, this is one of our more common wood inhabitants.

Ah you're just saying that to make me jealous  Never seen one. What an impressive collection from your 'local' patches and great photos!

[Galana]

6 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

 but the colour of the legs puzzled me.

Willys can have darker legs too especially this time of year.

[Kitsafari]

great sequence of the tern diving. sure made a splash with me.

[TonyQ]

Lovely local additions (keeping us waiting for Costa Rica!).

The Little Grebe sequence is excellent.

I have never seen your "common" Nutcracker!

[michael-ibk]

@TonyQ, @PeterHG, you will have to come visit us then (house always open for you), one of the few birds I can almost guarantee with a bit of patience.

[xelas]

5 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

one of the few birds I can almost guarantee with a bit of patience.

 

Good to know, keep on on feeder for next 2 weeks !

[michael-ibk]

No Nutcrackers on feeders sorry, you will have to work for that one.

[michael-ibk]

308/E194.)  Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) / Singdrossel

 

Tiebelmündung, Carinthia, 8/9. Not an uncommon bird but I´m not sure I have seen one this year before.

 

[michael-ibk]

309/E195.) Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) / Wasserralle

 

Tiebelmündung, Carinthia, 8/9. A very cool bird to get for me - the very first time I´ve even seen one in Austria. This one did not make it too easy for me, always staying deep inside the vegetation, so I was lucky I managed to get on reasonably sharp photo.

 

[Dave Williams]

Water Rail can be a tough nut, you did well! 

[michael-ibk]

310/E196.) Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana) / Tüpfelsumpfhuhn

 

Seewinkel, 20/9/18. A work trip to Vienna allowed me to add on a few hours in my favourite Austrian birding place. The area is pretty good right now but with 195 birds from home already "in the bag" I almost failed getting a single new one. Spotted Crake (two of them) was a cool sighting, my first in Austria. It´s a very rare bird here, almost only seen during migration.

 

 

 

And I was delighted to find the little Pirate birds - Bearded Reedlings.

 

 

 

A better Marsh Harrier:

 

 

And an incredibly confiding Reed Warbler.

 

Edited September 22, 2018 by michael-ibk

[xelas]

Nice findings @michael-ibk. You were luckier then us. Were those birds found near the tower?

[michael-ibk]

Luckier than you when? Tower? Do you mean the hide, Alex? No, not there, Reedling, Harrier and Reed Warbler on the road from the hide to the lake, the Spotted Crake at one of the smaller soda lakes ("Lettengrube").

 

The whole area was good, lots of Herons, Egrets, Spoonbills, Lapwings, Wood Sandpipers, Ruffs and Dunlins, some Curlew Sandpipers, Greenshanks, still some Stilts. Lots and lots of all kinds of Ducks, thousands of Starlings of course, Sedge Warblers, Passerines like Whitethroat (both kinds), Tree Pipits, and even a Bluethroat. I missed the Sandwhich Tern which is in the area right now to the excitement of all birders.