Michael´s Fourth Year

[michael-ibk]

Likewise, @xelas. I expect a report of no less than 357 photographed birds from the two of you then, so no slacking. 

[lmSA84]

@michael-ibk - good luck! I hope you have a brilliant time 

[michael-ibk]

I am thanks - very happy about Pygmy Goose today. :-) 

[Dave Williams]

Some excellent images already  @michael-ibk Have a great trip and bring back a lot more!

[michael-ibk]

My local birdwatching has not exactly been groundbreaking this year, unfortunately I cannot seem to find the time to get out as much as I´d like. But at least I could steal away some hours last weekend to snatch a few new ones.

 

18/E18.) Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) / Trauerschwan

 

Maria Elend, Carinthia, 2/3/19. My old friend, has steadily held out in the same area for the last few years. He was closer than ever before this time, but somehow the behaviour seemed a bit off, I fear that he´s not well. Hopefully I´m mistaken, always enjoy seeing it even though he does not really belong.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

19/E19.) Smew (Mergellus albellus) / Zwergsäger

 

Maria Elend, Carinthia, 2/3/19. Undoubtedly the same specimen I could add very late to my Big Year 2018 after Christmas. Not much more cooperative than back then but Smews are (very rare) winter visitors and I highly doubt I will see it again this year so I will add this ebc. Here with some Goldeneyes, the two species are closely related and sometimes interbreed. So little surprise they like to hang out with each other. And yes, as you can see it´s still very much winter here, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr after my return from Bots I have to say.

 

[michael-ibk]

20/E20.) Red-Crested Pochard (Netta rufina) / Kolbenente

 

Chiemsee, 3/3/2019. Certainly one of our most striking duck species even though their head shape is a bit weird. There´s a motorway rest station at the lake´s bank, many people passing through feed the waterfowl there, so it´s not surprising that many birds get very close here. The Pochard is not a commonly seen Duck, it is at home on a select few lakes but there are not more than 200 or 250 breeding pairs in Austria.

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

21/E21.) Yellow-Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) / Mittelmeermöwe

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 3/3/2019. Our default large representant of the family. Gull identificaton is still a nightmare for me, and trying to ID younger birds is even trickier. But I do believe I have all four plumages here (Larus Gulls are only fully grown in their fourth year).

 

1st year bird:

 

 

2nd year bird:

 

 

3rd year bird:

 

 

4th year bird:

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2019 by michael-ibk

[PeterHG]

Beautiful shots of the Red-crested Pochard, @michael-ibk ! And really interesting to see photos of the four stages of the Yellow-legged Gull. I share your nightmare in that respect, so this is quite educational!

[Zim Girl]

The Pochard is really a very impressive looking duck - lovely pictures @michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

22/E22.) Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) / Singdrossel

 

Lago di Caldaro, Italy, 31/3. All the birds are starting to celebrate spring, and I have to give it to my Southern neighbours in Italia, driving only 130 km down makes quite a difference, much warmer and more pleasant down there.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

23/E23.) Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) / Buchfink

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 3/3. This little chap had already been at it a month ago.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

24/E24.) Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba) / Bachstelze

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 17/3. Quite a scarce bird in winter (most of them flee the cold) but now they are back in big numbers.

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

25/E25.) Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) / Bergpieper

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 17/3. A "vertical" migrant. Breeding up high in the mountains in summer but coming down to the low-land lakes in winter.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

26/E26.) Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) / Haubentaucher

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 17/3. I hope I can find the time to go watch them doing their mating ritual, I love it when they do that.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

27/E27.) Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) / Mönchsgrasmücke

 

Lago di Caldaro, Italy, 31/3. Only a handful of them has started to come back to the Alps but down South they are already plentiful.

 

[michael-ibk]

28/E28.) Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) / Rohrammer

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 17/3. I was hunting Bluethroat in vain but the Buntings made up for that - partly. ;-)

 

[michael-ibk]

29/E29.) Long-Tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) / Schwanzmeise

 

Gaisau, Tirol, 9/3. Particular favourites of mine, I love their fluffy look. Got very excited this winter when they attended the feeders for the very first time but unfortunately they never came back to the garden.

 

[michael-ibk]

30/E30.) Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) / Zaunkönig

 

Lago di Caldaro, Italy, 31/3. One of the very few birds I don´t have to google the scientific name. It´s cool enough to stay even in my fuzzy brain.

 

[michael-ibk]

31/E31.) Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) / Zilpzalp

 

Gaisau, Tirol, 24/3. Their chiffchaff-chifffchaff (or zilpzalp-zilpzal for us German-speaking folks) is everywhere right now. Always feels special when I hear it for the first time - means spring is here.

 

[Kitsafari]

Lovely additions Michael!  that pochard was a stunner. 

[PeterHG]

On 3/31/2019 at 8:05 PM, michael-ibk said:

Always feels special when I hear it for the first time - means spring is here.

The same feeling here, @michael-ibk. My wife and I have this challenge going on: the one who hears it first, gets treated to lunch in a restaurant. I won't be the one to pay the bill this year....

[xelas]

Excellent shots, Michael! The Great Crested Grebe, so close that I can finally see the colour of its eyes. Splendid.

[michael-ibk]

I passed by Chiemsee on my way home from a seminar and could not resist the opportunity to stop for a short outing. And found a couple of new ones indeed.

 

32/E32.) Curlew (Numenius arquata) / Großer Brachvogel

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 3/4. I´m not quite sure if this bird is still breeding in the area, it´s definitely declining. But it´s one of the very few waders which is around all year. But not the same individuals, the breeders migrate South in Winter, and Northern birds overwinter here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

33/E33.) Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) / Sumpfmeise

 

Chiemsee; Germany, 3/4. The Marsh Tit is actually not a real marsh bird, it prefers decidouus forests with a good amount of dead wood.