mvecht's 2nd year

[TonyQ]

Well done on reaching 100. Great to do that with a Hobby!

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations from me too! 

[mvecht]

A great Thank you to everybody for your positive comments.

Today I realised that I have double counted two species so I had to come up with another great sighting for my real number 100!

My wife and I went to the local Arboretum in Hørsholm Denmark.

We had some great sigthings of Raven, migrating Honey Buzzards and Buzzards.

A Hobby was hunting in the ares for 30 minutes.

 

An then the real #100  Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) appeared

[mvecht]

#101 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Nivaa, Denamrk

[mvecht]

#102 Eurasian Treecreeper  (Certhia familiaris)

Very high ISO shot.

[mvecht]

Today I went to Falsterbo Sweden with a Birding Pal.

Falsterbo is the southernmost point of Sweden as has fantastic migration birding in the autumn with raptors being the stars.

We did not count but had  300  - 500 Sparrow Hawks, 50+ Honey Buzzards, 50+ Buzzards, 25+ Red Kites, 2 White-tailed Eagles, many Pipits, Black-throated Diver and many others

#103 Red Kite (Milvus milvus) flying quite high on a hazy day.

 

#104 Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Not a common bird in this part of Sweden.

 

Edited September 16, 2020 by mvecht
typo

[mvecht]

Some bonus shots from Falsterbo today.

Honey Buzzard

 

Sparrow Hawk

 

Common Buzzard.

In Sweden/Denmark it is not uncommon to see these very light coloured birds. They can be almost white!

[PeterHG]

Great raptor sightings and shots from Falsterbo ! I have never been there, but had intended to do so this autumn with a birding friend of mine. Well, next year perhaps....

[Galana]

 

2 hours ago, mvecht said:

Honey Buzzard

 

A Goshawk surely?

 

Nice day out.

[shazdwn]

Wow that’s an impressive raptor count

[mvecht]

@PeterHG   Peter, it is a very nice destination. Quite a few Dutch people were there yesterday. It is not too late yet. The migration will continue for another month.

[mvecht]

9 hours ago, Galana said:

 

A Goshawk surely?

 

Nice day out.

@Galana  thanks for pointing it out. Yes I agree 100% about it being a Goshawk. It also slipped by the official birdcounter at the station so I will have to contact him.

This Honey Buzzard looks like it could use some new feathers.

[Galana]

4 hours ago, mvecht said:

This Honey Buzzard looks like it could use some new feathers.

They do that to fool the Official Birdcounters.

[mvecht]

@Galana  Please have another look at the  "Goshawk". At closer inspection and also looking at the time of day I saw the bird I am now almost certain it is a Sparrowhawk.

The bodyshape looks more like Sparrowhawk. The bird was seen at close range by app 20 birders and flew straight over the head of the "official birdcounter".

This was one of the first birds of the day and we were all still quite alert. Later during the day a lot of birds just became "just another Sparrowhawk"

The official Sparrowhawk count for the whole day was 1137! (16300 sofar for Aug/Sep).

[Galana]

2 hours ago, mvecht said:

@Galana  Please have another look at the  "Goshawk".

Well it could be. My initial reaction was to that fierce combination of glaring yellow eye and 'eyebrow' supercileum  that had Goshawk written all over it.

[mvecht]

12 minutes ago, Galana said:

Well it could be. My initial reaction was to that fierce combination of glaring yellow eye and 'eyebrow' supercileum  that had Goshawk written all over it.

@Galana  I agree, it looks very much like a Goshawk. I now remember the bird as it was the first photo of the day and the flight pattern and size both said Sparrow Hawk.

Anyhow thank you for the input!

[mvecht]

A trip to the local reserve in Nivaa, Denmark was quite productive.

#105 migrating Common Scoter  (Melanitta nigra)

Edited September 26, 2020 by mvecht
misspelling

[mvecht]

#106 migrating Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)

[mvecht]

#107 Common Rail (Rallus aquaticus). I hear this bird a lot but it rarely shows itself and then typically in dark areas.

[mvecht]

#108 Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

I see this bird very often at the reserve but most off the time to far away for good photos.

[elefromoz]

On 9/17/2020 at 12:49 AM, mvecht said:

We did not count but had  300  - 500 Sparrow Hawks, 50+ Honey Buzzards, 50+ Buzzards, 25+ Red Kites, 2 White-tailed Eagles, many Pipits, Black-throated Diver and many others

#103 Red Kite (Milvus milvus) flying quite high on a hazy day.

Wow, I can't start to imagine what a spectacle that must be. Good going on the 100 too.

[mvecht]

Nivaa, Denmark

Some far away #109 Atlantic Brant (Branta bernicla bernicla)

This subspecies breeds in the far North of Russia

[Galana]

Geese arriving in September already. I must get out and find some.

Nice flock.

[mvecht]

@Galana  Sofar most species have been early for the autumn migration. Today more than 20,000 Barnacle Geese migrated through Eastern Denmark.  Buzzard migration is in full swing which is early, Crane migration has started and Honey Buzzard migration is over!

[Galana]

Thanks. 'Our' Brent and Barnacles come down from Svalbaard so time yet.