Michael´s Fifth Year

[michael-ibk]

317/E58.) European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) / Stieglitz

 

Inzing, Tirol, 8/4. One of my favourite European birds. Love their colours, love their song - it´s such a pity that they still are boycotting our garden.

 

[michael-ibk]

318/E59.) Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifrage caryocatactes) / Tannenhäher

 

Fulpmes, 6/4. One of our alpine specialities, a species to show visiting birder friends. Not that difficult to find, they are pretty vocal in the forest.

 

[michael-ibk]

319/E60.) White-Throated Dipper (Dinclus dinclus) / Wasseramsel

 

Fulpmes, 10/4/20. Another favourite, they are so much fun to watch. I found out that we have at least three breeding pairs relatively close by. They love small bridges for nesting, and after a bit of patience we could see that indeed each bridge has their own Dippers. Some young ones have already fledged.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

320/E61.) European Crested Tit (Locophanes cristatus) / Haubenmeise

 

Telfes, 9/4. Definitely the coolest Tit. They are not uncommon in the forest but tricky to get since they tend to stick more to the shade or the canopy of high spruce trees.

 

 

[TonyQ]

Wow, you have certainly taken advantage of your relative freedom.

Some wonderful birds, and seemingly excellent weather.

I particularly like the Dipper and the Crested Tit.

Not jealous at all.

[michael-ibk]

Yes, the weather has been excellent. Too excellent in fact, we really need rain - a good amount.

[Galana]

A great outing with some good photos.

I share your love of Dippers.

[PeterHG]

What a wonderful set of new additions! So many birds I’d be very happy to score in any BY: Dipper, Crested Tit, Nutcracker. It’s good to hear you are allowed out again.

[Soukous]

You've wasted no time to get out and make the most of your freedom. Lovely additions.

[xelas]

15 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Too excellent in fact, we really need rain - a good amount.

 

Look through your window today, it is snowing here in Ljubljana right now.

 

While Tirol is no birding hotspot, it produced more birds then Ljubljana ... 

Edited April 14, 2020 by xelas

[Dave Williams]

What I'd give for a chance of Crested Tit and Nutcracker! Nice additions Michael, hope you have something left for tomorrow!!

 

[michael-ibk]

8 hours ago, xelas said:

Look through your window today, it is snowing here in Ljubljana right now.

 

Oh really? Temperatures have dropped a lot here as well but snow only higher up on the mountains.

 

1 minute ago, Dave Williams said:

What I'd give for a chance of Crested Tit and Nutcracker!

 

Easy Dave, come visit when everything is ok again, I´ll find them for you.

 

2 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

Nice additions Michael, hope you have something left for tomorrow!!

 

Just a bit:

 

321/E62.) Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) / Mönchsgrasmücke

 

Thaur, Tirol, 14/4/20. These birds really have returned in force, they are singing everywhere right now. Abundant as they are I find them quite difficult since in true Warbler style they are restless little buggers and like to skulk inside. Often just showing the head:

 

 

But once in a while they have to come out:

 

 

The female:

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

322/E63.) Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) / Purpurreiher

 

Thaur, Tirol, 14/4. A very distant picture but too exciting a sighting to not post it. Purple Herons are only breeding in three areas in Austria, all far away from Tirol. The cold streak must have brought this one down, I was very surprised when it took off a tree and waited too long taking a picture because I first thought it was a Grey Heron.

 

[michael-ibk]

323/E64.) Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) / Teichhuhn

 

Thaur, Tirol, 14/4. While they are sometimes common and almost tame in city parks I generally know them as very wary and shy birds here and don´t see them often. But I found out a far more accommodating pair is nesting in a small articificial pond in a village park. I realize posting nesting pictures is frowned on but in this case I think it´s ok - a lot of people are walking around this little pond non-stop, the nest is right in the middle of it and the birds do not react at all to being observed.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

324/E65.) Western Bonelli´s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli) / Waldlaubsänger

 

Zirl, Tirol, 16/4. A new arrival, just back from the South apparently. A bit larger than a Chiffchaff, and much whiter overall.

 

[michael-ibk]

325/E66.) Eurasian Jay (Garullus glandarius) / Eichelhäher

 

Langkampfen, Tirol, 17/4. A familiar and quite common bird but wary and difficult to approach. This one thought I could not see it - for a short while.

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

326/E67.) Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) / Fichtenkreuzschnabel

 

Zirl, Tirol, 16/5. One of my favourite locals, saw them from quite close distance yesterday - unfortunately against the light but still a very enjoyable sighting. Too often one only sees them high up in the trees or flying.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

327/E68.) Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) / Gebirgsstelze

 

Zirl, Tirol, 16/4. A bird of alpine creeks.

 

[michael-ibk]

328/E69.) Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) / Mäusebussard

 

Langkampfen, Tirol, 17/4. My old nemesis. Our most common bird of prey by far but so tricky to get a decent picture of.

 

[michael-ibk]

-/E70.) Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) / Nachtreiher

 

Thaur, Tirol, 16/4. A "mega" for my area. They only (maybe) breed in three areas in Austria (Lake Constance, Upper Inn River, Seewinkel) and are extremely rare elsewhere in the country. Already seen in Tanzania.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

329/E71.) Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) / Rallenreiher

 

Thaur, Tirol, 17/4. And even more of a "mega" today - while a common bird in Africa (still perplexed that there was not a single one in Tanzania) they are Southern European birds - Austria is well North of their normal range. We also had one last year, might be the same bird.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

330/E72.) Long-Tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) / Schwanzmeise

 

Söller Wiesen, Tirol, 15/4. A very cool-looking Tit (although they are not that closely related to proper Tits). Interestingly the first one seems to be one of the Northern (White-Headed) subspecies caudatus - the two were a pair, carrying nesting material.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

331/E73.) Common Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) / Sommergoldhähnchen

 

Langkampfen, 17/4. Europe´s smallest bird. Delighted to get a photo, they usually stick up to the shady canopy of spruce trees in my area.

 

 

And a repeat of our other pipsqueak:

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

332/E74.) Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) / Steinschmätzer

 

Thaur, Tirol, 16/4. A few of them breed higher up in the mountains later in the year, this one was probably moving through.

 

[michael-ibk]

333/E75.) White-Backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) / Weißrückenspecht

 

Langkampfen, Tirol, 17/4. A lifer for me, the Holy Grail of European Woodpeckers. Exceedingly rare here, they need mixed forests with lots of dead wood - precious little left of habitat like that. A friend told me of a good area to find them but warned me - he had needed seven hours to find one! We drove up with the car and I asked Andreas to get the camera ready just in case. Good decision, saw the male five minutes after entering the forest and could get in a few hasty shots out of the car. The female (black-headed) was seen a bit later while walking.