Michael´s Fifth Year

[michael-ibk]

4 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

Could the Jackdaw be eating the mud? There are marks on the soil that could be beak marks (I don’t know if Jackdaws do this!)

 

Hm, not sure, Tony, good question. I´m leaning more toward sunbathing though, many birds do that: https://www.thespruce.com/bird-sunning-386442

[michael-ibk]

394/E143.) Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) / Rotschenkel

 

Seewinkel, 29/5. A common breeding bird in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

395/E144.) Rook (Corvus frugilegus) / Saatkrähe

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. I most likely could get a better picture of this bird if I really tried but there are so many more fun things to photograph. A juvenile from a breeding colony here.

 

[michael-ibk]

396/E145.) Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) / Säbelschnäbler

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. Definitely more fun to photograph.

 

 

 

Since it´s so dry they started breeding in some very unusual spots, right next to the roads. Fortunately some sections have been declared off-limits for people afterwards. Still I don´t have much hope for them to succeed here.

 

[michael-ibk]

397/E146.) Sanderling (Calidris alba) / Sanderling

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. I needed a while to figure this one out, never seen them in their breeding plumage before - I know them as very white birds. Actually mistook them for Little Stint at first until the size gave me pause. A big star during the weekend for all birders, they are extremely rare migrants here - another first Austria sighting for me.

 

[michael-ibk]

-/E147.) Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) / Sandregenpfeier

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. I was surprised to see so many of them, they have never been very plentiful on previous visits. Maybe they do move through pretty late generally. Already seen in Tanzania.

 

 

 

Spot the odd ones out:

 

[michael-ibk]

398/E148.) Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) / Schafstelze

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. Quite a common bird in the area - we get the nominate subspecies "flava" as breeders.

 

 

 

Peek-a-Boo!

 

 

Earlier this year (at Lake Constance) I also saw an "Italian" one - subspecies cinereocapilla.

 

[michael-ibk]

399/E149.) Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) / Schilfrohrsänger

 

Seewinkel, 29/5. A very common reed inhabitant, and a bit easier to locate than the others because it´s not only vocalising loudly but also doing song-flights.

 

 

Not the best picture but I found it quite impressive what an effective killer this little chap is - a Dragonfly must be a super meal for him.

 

 

BTW, @Galana, I did actually get the ring data but the solution to this riddle was not too spectacular - this bird had been ringed four days before 20 metres away.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

400/E150.) Broad-Billed Sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus) / Sumpfläufer

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. A lifer for me, and hence my choice for this number. A very rare migrant in Austria. I had chased this species in Romania where they are supposed to be not that difficult but lucked out then. I had read that some birds had been seen in the region a week ago but they were no recent entries. Imagine my delight when I found a single wader which did not quite make sense to me at first. I lay down on my belly in a lot of goose shit for this one, so please appreciate.

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by michael-ibk

[pedro maia]

Congrats for the 4th century Michael and it is great that you achieved that number with a lifer, anyway I must say that I hope I don´t have to lay down on goose shit, or any other, to get a bird picture .

[michael-ibk]

That´s the only proper way to do shorebirds @pedro maia. Be prepared to suffer, next time in Portugal I will show you.

[michael-ibk]

-/E151.) Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) Seidenreiher

 

Seewinkel, 2/6. One of the few breeding areas in the country for this bird. Already seen in Tanzania.

 

[michael-ibk]

401/E152.) Black-Winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) / Stelzenläufer

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. A characteristic breeding bird for the area. Like the Avocets a very tough year for them, and breeding success surely won´t be very high.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

402/E153.) Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) / Türkentaube

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. Another one I did not bother too much about and just took a picture for the BY count.

 

[pedro maia]

13 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

That´s the only proper way to do shorebirds @pedro maia. Be prepared to suffer, next time in Portugal I will show you.

 

I´ll be looking forward to that although I´ll try to find a cleaner spot to lay my belly .

[michael-ibk]

403/E154.) European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) / Turteltaube

 

Seewinkel, 30/5. The only one of our Pigeons/Doves that does excite me. Definitely the prettiest one, and also the rarest. Austria´s bird of the year 2020.

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

404/E155.) Black-Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) / Uferschnepfe

 

Seewinkel, 29/5. Another species suffering badly because of the drought. In general things are not looking good for the Godwit, experts believe it might be the next species to go extinct as a breeding bird.

 

[xelas]

Welcome to the #400 club, @michael-ibk! Looking at your photos, I am seeing many "old friends"; the Broad-billed Sandpiper is for sure the highlight of them all. Low level photography is very popular around the lakes at Seewinkel. 

Will you post the Delicious KS at the end of the birds ? 

[michael-ibk]

405/E156.) Long-Eared Owl (Asio otus) / Waldohreule

 

Seewinkel, 29/5. For the fifth year in a row photographed in the same spot. They are nesting around an artificial lake where people can swim. Locked up this year, so we were afraid we might not see them but fortunately they kept close to the fence.

 

 

 

[Tdgraves]

Wow! Loads of great shots, but a cuckoo in flight? Very jealous...

[michael-ibk]

4 minutes ago, xelas said:

Will you post the Delicious KS at the end of the birds 

 

Your wish is my command. Ladies and gentlemen, the real reason we go to Seewinkel all the time :

[michael-ibk]

2 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

Wow! Loads of great shots, but a cuckoo in flight? Very jealous...

 

Thanks @Tdgraves, that´s probably the photo I´m most happy with. The first time I´ve got a good photo of this bird actually. Cuckoos were very active, looking for foster parents in the reed.

[xelas]

[michael-ibk]

406/E157.) Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus) / Zwergscharbe

 

Seewinkel, 2/6. Another bird which is only found here in Austria.

 

[michael-ibk]

407/E158.) Little Stint (Calidris minuta) / Zwergstrandläufer

 

Seewinkel, 1/6. Another good wader to get, not seen very often. And another "Goose shit" photo.