Michael´s Sixth Year

[michael-ibk]

On 4/28/2021 at 9:11 PM, Dave Williams said:

I'm wondering what the Austria list is compared to other countries in Europe.

 

Actually you seem to live on the far more fruitful side of the continent Dave. We have 430 confirmed species - Wiki says the UK has 622.

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

 

Actually you seem to live on the far more fruitful side of the continent Dave. We have 430 confirmed species - Wiki says the UK has 622.

That is interesting Michael! Maybe more bird watchers in the UK and some one off migrants that shouldn't be there but blown in from America perhaps. "Ticking ' 400 in the UK put's you in an elite club for twitchers in which there are not that many who have claimed it. I'm about half way there.

[xelas]

That was one really patient bird, your Bunting! 

[Galana]

Lovely Ortolan and Bonelli's Warbler.

It seems that Austrian Dung Heaps have the edge on UK models due to the 'modern' farming practices now in vogue in England? Perhaps less so in Wales though!

And again I would think the proximity to oceans will boost the species count.

Even this small rock I call home boasts 321. (But it does still include Great Auk so may be out of date as news travels more slowly here.) I still need one for my BY!

[michael-ibk]

Yes, I guess what Fred said - as a landlocked country we´re missing out on a whole bunch of birds. We also have a club like that @Dave Williamsbut it´s a Club 300 here. Still need 45 more species for that. And as it happens...

 

137/E137.) Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) / Halsbandschnäpper

 

Rum/Tirol, 2/5/21. It seems to be Bunting special week here apparently - today a Cirl Bunting (another rarity) was spotted. For three hours we tried to find it - no luck. But then I was richly compensated with something even better - a lifer! (I have seen Cirl in other countries.)

 

 

 

A bit too distant but what a nice ending to a somewhat frustrating afternoon.

 

So, only 44 more to go to Club 300 now!

 

 

 

[Galana]

What a lovely name in German. And a very nice bird to carry it.

[xelas]

What a lovely lifer, Michael! Now I am even more happy to have one seen so close to my home.

[michael-ibk]

Yes I remember Alex - do you still see it?

[xelas]

Due to unforseen circumstances I have not been on that walk in past week .

[Soukous]

On 5/1/2021 at 8:15 PM, michael-ibk said:

 

Come on Martin, cannot be that hard to find a dung heap. ;-)

 

I am as surprised as you, but we the only livestock that is farmed in any quantity here are pigs,

[Dave Williams]

Nice lifer! Interesting that your target club is 300 too.

 

[shazdwn]

Wow your Ortolan and flycatcher are both beautiful birds, great finds

[PeterHG]

On 5/1/2021 at 9:18 PM, michael-ibk said:

But almost undetectable once they have found a mate.

 

Ah, so true for many of my friends ;).

 

Splendid birds and ditto photos: Ortolan and Collared Flycatcher! The Ortolan is extinct here too, as a breeding bird. I've only ever seen it once, in Spain.

[michael-ibk]

138/E138.) Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) / Steinschmätzer

 

Thaur/Tirol, 4/5/21. I´ve seen a fair number of this species so far during migration. They are just guests here - at least in the valleys, some of them are breeding high up in our mountains.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

139/E139.) Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina) / Bluthänfling

 

Mils/Tirol, 5/5/21. A beautiful little bird in breeding plumage especially. Unfortunately I never manage to get really close to them. Some of them are breeding down in the valley in the agricultural sections, others migrate vertically - they are also at home high up in the mountains.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

140/E140.) European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) / Turteltaube

 

Thaur/Tirol, 5/5/21. We don´t have them breeding, and not often that I see one during migration so I was happy to find this bird today.

 

 

 

Our rare guest almost became an ex-Dove - a Kestrel totally surprised it (and me!), this was a very close call!

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

141/E141.) Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) / Rallenreiher

 

Rum/Tirol, 5/5/21. Quite a highlight today. Squaccos are Southern European birds and not at home here. But every year a few of them discover their fondness for the North and are seen in Austria. Our experts believe it cannot be too long before we´ll get a confirmed breeding record, most likely in Seewinkel.

 

 

 

 

And a bonus Heron just because they rarely pose for me like that here at home:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by michael-ibk

[xelas]

The kestrel did not surprised you completely ... your reflexes are excellent!

[Galana]

Nice sequence. Even allowing for my excellent reflexes I fear that by the time my camera fired up and focussed I would have either got a nicely focused  Dandelion (Lowenzahn)*  or a pile of feathers.

* Interesting the name means the same as Dandelion is a corrupted Dente de Lion. But I digress.

Excellent photos.

[elefromoz]

On 4/27/2021 at 6:28 PM, michael-ibk said:

They are expanding their range more South and South every year, and our experts think it cannot be too long before we have a breeding record again - after more than a century.

I just love it when I read things like this, stops you throwing up your hands in despair...

oooh, love that mountain landscape on your hike, coming from flat and dry, Im always dreaming of a Rocky Mountain path up to the snowline.

The Collared Flycatcher is beautiful, really "pops" on the green. You obviously are having a lucky streak at the moment with rare sightings and a Raptor swooping down right in front of you. 

[Zim Girl]

Nice Turtle dove, I have never seen one, glad it survived the Kestrel attack!

[Peter Connan]

What a series! And wonderful shots of the herons.

[PeterHG]

Excellent reflexes on the Dove and the Kestrel! Beautiful shots, too of the Squacco Heron. I do hope predictions about settling will come true!

[Kitsafari]

fast closing in, Michael!

 

great shots of the beautiful Ortolan and Collared Flycatcher and what a series of the kill-the-dove hunt. as always, you are super fast on the camera! 

[michael-ibk]

While I love that you all think I´m like Lucky Luke, the man who shoots faster than his shadow, this had nothing to do with my reflexes! I was taking shots of the sitting Dove when my viewfinder exploded! Never saw the Kestrel coming. Pure happenstance, nothing more.