Alex & Zvezda's Big Year 2021: Version 6.0 Limited Edition

[xelas]

Version 6.0 for our 6th attempt, and limited Edition, well, based on what the crystal ball is telling us, it will be a birding edition with limited number of birds. If things will not improve much, I am planning to post sightings at the end of each month.

 

[Galana]

About time. Birds unlimited.

[Kalaharikind]

You don't think we'll find the time gap between postings too long, do you? Why not rather throw us any crumbs the two of you come across?

 

 

[Dave Williams]

So the Hare cowers in front of the Tortoise eh!!!! 

 

[xelas]

14 hours ago, Galana said:

About time. Birds unlimited.

 

Birds are unlimited. Sightings are not. 

 

14 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

You don't think we'll find the time gap between postings too long, do you? Why not rather throw us any crumbs the two of you come across?

 

 

 

Because there are so few crumbs even Hansel & Gretel would be lost in the wood.

 

13 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

So the Hare cowers in front of the Tortoise eh!!!! 

 

 

Uh, eh, maybe 

[TonyQ]

I look forward to what ever crumbs you may offer us @xelas

[Soukous]

Your garden has been pretty reliable in previous years.

[xelas]

8 hours ago, TonyQ said:

I look forward to what ever crumbs you may offer us @xelas

We will do put our best effort, as always.

 

7 hours ago, Soukous said:

Your garden has been pretty reliable in previous years.

That is what I am also counting on !

[michael-ibk]

Ah, there you are Alex! Was about to put up a missing person alert. Go on then, throw us some crumbs!

[shazdwn]

Great to see you back @xelas, I had hoped you would be 

[xelas]

13 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Ah, there you are Alex! Was about to put up a missing person alert. Go on then, throw us some crumbs!

Heh, I was a "missing person" hidden in a plain view. MIA by the order of the government .

 

3 hours ago, shazdwn said:

Great to see you back @xelas, I had hoped you would be 

As miserable as these times are, there is no way I would not join you folks ! 

[xelas]

JANUARY aka "Rear Window"

 

 

It was a very miserable month, and I was a very miserable birder. Weather was bleak for much of the month, and various gov't rules kept me at home. I have felt like Jeff, only I am not a pro photographer, and my objects of interest were only the birds. This is my "rear window" view. The double-glazed window was closed, as outside temperatures were hovering towards freezing.

 

 

Some technical details before showing you the January "crumbs":

Nikon D7200 + 200-500 f/5.6 -VR on, handheld, arms supported on the dinning table

1/320 sec - f/6.3 - AutoISO

processed and cropped by Capture NX-D, cleaned by DeNoiseAI

[Soukous]

34 minutes ago, xelas said:

As miserable as these times are, there is no way I would not join you folks

 

excellent, good to hear

[xelas]

A Marsh Tit is a lonesome bird; previous years I could see two of them (a couple??) however this time it is only one bird that came throughout of January.

 

BY 001 / SI 001

Marsh Tit - Poecile palustris

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 6-Jan-2021

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Just the opposite are Sparrows. They always came in a group, between 10-15 individuals. Darn these guys can clean up the feeder in no time!

Interestingly, only Tree Sparrows are coming to my garden, while not 100 meters away, I can spot a vast number of House Sparrows in the neighbour's garden.

 

BY 002 / SI 002

Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 6-Jan-2021

[xelas]

Male Chaffinch is among bigger garden birds, and while it used to be accompanied by the lady, this time of the year it comes a a single. It feeds from the ground, have not seen it on the feeder.

 

BY 003 / SI 003

Chaffinch (Common ) - Fringilla coelebs

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 12-Jan-2021

[xelas]

The arrival of the Siskin to our garden was a big surprise. A couple of sightings in the first week, of a single bird (male), then in last week a whole flock of about 8 birds have started to come regularly. They are also ground-feeders.

 

BY 004 / SI 004

Siskin (Eurasian) - Carduelis spinus

 

male

 

female

Ljubljansko Barje, 13-Jan-2021

 

[xelas]

Zvezda's favorite local bird; it looks so cute. This one stays above the ground, and is usually in the company of its bigger cousin.

 

BY 005 / SI 005

Blue Tit (European) - Cyanistes caeruleus

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 13-Jan-2021

[xelas]

My favourite garden bird is Robin. I think we have only one bird (odd but I have never seen two of them at the same time), and it is a long time resident of our garden; I assume it is the same bird, as it does follow the same pattern when emerging from wherever he/she is hiding. Ground bird most of the time, but it also likes the suet balls.

 

BY 006 / SI 006

Robin (European) - Erithacus rubecula

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 13-Jan-2021

[xelas]

Dunnock is a recent guest of our garden. It was last year that I have started to see it regularly. It is a ground bird, and being a bit darker it is not that easy to spot him when in the shadows.

I thought that is was only one bird until today when I have spotted 2 of them. Hopefully we have a couple!

 

BY 007 / SI 007

Dunnock - Prunella modularis

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 13-Jan-2021

 

 

[xelas]

Talking about our favourites, this one, nicknamed "Panda" is Tanja's favourite local garden bird! As of now, they only came passing by, while in the past year they were regular visitors, hanging around the house for extended period of time.

 

 

BY 008 / SI 008

Long-tailed Tit - Aeghitalos caudatus

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 16-Jan-2021

[Dave Williams]

Mmm, nearly caught me up already Alex! Think I'll take part in the RSPB's "Big Garden Birdwatch" and see what I can capture in camera!

[xelas]

Its bigger cousin is another regular visitor, seen almost daily. Not as numerous as I would like, but 3-4 birds do enjoy the sunflower seeds on a daily basis.

 

BY 009 / SI 009

Great Tit - Parus major

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 21-Jan-2021

[michael-ibk]

Very nice garden party you are having there!

[xelas]

Not sure if this is the visitor from the north, or the local variety. Second largest bird in the garden, and almost never feeds from under the feeder.

 

BY 010 / SI 010

Blackbird (Common) - Turdus merula

 

male

 

female (or juvenile)

Ljubljansko Barje, 23-Jan-2021