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

[PeterHG]

Great sightings, especially the Crake and high quality images by Zvezda!

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, PeterHG said:

Great sightings, especially the Crake and high quality images by Zvezda!

 

come on Peter, don't be mean, Alex's photos are high quality too 

[xelas]

3 minutes ago, Soukous said:

 

come on Peter, don't be mean, Alex's photos are high quality too 

 They are ... sometimes. Zvezda nail them always !

[xelas]

To prove my point here are more photos from Sečovlje; to my defence, it was noon and all birds were far away thus heavy, almost 1:1 crops.

 

Ruff was already counted. Same location as in the spring visit.

 

 

[xelas]

But Pintail is a new addition. I would prefer to get a photo of a male, as it is much more colourful and easily to ID. Hopefully I got the ID correct with this female.

 

BY 130 / SI 130

Northern Pintail - Anas acuta

 

Sečoveljske soline, 17-Oct-2021

 

[xelas]

And this minute wader was also at the very edge of visible. My initial reaction was toward Dunlin, after closer inspection I have decided to be a Stint. Any comments ?

 

BY 131 / SI 131

Little Stint - Calidris minuta

 

 

Sečoveljske soline, 17-Oct-2021

 

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by xelas

[xelas]

If a bird do come closer enough, even I can produce a decent photo !

 

Hawfinch (from our backyard, already counted)

 

[PeterHG]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

come on Peter, don't be mean, Alex's photos are high quality too 

I don’t doubt that for a second, but this last batch were all Zvezda’s so credit where credit is due! 

[Zim Girl]

Very jealous of that Hawfinch, never seen one that close and unlikely to ever be in my back garden.

[PeterHG]

Wow, what a beautiful Hawfinch!

[TonyQ]

Excellent sighting of the Kingfisher, Snipe and the Spotted Crake (I’ ve never seen one!)

Edited October 22, 2021 by TonyQ

[Galana]

12 hours ago, xelas said:

I have decided to be a Stint. Any comments ?

It's a Little Stint!

And a very nice Hawfinch too.

 

[xelas]

8 hours ago, Galana said:

It's a Little Stint!

Wow, thank you master Fred!

[michael-ibk]

Very cool sightings Alex, and great pictures! 

[Kitsafari]

Wonderful shots of the snipe and crake and hawfinch. never seen a hawfinch before... hopefully we will at end-November....?

[xelas]

On 10/23/2021 at 5:08 AM, Kitsafari said:

hopefully we will at end-November....?

Where?

[Kitsafari]

23 hours ago, xelas said:

Where?

 

catalonia, hopefully . i won't believe it until we are really there. 

[elefromoz]

gorgeous little Hawfinch, what a massive bill he has

[xelas]

It is among the smallest birds in Europe, has an effective camouflage and is always moving around. Hard to find and photograph but easy to ID.

 

 

BY 132 / SI 132

Eurasian Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes

 

 

Škocjanski zatok, 31-Oct-2021

[Galana]

8 minutes ago, xelas said:

Hard to find and photograph but easy to ID.

Tell me about it. We hunt them on St Stephen's Day.

https://culturevannin.im/manxfolklore/hunt-the-wren-469497/

[xelas]

A grey and drizzly weather kept me inside but did not stop birds to arrive at our feeder. It was like during a rush hour, 9 species were "usual suspects" (Blackbird, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, both Sparrows, Robin and Great, Blue and Marsh Tit. Then there was a not so common visitor, first sighting of the year!

 

BY 133 / SI 133

Coal Tit - Periparus ater

 

 

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 3-Nov-2021

[Kitsafari]

great shots of the wren and tit!

[xelas]

2 minutes ago, Kitsafari said:

great shots of the wren and tit!

Thanks! Wren and Coal Tit are among the smallest birds in Europe. Now I need to find a Goldcrest or a Firecrest to complete the trio.

[Kalaharikind]

Beautiful birds - and great numbers at the bird feeder!

 

 

[xelas]

When an UFO becomes an EBC  (*).

 

 

BY 134 / SI 134

Brambling - Fringilla montifringilla

 

 

Škocjanski zatok, 4-Nov-2021

 

(*) Since there were no new birds, I was trying to acquire some of @PeterHGBIF skills. Not even close to those but a new bird for this year count.