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

[Galana]

3 hours ago, xelas said:

We wish you all Happy Easter!

And same to you. Keep on the mend.

[PeterHG]

Good to see you're able to pick up the camera again, Alex! I love your flight shot of the pheasant.

[Soukous]

welcome back, you must be very happy

[xelas]

Unusual cold front brought snow and subzero temperatures to Slovenia. So I recon these brave birds (and to some extent also the photographer ) deserves a few more photos.

 

BY 029 / SI 029

Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collbita

 

 

 

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 7-Apr-2021

[xelas]

Bonus sighting of the day was a female Blackcap (male already counted).

 

[PeterHG]

Great series of the Chiffchaff, Alex, that last one especially is brilliant!

[Dave Williams]

Female Blackcap always good to see and photograph as they are skulkers compared to the males.Good to see you must be in full recovery mode Alex...unlike LFC!

 

[xelas]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Good to see you must be in full recovery mode Alex...unlike LFC!

Like LFC also I will try to forget this season ASAP . Hopefuly next season will be much better for both .

[Galana]

39 minutes ago, xelas said:

I will try to forget this season ASAP 

Schumacher's success was due to him not lifting the throttle until passed the flag. Keep at it and treat the restrictions as a challenge . An obstacle to be overcome.

[Kitsafari]

Love that chiffchaff amid the falling snowflakes! in fact the series of chiffchaff is brillant. 

 

Glad to see that steady hand performing!

[michael-ibk]

Hooray Alex, great to see you back in the saddle and in action again. Spectacular Chiffchaff sequence indeed. Now let´s just have those bl*§$=( borders and B&Bs open up again and Seewinkel here we come!

[xelas]

14 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Now let´s just have those bl*§$=( borders and B&Bs open up again and Seewinkel here we come!

Time to get that little poke in my arm .

[xelas]

Lockdown was lifted but bad weather kept me in the house. Where I have witnessed a proper cat fight ... well, it was a Tit fight. A few days ago Tanja and I have installed 3 new nesting boxes, and a pair of Great Tits started to fill one with moss and grass. There are several Great Tits coming to the feeder each day, and two of them started a really intense fight. it might be over the nesting box or something else. It did not last long so I was able to squeeze only several shots.

 

 

 

 

 

[Galana]

3 hours ago, xelas said:

or something else.

There will be a woman at the back of it somewhere!

[xelas]

After a rainy and snowy weekend weather has improved and I've got rewarded for taking the camera to stroll with me . First with a rarely seen (by me anyway) tiny bird.

 

BY 030 / SI 030

Pied Flycatcher (European) - Ficedula hypoleuca

 

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 14-Apr-2021

[xelas]

Everyone knows this bird, which in good light looks impressive; this time it will be a more artistic approach. And it is in flight, that must add some weight to the photo ? 

 

BY 031 / SI 031

Magpie (Eurasian) - Pica pica

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 14-Apr-2021

 

 

[xelas]

Back to today's surprises. Next, a bird of prey was lured to hunt the local fields which after heavy rain indeed looks like a marsh (local name of this one is Močvirski = marsh). As I am down the ladder re. quality (i.e. number of birds), I will fight with the quantity (i.e. number of photos). Helps also to ID the bird.

 

BY 032 / SI 032

Montagu's Harrier - Circus pygargus

 

 

 

 

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 14-Apr-2021

[xelas]

Another BoP was hunting the flooded fields. It was already counted as #26 yet this very photogenic Common Kestrel deserves a better photo (or four).

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Dave has badgers and Fred has wallabies and surely others have other frequently seen mammals in their backyard. Mine are Roe deer. A herd of about 25 are living in the corn fields, encircled by paved roads (and traffic) and houses. However, it looks that these mammals have understood no one is allowed to hunt them so each year they can be seen wandering up and down what I can only describe as a "Roe deer safe haven". 

 

[Kitsafari]

fabulous series of the kestrel @xelas!

[Galana]

14 minutes ago, Kitsafari said:

fabulous series of the kestrel

I agree. And the others ain't bad either.

[TonyQ]

And an excellent Montagu’s Harrier - I have never seen one!

[Zim Girl]

Lovely Harrier and Kestrel pictures, Alex.

[xelas]

Another surprise awaited us today, however first the "product improvement" of #030 Pied Flycatcher. It hangs at the same spot so might be the same bird.

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

It looks like a great location for Flycatchers as it was joined by its cousin, also arrived from Africa in recent days. As its cousin also Collared Flycatcher is a rare guest in Slovenia.

 

I am also pleased to report Zvezda is back behind the camera!

 

BY 033 / SI 033

Collared Flycatcher - Ficedula albicollis

 

 

 

Ljubljansko Barje, 15-Apr-2021