A Her-man BY with Kit 2021

[TonyQ]

You did really well in Spain. Lots of birds I have never seen. Wonderful Bluethroat and Wallcreeper.

And what an amazing total you are heading for.

 

Condolences to you and Herman for your loss. Very sad.

[Kitsafari]

Thanks much @TonyQ

[Kitsafari]

18 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

Thanks @Galana @PeterHG @michael-ibk @pedro maia

 

we were really gleeful to get the wallcreeper and the accentor, and the next one too...

 

 

 

 

And the next one being 

 

342/SP80 White-throated Dipper, Martinet, Pyrenees

 

Ever since I watched a video clip of the dipper in one of @TonyQ s BY list a few years ago, I've been enchanted with this plump fluffed-up bird which can dip, swim and dive. I was worried we wouldn't be able to see it when the winds closed the roads to the skiing areas, but thank goodness Carles knew of an alternative place to watch the dipper. delighted as mad to finally see this bird in person and trying to guess where he would surface after diving. I loved how he would bob ( i counted 10x at one time) before he dived into those icy cold waters. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

a clip of the bobbinng dipper

 

 

[Kitsafari]

343/sp81 Winter Wren, Martinet, Pyrenees

 

and skulking in the reeds just behind the dipper was the tiny winter wren. Herman couldn't even see it so he missed it entirely. a shame. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

344/SP82 House Sparrow, Martinet in Pyrenees

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

345/sp83 Eurasian Collared Pigeon, Martinet, Pyrenees

 

[Kitsafari]

And a shot of the small town of pretty Martinet

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

346/sp84 Mistle Thrush, Pyrenees

 

Carles drove us in and out of little streets and places in the mountains, so I wasn't sure of the precise locations. But we saw a fair bit of the mistle thrush in this region.

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

347/SP87 Siskin, Pyrenees

 

Edited: So I think I made a mistake. I originally had put up the first photo as siskin but taking a second look at it, i realised it looked more like the serin. 

 

So the right photo of the siskin is in the second photo, I think. 

 

Please correct  if I'm wrong!!

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

348/SP88 Corn Bunting, Pyrenees/Aragorn

333/SP71 Rock Sparrow, Pyrenees

 

We also saw a fair number of corn buntings, including this shot of both the buntings and rock sparrows together on a wire. i forgot we saw the rock sparrows here as well!

 

 

Herman's improvedshot of the rock sparrow

 

 

[Kitsafari]

349/SP89 Robin, Pyrenees

 

Again, another bird seen in a few places. 

 

[Kitsafari]

350/SP90 Blackbird, Pyrenees

 

Carles parked and we got out, and this blackbird was right in front of my door. it was so busily eating, it refused to move away. which was great for me!

 

[Kitsafari]

351/SP91 Coal Tit, Pyrenees

 

Rounding up the tit species we saw in Spain was the coal tit. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

352/SP92 Carrion Crow, Pyrenees

 

[Kitsafari]

353/SP93 Goldcrest, Pyrenees

 

Such a pretty little bird, but my gosh, what an active flight flitting bird it was jumping from one tree to another across the road. A challenge to get a great shot of it. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

354/SP94 Red-billed Chough, Pyrenees

 

 

[Kitsafari]

355/SP95 Iberian Grey Shrike, Pyrenees steppes

 

One of the two endemics we saw in Spain

 

 

[Kitsafari]

356/SP96 Eurasian Skylark, Pyrenees steppes/Aragorn

 

very tiny skylarks miles away and very well camouflaged on the grounds. In other words, a wonderful subject for an EBC. 

 

[Kitsafari]

357/SP97 Raven, Gramuntill, Lleida steppes

 

adding a clip of a red kite (to be counted at the end among other raptors) being harassed by a raven

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

358/SP98 Dunnock, Gramuntill Lleida

 

While waiting for the vultures at the hide, the dunnock, chaffinches and a robin were happily hopping around the edges. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

359/SP99 Firecrest, Gramuntill Lleida

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

So many wonderful additions again! Quite a few species I did not mange to see in Spain last autumn. And great shots and video of the Dipper. Well, many excellent photos of the other birds, too, a joy to see!

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @PeterHG I wish we had birds like these in Singapore but then it is more fun to discover new birds or see birds we don't see daily when we go to europe!

[TonyQ]

Lovely photos of the Dipper, and great photos of the Goldcrest and the Firecrest. As you say, both difficult to photograph. Tiny and do not sit still!

[Galana]

Wonderful stuff indeed. Pleased you got your Dipper.