mvecht`s fourth year

[mvecht]

Close to the house but could have been closer

IOM #21 Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

IOM #22 Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

[Galana]

1 hour ago, mvecht said:

Can you help me out?

Well you are welcome to my guest bedroom any time but I think your call for help is on @Dave Williams's inclusion on IOM? He is due to visit a small rock in the Firth of Forth (Scotland) called the Isle of May. IOM.

[mvecht]

Normally I would wait to get closer to this very common species but it is not that often I see this colour variation. It was abit skittish and took off as I was trying to get closer.

IOM #23 Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

[mvecht]

IOM 24 Skylark (alauda arvensis)

Quite a few migrating but also quite a few that looked like they will bestaying 

 

[PeterHG]

I hope a lot of them are staying. Nothing like the lark's song to inspire a true spring feeling!

[michael-ibk]

Lovely Skylark -hope to see some soon now myself. I´m a bit late but still - sorry about your Borneo trip.

[mvecht]

@michael-ibkI am hoping that we will make it to Borneo at Christmas and now we have to plan for Uganda thanks to you 

[mvecht]

I have not posted for a while. Too many things going on.

I realised that I have done a double count so the next one is still:

 IOM #24 Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis). Still plenty around

 

 

I was hoping for a redbreasted Goose to hide amongst the Barnacles. No such luck. But I still found a 

IOM #25 Whihe-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

 

 

[mvecht]

Next to the house

IOM #26 Common Pheasant (Phasanius conchicus)

[mvecht]

Also very close to the house.

IOM #27 House sparrow (Passer domesticus)

[mvecht]

IOM #28 Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

[mvecht]

The other night we heard Cranes from a field close to the house.

The next morning we went looking for them. They had unfortunately left the area.

Instead we found these.

IOM #29 Great Egret (Egretta garzetta)

They are still uncommon in Denmark but have become  a more common sight in the last ten years.

[mvecht]

IOM #30 Common Crane (Grus grus)

Migration is in full swing. Normally we have Southwesterly winds this time of year which means lots of Cranes over the house. This year has seen a lot of easterly winds so we have only had a few hundred birds close to the house this year. Always lovely to hear their trumpeting.

 

[PeterHG]

Good to see your additions again. A little envious of your Cranes. A long time since I saw them. I heard them last autumn i. Spain, but never got to see them unfortunately.

[mvecht]

@PeterHGTwo of the birding highlights of the year for me is the Crane migration. This is my personal definition of spring and autumn. I have been lucky enough to live along the migration route for most of my life!

[mvecht]

Red Kite migration is in full swing. This bird has made an amazing recovery in Sweden and Denmark and are now relatively common breeders.

Two birds came right over our house today.

IOM #31 Red Kite (Milvus milvus)

 

[mvecht]

I was going through some older photos and found this one from late January.

IOM 32 Bean Goose.

@Galana@michael-ibkor others? can you tell from the photos if they are Taiga or Tundra? Taiga is the more common in this area but both can occur.

 

[michael-ibk]

Sorry @mvecht, not really familiar with this species, we rarely get them at all in Austria. The book depictions would suggest Taiga I think - lots of Orange in the bill.

[Galana]

And my Europe book is 8000 miles north but I will look at it next week.

I agree with @michael-ibk's suggestion.

[mvecht]

@michael-ibkThank you for your suggestion

@GalanaI would be happy to be 8000 miles south of my bird book right now 

[Galana]

On 3/28/2022 at 5:54 PM, mvecht said:

@GalanaI would be happy to be 8000 miles south of my bird book right now 

Having just returned to 45 degree temps and a chill wind, all applicants for that must form an orderly line behind me.

[xelas]

Withdrawal syndrome catches you that quickly, Fred?! However, I am sure that those without being past the Equator for the last two years are allowed to wait in the Priority boarding line .

 

 

[Galana]

40 minutes ago, xelas said:

are allowed to wait in the Priority boarding line 

But that costs money! And there is no guarantee of success in the cross tarmac sprint.

[Soukous]

21 hours ago, Galana said:

Having just returned to 45 degree temps and a chill wind

 

in the space of the past 7 days we've gone from 19 degrees to 1 degree with snow this morning 

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Soukous said:

19 degrees to 1 degree with snow this morning 

I take it that is Centigrade or Celcius as they now call it. I am still a fan of Daniel so lets just agree it is bloody cold. Went to the shops this morning and got chilled but the sunshine was lovely.