BY 2022 - Soukous (even if there are no birds, you can still enjoy the music)

[pedro maia]

Great pictures of the eagle, I would love to see one of those, and a very nice sequence of the Gannet, that one I have it here, saw a few yesterday, but I´m not able to take pictures like those.

[Soukous]

39 minutes ago, pedro maia said:

but I´m not able to take pictures like those.

 

of course you are, just don't use your P950

[PeterHG]

Absolutely wonderful photos of the eagle and the gannets! You may not have seen all you wanted, but you definitely made good use of the opportunities you got.

[michael-ibk]

Agree, really stunning White-Tailed Eagle and Gannets. And very cool to see a Snipe like that.

[Dave Williams]

Nice tally to date Martin. Some excellent species and photos along the way and you are ahead of me so not all bad!

[shazdwn]

Gorgeous photos of gorgeous birds in both Namibia and Mull

[Soukous]

12 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

very cool to see a Snipe like that

 

I didn't manage to see one on North Uist last year but Fred said he'd seen one just sitting on a fence post, so that is where I decided to look. Nice when a plan (in the loosest sense of the word) works out.

[Soukous]

Last year, with a lot of time on my hands due to the Covid situation, I started volunteering for the RSPB. In particular I worked as a volunteer warden looking after breeding sites for Little Terns.

The coast of North Suffolk and East Norfolk is a significant breeding area for Little Terns, and we had 2 sites under our watch; Kessingland, Winterton-on-Sea and Eccles-on-Sea.

 

In addition to these sites, there is another much smaller site at Benacre Broad which is looked after by Natural England, a government organisation.

 

 

This year, my RSPB work is closer to home and I am helping look after 3 sites; Hollesley Marshes, Boynton Marshes and Havergate Island.

 

Hollesley & Boynton are basically scrapes. Shallow excavated areas that seasonally fill with water, but which are usually dry in summer. Both attract a good variety of ducks, geese and shorebirds.

 

Havergate Island used to be excellent for waders, but it is now mostly a breeding area for Gulls; specifically Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls. We currently have 1000 LBBG and around 500 HG.

There is another species that breeds on Havergate, Spoonbills. We currently have 7 nests, far fewer than last year, and they are hidden in a remote corner of the island which we cannot get to. The only way to check on the nests is using a drone. So far I have only managed to see 1 Spoonbill, in flight.

 

The Little Terns have arrived and are setting up their nest sites along our coast, but once again the Benacre Broad site looks very vulnerable to a surge tide.

 

#222 - Little Tern - Sternus albifrons

Benacre Broad, Suffolk. June 2022

 

The site is fenced off, so not possible to get close. 

 

 

#223 - Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus

Havergate Island, Suffolk. June 2022

 

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2022 by Soukous

[Kitsafari]

excellent series of the gannets!

[Soukous]

As mentioned, the number of Spoonbills nesting in our area this year is less than half what it was last year. They are definitely around, I just haven't managed to get close enough for a photo yet. 

 

The nesting site is on Havergate Island and during the day they fly off to various places to feed. 3 sites where they are regularly seen are Hazelwood Marshes, RSPB Boynton Marches and RSPB Hollesley Marshes.

 

 

I guess I'll have to keep trying.

 

My only new species in recent days is one I'm not very excited about

 

#224 - Woodpigeon or Wood Pigeon - Columba palumbus

Woodbridge, UK. June 2022

 

I'd always assumed the name was Wood Pigeon - 2 words, but my books tell me it is just 1 word. 

 

Apart from that not much to report. 

a couple of improvements on # 220

 

 

 

and a Shoveler that kindly flew past when it saw I had nothing to photograph

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by Soukous

[PeterHG]

Beautiful photos of both the sedge warbler and the shoveler!

[Dave Williams]

You have some excellent birding spots your part of the world Martin! Many years ago I visited RSPB North Warren and had the most brilliant sightings of Hobby hunting over a reed bed. There was a board walk around it and the birds were swooping on Dragonflies sighted from trees surrounding the path. I went back a couple of years ago and couldn't find the path or reedbed and consequently, any Hobby. I don't suppose you know if it still exists?

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

You have some excellent birding spots your part of the world Martin! Many years ago I visited RSPB North Warren and had the most brilliant sightings of Hobby hunting over a reed bed. There was a board walk around it and the birds were swooping on Dragonflies sighted from trees surrounding the path. I went back a couple of years ago and couldn't find the path or reedbed and consequently, any Hobby. I don't suppose you know if it still exists?

 

Yes, it does still exist. I went there a few times last year and early this year but parts of the walkway were closed as they could not be repaired during Covid. The viewing platform is a good place to watch Hobbys and also great for Marsh Harriers. 

[michael-ibk]

Beautiful Shoveler! For what it´s worth, ebird (following Clement´s taxonomy) says "Wood-Pigeon", and xeno-cantho (following IOC taxonomy) "Wood Pigeon".

[Soukous]

Last week I was very privileged to spend some hours with @michael-ibkon his home turf. I had got in touch asking for recommended places to explore as I would be passing through on my way down to Ancona.

To my delight Michael not only suggested some likely spots but guided me around them so I had the double pleasure of being in the beautiful Tirol and having a private guide.

 

Our first excursion was to take the cable car(s) from the heart of Innsbruck up to Nordkette, the Top of Innsbruck.

It was a hot sunny afternoon so it was lovely to be up the mountain.

 

My first bird was the most obvious and numerous.

 

#225 - Alpine Chough - Pyrrhocorax graculus

Nordkette, Innsbruck. June 2022

 

 

The next one is a lifer for me and one of the species I had hoped to see. 

We only had one opportunity to photograph them, in very harsh light, even though we waited patiently for another chance.

 

#226 - White-winged Snowfinch - Montifringilla nivalis

Nordkette, Innsbruck. June 2022

 

 

The next species was much more accommodating.

 

#227 - Alpine Accentor - Prunella collaris

Nordkette, Innsbruck. June 2022

 

a juvenile

 

an adult bringing food

 

 

We did see Water Pipits, but they stayed away from us.

 

After a splendid meal chez Michael & Andreas we agreed to meet again in the morning to try our luck in a different area, hopefully to see Black Grouse.

It turned out to be a very grey morning with heavy mist.

 

#228 - Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs

Tirol, Austria. June 2022

 

We get plenty of Chaffinches at home, even in our garden, but I hadn't seen on worth photographing yet, so why not an Austrian one.

 

 

 

The next one is one we saw and heard the previous afternoon, but didn't manage to photograph.

#229 - Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros

Tirol, Austria. June 2022

 

 

I'm including this next one, even though it's a crappy photo,  simply because it is the first one I have seen in years.

#230 - Redpoll - Acanthis flammea

Tirol, Austria. June 2022

 

our next sighting was not avian, although it was occasionally flying

 

 

 

I thought I already had a Pied Wagtail on my BY and so was not sure whether I could include this White Wagtail - (Pied Wagtails (Motacilla alba yarrellii) and White Wagtails (Motacilla alba alba) are different subspecies of the same species, which rather confusingly is known as the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba))

As it turns out I do not yet have Motacilla alba, under either guise, so I can include this with a clear conscience.  Later on I'll probably sneak in the other one too.

 

#231 - White Wagtail - Motacilla alba alba

Tirol, Austria - June 2022

 

 

this next one is a complete newbie to me. We heard them often and eventually Michael tracked them down.

 

#232 - Spotted Nutcracker - Nucifraga caryocatactes

Tirol, Austria. June 2022

 

Our first sighting was in terrible light, but we found a better one

 

#233 - Common House Martin - Delichon urbicum

Tirol, Austria. June 2022

 

Even though we had been looking for them, I was surprised that we got such a lovely sighting.

 

#234 - White-throated Dipper - Cinclus cinclus

Tirol, Austria. June 2022

 

 

 

 

Sadly that brought our time together to an end. Michael had to go to work and I had to continue my journey southwards. 

Thank you Michael.

Edited July 5, 2022 by Soukous

[Soukous]

I found one more from home that I neglected to post

 

#235 - Meadow Pipit -  Anthus pratensis

Suffolk, UK.June 2022

 

 

[michael-ibk]

6 hours ago, Soukous said:

Thank you Michael

 You're welcome Martin, it was a pleasure to show you around. Great photos, glad I could find some of our specialities for you. 

[xelas]

8 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

glad I could find some of our specialities for you. 

 

And I am happy for Martin also, as I look forward to repeat his score !

[Dave Williams]

Michael produced some great birds for you, always good to hear of another ST meet up too. The BY has done wonders on that score.

[Zim Girl]

Lovely pictures from Austria, especially the Dipper.  I can also vouch for Michael being a great host and guide!

[Galana]

On 7/6/2022 at 7:38 AM, Dave Williams said:

The BY has done wonders on that score.

I could not agree more. The cameraderie on BY has been excellent.

[PeterHG]

Some wonderful Alpine species and good company, who could ask for more?

[Soukous]

7 hours ago, PeterHG said:

Some wonderful Alpine species and good company, who could ask for more?

 

Indeed

[Kitsafari]

Lovely shots from Innsbruck but i have to pick my favourite bird the dipper as the standout. 

[Soukous]

Something I've never seen before.

 

2 nights ago after the sun had gone down I watched a 'flock' of small raptors performing aerobatics as they hunted insects in the darkening sky.

Last night, I waited to see if it would happen again. It did. There were between 25-30 Kestrels - I don't know if they were Falco tinnunculus or Falco naumanni, it was too dark to tell for sure - swooping and diving for insects a bit higher than the House Martins & Swallows usually do. This went on for about 15 minutes and then they were all gone.

I have never seen a gathering of Kestrels like this. The only other raptor I've seen in such numbers are Amur Falcons.