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

[Kitsafari]

great shots and birds. the eider is a strange-looking bird. 

[michael-ibk]

Agree, very cool Eiders!

[Soukous]

The weather has not been kind recently, alternating between torrential rain and gale force winds. It seems to have settled down just a little today; still very grey but no significant wind or rain. 

 

An opportunity to add some not very exciting species to my BY.

 

I didn't go looking for this one, it was just there

# 28 - Herring Gull - Silbermowe - Larus argentatus 

Schleswig Holstein, Germany. Feb 2022

 

[Soukous]

#29 - Great Black-backed Gull - Mantelmowe - Larus marinus

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany. Feb 2022

 

I had thought for a moment that this might be a Baltic Gull, it is by the Baltic after all, but sadly not.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Soukous

[Soukous]

a bit more excitement about this one, from me anyway.

 

I spotted a black duck sitting on the beach about 100 metres away and then a different duck diving offshore, which eventually came to sit near the other one

Both were a bit distant and it was pretty overcast, but they turned out to be Common Scoters, male & female.

 

#30 - Common Scoter - Trauerente - Melanitta nigra

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany. Feb 2022

 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Soukous

[TonyQ]

Lovely additions to your total. Well done with the Scoter.

You took good advantage of the light with the Goosander

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Soukous said:

a bit more excitement about this one,

So excited you forgot to number it.

30. 

[Soukous]

11 hours ago, Galana said:

So excited you forgot to number it.

30. 

 

so I did. 

[Soukous]

a few additions to keep the meter ticking over.

 

#31 - Little Grebe - Zwergtaucher - Tachybaptus ruficolis

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany. Feb 2022

 

I was a little surprised to see a few of these little birds out on the open sea. I'm far more accustomed to them on inland waters.

 

 

[Soukous]

After standing on the beach in the cold for quite a while I went to check out the lagoon, where there was just one Gull. I returned to the beach maybe 10 minutes later and saw that another birder had arrived, with a very large lens. 

"Seeadler" he said, and sure enough there it was. 

 

apparently while I'd made my brief visit to the lagoon a pair of Eagles had put in an appearance, the other was gone and this one was disappearing fast. 

 

#32 - White-tailed Eagle - Seeadler - Haliaeetus albicilla

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany. Feb 2022

 

 

 

We got to chatting - as much as one can chat when the Englishman has little German and the German has little English. Apparently although he did study English for 8 years in school, he never had the chance to speak it as East Germans got no chance to meet foreigners. 

 

Anyhoo, he made my day  - NOT!
When I told him I'd been in a town called Heiligenhafen the previous week he said that he'd been there the previous day because a rare bird had been sighted. A King Eider had sat there for most of the day whilst birders from all over northern Germany flocked to see it.

That's me folks, always in the wrong place. Or maybe that should be 'right place, wrong time'

 

 

[Soukous]

Another sea duck.

 

#33 - Scaup - Bergente - Aythya marila

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany. Feb 2022

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

On my way back along the beach there were a few of these guys poking around in the shells & weed. I ummed and ahhed whether I should bother, but eventually took a photo. Of course I did. 

 

#34 - Hooded Crow - Nebelkrahe - Corvus cornix

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Feb 2022.

 

[Galana]

Of course you did. And why not?

[PeterHG]

Very good additions and great photos of the Scaup!

[Kitsafari]

great shots of the scaup but a shame you didn't know about the king eiders - they're gorgeous eiders!

 

13 hours ago, Soukous said:

On my way back along the beach there were a few of these guys poking around in the shells & weed. I ummed and ahhed whether I should bother, but eventually took a photo. Of course I did. 

 

#34 - Hooded Crow - Nebelkrahe - Corvus cornix

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Feb 2022.

 

 

even the hooded crow looked surprised you took a shot of it

[Soukous]

A cold an rainy day - it makes me even happier that I made the most of yesterday's sunshine - and none of the sites I visited inspired me to linger.

 

I was quite surprised to see a pair of cranes 70 metres or so from the road. This area is right on their migration route and local businesses really capitalise on the annual event, but they should be long gone by now.

 

No complaint from me though as it means I did get something from my day.

 

#35 - (Common) Crane - Kranich - Grus grus

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany. Feb 2022

 

 

 

[Soukous]

This bird did not look at all happy about having to go hunting in the rain

 

#36 - Kestrel - Turmfalke - Falco tinnunculus

Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany. Feb 2022

 

 

[Zim Girl]

I think that is a lovely picture of the Hooded crow, but shame about missing out on the King Eider.

[xelas]

Great start, Martin. I can see there will be more birds and less music this year .

[Soukous]

14 hours ago, xelas said:

Great start, Martin. I can see there will be more birds and less music this year .

 

I hope so, I love Indian birds but I'm not too keen on Indian music.  That's a hint. 

[Soukous]

#37 - Pochard - Aythya ferina

Lake Constance, Germany. Feb 2022

 

I was looking for Ferruginous Ducks, but didn't find any.

Plenty of Pochards though

 

Mr

 

Mrs

 

[Soukous]

#38 - Greylag Goose - Anser anser

Lake Constance, Germany. Feb 2022

 

I've been ignoring them up to now, but it was inevitable that I'd grab a photo at some point

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

#39 - Red Kite - Milvus milvus

Lake Constance, Germany. Feb 2022

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

#40 - Middle-spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos medius

Lake Constance, Germany. Feb 2022

 

Unfortunately this little beauty wasn't cooperative and stayed high up among the foliage

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Soukous

[Galana]

Relocating has paid off with more birds.