Zvezda & Alex are still in the game - BY #9

[Kitsafari]

The camera and the photographer are working in perfect harmony

[xelas]

Zbiljsko jezero    23-jan-2024

 

 

Zbilje Lake is a reservoire lake and a popular excursion location about 30 min by car from Ljubljana. Ducks loves it as they got feed by the visitors year round. During winter a few less common visitors can be seen here. 

 

 

Ruddy Shelduck was my primary target. 

BY 021  /  SI 021    

Ruddy Shelduck  -  Tadorna ferruginea

 

A frontal view makes me hope I have scored a Greater Scaup. Then it turned sideways.

BY 022  /  SI 022    

Tufted Duck  -  Aythya fuligula

 

 

 

A triptih of a GWB.

BY 023  /  SI 023    

Mute Swan  -  Cygnus olor

 

 

 

Only because they were there en masse and in good light.

BY 024  -  SI 024    

Mallard  -  Anas platyrhynchos

 

Edited January 25 by xelas

[Peter Connan]

Good light indeed!

Lovely close-ups of the Swan.

[michael-ibk]

On 1/25/2024 at 4:46 PM, xelas said:

A frontal view makes me hope I have scored a Greater Scaup. Then it turned sideways.

 

I know exactly how you feel - always so disappointing.

[xelas]

Domžale    26-jan-2024
 

Birding along the Kamniška Bistrica river in Domžale always brings results. The flow was a bit too fast for the Dipper, well, next time. Both taken with D500 + 200-500

 

 

BY 025  /  SI 025    

Goosander  -  Mergus merganser

ISO: 200
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/400
 

 

BY 026  /  SI 026    

Grey Heron  -  Ardea cinerea

ISO: 220
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/1000
 

[xelas]

Ljubljansko Barje    28-jan-2024
 

These two have visited our garden also at the end of the year. They have returned; the day was sunny and the window was freshly cleaned with a mix of white vinegar and water then polished with a newspaper. 

Nikon D500 + 200-500 f/5.6

 

 

BY 027  /  SI 027    

Brambling  -  Fringilla montifringilla

ISO: 2800
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/500
 

ISO: 3200
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/500

 

BY 028    SI 028    Common Pheasant    Phasianus colchicus

ISO: 1250
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/500
 

ISO: 1400
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/500
 

Edited January 28 by xelas

[TonyQ]

Lovely photos @xelas

I see the cleaning of windows is becoming quite a theme in the Big Year.

[xelas]

11 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

I see the cleaning of windows is becoming quite a theme in the Big Year.

 

Very important topic, Tony . The temps are close to zero, and the birds get scared when trying to open the window, thus photographing through the glass is the only option. 

[xelas]

One more bird, just because the window is clean !

 

BY 029  /  SI 029    

Long-tailed Tit  -  Aegithalos caudatus

ISO: 1250
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/500
 

ISO: 1800
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/500
 

ISO: 1400
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/500
 

[Kitsafari]

I must commend you on the utterly thorough window cleaning - it's as if there is no glass at all!

Lovely garden birds - i want your variety in my garden too. i can only dream. 

[xelas]

6 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

I must commend you on the utterly thorough window cleaning

To Zvezda's disappointment, I have cleaned only 1 window .

[Kitsafari]

3 minutes ago, xelas said:

To Zvezda's disappointment, I have cleaned only 1 window .

 

 

[xelas]

After 3 weeks of cold weather the temperatures goes up, and we have returned to our favourite birding location. All photos taken by Zvezda with OM-1 and 100-400 zoom.

 

 

Škocjanski zatok    4-feb-2024
 

 

BY 030  /  SI 030    

Sandwich Tern  -  Thalasseus sandvicensis

ISO: 400
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/2000
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

 

 

BY 031  /  SI 031    

Eurasian Curlew  -  Numenius arquata

ISO: 640
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/800
Exp. Comp.: +0.3
 

 

BY 032  /  SI 032    

Greylag Goose  -  Anser anser

ISO: 1250
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/2000
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
 

ISO: 1250
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/2000
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
 

 

BY 033  /  SI 033    

Water Rail  -  Rallus acquaticus

ISO: 12800
Aperture: 6.1
Shutter: 1/1000
Exp. Comp.: +0.3
 

 

BY 034  /  SI 034    

Willow Warbler  -  Phylloscopus trochilus

ISO: 400
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/1000
Exp. Comp.: +0.3
 

 

BY 035  /  SI 035    

Common Firecrest  -  Regulus ignicapilla

ISO: 800
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/1000
Exp. Comp.: -0.3
 

[Soukous]

a lovely firecrest

[xelas]

I have not gave up on getting a lifer at home turf, thus the recent info on eBird sent me back to Zbiljsko jezero. This time, I hope, it is not yet another Tufted Duck.

 

 

BY 036  /  SI 036    

Greater Scaup  -  Aythya marila    

 

 

Zbiljsko jezero    6-feb-2024
 

[BRACQUENE]

Some great additions , the firecrest of course but on top that Water Rail which I heard a lot but never have seen 

[Galana]

23 hours ago, xelas said:

This time, I hope, it is not yet another Tufted Duck.

Hmmm?

The male if definitely Tufted. The breast of a f Scaup is a much more defined brown with the back less clearly demarcated than your subjects. Tip of bill more obvious in Tufties. 

[xelas]

 

Thanks for your comments @Galana.

These are my pointers: the Greater Scaup (top two birds on bottom photo) has rounded head, larger bill, and none of the two birds, during the observation (cca. 30 minutes) showed any hint of a tuft from any angle.

The bird on the right shows white at the base of the bill, while the similarly looking Tufted (see previous post from Zbiljsko jezero) the white feathers are located only above the bill.

There is a patch of white on the cheek of the right bird. Both birds are visibly bigger than any of Tufted Ducks there (more that 50 birds).

 

 

Edited February 7 by xelas

[Kitsafari]

wow on the sandwich tern's BIF!

 

[xelas]

Winter is slowly ending, and it is time to clean up the "I might get a better photo" drawer.

 

Ljubljansko Barje    1-jan-2024

 

 

BY 037  /  SI 037    

Marsh Tit  -  Poecile palustris

 

BY 038  /  SI 038    

European Greenfinch  -  Chloris chloris

[xelas]

Škocjanski zatok    16-jan-2024
 

 

BY 039  /  SI 039    

Eurasian Coot  -  Fulica atra

 

BY 040  /  SI 040    

Eurasian Wigeon  -  Mareca penelope

 

BY 041  /  SI 041    

Common Woodpigeon  -  Columba palumbus

 

BY 042  /  SI 042    

Yellow-legged Gull  -  Larus michahellis

 

BY 043  /  SI 043    

Northern Shoveler  -  Spatula clypeata

 

[xelas]

Ankaran    16-jan-2024
 

 

BY 044  /  SI 044    

Black-headed Gull  -  Chroicocephalus ridibundus

 

BY 045  /  SI 045    

Grey Wagtail  -  Motacilla cinerea

 

BY 046  /  SI 046    

Little Egret  -  Egretta garzetta

[xelas]

Zbiljsko jezero    23-jan-2024
 

BY 047  /  SI 047    

Common Pochard  -  Aythya ferina

 

 

Ljubljansko Barje    23-jan-2024
 

BY 048  /  SI 048    

Eurasian Tree Sparrow  -  Passer montanus

 

 

Škocjanski zatok    4-feb-2024
 

BY 049  /  SI 049    

Little Grebe  -  Tachybaptus ruficollis

 

BY 050  /  SI 050    

Meadow Pipit  -  Anthus pratensis

[michael-ibk]

The unpronouncable place always delivers!

[BRACQUENE]

Congratulations with your half century !