Michael's Ninth Year

[michael-ibk]

Ok, here we go again ...

 

1/E1) Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) / Seidenschwanz

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/2024. Ok, I'm the third one to start my year with them so probably a bit boring. Not for me though - Lifer, and one of my most wanted ones here! Had them in mind yesterday but did not believe I would find them. Considered driving even one hour from Chiemsee (which is already 90 minutes from home) where a sighting had been reported the previous day. Fortunately no need for that, suddenly heard an unusual call, ran after that, and had a flock of at least 10! A bit high up, but still - wonderful experience, this is what makes birding so wonderful.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 26 by michael-ibk

[TonyQ]

Well done, I am very pleased for you. They are wonderful birds.

[Peter Connan]

A lifer at home? That's very cool!

[BRACQUENE]

What a great bird to find Michael !!

[Zim Girl]

Certainly not bored with Waxwings, Michael.  Just wish we could find one, starting to feel left out .

Great start to BY24.

 

[Galana]

Good to start a BY with a Lifer at home.

Extra point awarded.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks @TonyQ, @Peter Connan, @BRACQUENE, @Zim Girland @Galana!

 

On to some regulars:

 

2/E2) Great Tit (Parus Major) / Kohlmeise

 

Baldramsdorf, Carinthia/Austria, 1/1/24. The most common garden bird. Officially, every year birdlife Austria asks people to count birds in their garden for one hour in early January, and Great Tit came out on top.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

3/E3) Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) / Blaumeise

 

Baldramsdorf, Carinthia/Austria, 1/1/24. Our most colourful Tit.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

4/E4) Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) / Sumpfmeise

 

Baldramsdorf, Carinthia/Austria, 1/1/24. The Willow Tit twin.

 

[michael-ibk]

5/E5) Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) / Buntspecht

 

Baldramsdorf, Carinthia/Austria, 1/1/24. The only "easy" Woodpecker for me.

 

[michael-ibk]

6/E6) European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) / Rotkehlchen

 

Baldramsdorf, Carinthia/Austria, 1/1/24. I could certainly wait for a better photo but I'm impatient.

 

[michael-ibk]

7/E7) Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) / Goldammer

 

Baldramsdorf, Carinthia/Austria, 1/1/24. Normally a spring bird for me. I always wonder - why "hammer"?

 

[michael-ibk]

8/E8) Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) / Wintergoldhähnchen

 

Telfer Wiesen, Tirol/Austria, 13/1/24. Always wonder how such a tiny thing can get through our Winter.

 

[michael-ibk]

9/E9) Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) / Löffelente

 

Rossau, Innsbruck/Austria, 14/1/24. Not around in my area normally but this one apparently decided to spend the Winter here.

 

[michael-ibk]

10/E10) Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla) / Gartenbaumläufer

 

Rossau, Innsbruck/Austria, 14/1/24. Missed this one last year.

 

[michael-ibk]

11/E11) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) / Stockente

 

Rossau, Innsbruck/Austria, 14/1/24. No other Ducks but this one existed before I got into birding.

 

[michael-ibk]

12/E12) Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) / Tafelente

 

Rossau, Innsbruck/Austria, 14/1/24. Just saw that it's classified as "vulnerable". Not sure if that's new but I am seeing fewer and fewer of these.

 

[michael-ibk]

13/E13) Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) / Reiherente

 

Rossau, Innsbruck/Austria, 14/1/24. Still common.

 

[michael-ibk]

14/E14) Gadwall (Mareca strepera) / Schnatterente

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/24. Chiemsee is always good for waterfowl in Winter. Thousands and thousands of them are staying here. It was an icy cold but beautiful day.

 

[michael-ibk]

15/E15) Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) / Moorente

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/24. Supposedly very rare in Austria (and Southern Germany) but I have no trouble finding one each and every year. So maybe not so rare anymore.

 

[michael-ibk]

16/E16) Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) / Gänsesäger

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/24. Male and female.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

17/E17) Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) / Haubentaucher

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/24. Still missing the more colourful crest.

 

[michael-ibk]

18/E18) Long-Tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) / Eisente

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/24. Delighted about this one, only my second sighting, and there had been no reports of it.

 

[michael-ibk]

19/E19) Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) / Schellente

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/24. Really like this Duck, and it was very nice seeing them do their courtship thing. This was the first time I really tried my 1,4 Converter and was pleasantly surprised. Never used my converter on the 7D, found that my cropped photos were better than the ones taken with the converter. But really does seem to make a difference with the R7. Lots of light needed of course.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

20/E20) Smew (Mergellus albellus) / Zwergsäger

 

Chiemsee/Germany, 21/1/24. Another really good one for me, have never seen a female. No male around.