Michael's Ninth Year

[PeterHG]

A sad, but well-known story from Malta. Great set of photos, Michael, with the Long-tailed Tit as my absolute favourite!

[xelas]

My vote goes to Coot. It is tough to get its bright red eyes to shine as on your photo.

[PeterHG]

To put the slaughter into perspective: in Italy some 5.6 million birds are killed illegally each year. In the whole Mediterranean area the total is 25 million. Some work still to do….

[Kitsafari]

On 4/21/2024 at 3:50 PM, michael-ibk said:

151/O11) Oriental aka Crested Honey-Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) / Schopfwespenbussard

 

Al Sadaah Park, Oman, 2/3/2024. We were actually looking for Asian Koel in this park (without succees). This was the consolation prize.

 

 

 

We've got loads in our garden if you visit. 

 

you're building up the count fast!

[Kitsafari]

5 hours ago, PeterHG said:

To put the slaughter into perspective: in Italy some 5.6 million birds are killed illegally each year. In the whole Mediterranean area the total is 25 million. Some work still to do….

 

horrifying. it's as awful as the poaching in Vietnam that everyone around the world highlights and deplores. The Europeans should be more vocal about these killings in the Mediterranean area and highlight these illegal massacres!

(sorry Michael for detracting from your excellent BY)

Edited April 25 by Kitsafari

[Galana]

12 hours ago, PeterHG said:

the Long-tailed Tit as my absolute favourite!

Gets my vote too. The Eastern version is much more of a snowball than the British race.

[TonyQ]

Lovely additions @michael-ibk

Another vote for the Long-tailed Tit!

[Peter Connan]

Wonderful photos Michael!

[pedro maia]

A very decent total for Oman an so many great pictures, it’s obvious that you’re getting familiar with the new gear, I’m sure you would have taken great pictures of the caracal…

[michael-ibk]

Thanks @PeterHG, @xelas, @Kitsafari, @Galana, @TonyQ, @Peter Connanand @pedro maia!

 

On 4/24/2024 at 11:50 PM, PeterHG said:

To put the slaughter into perspective: in Italy some 5.6 million birds are killed illegally each year. In the whole Mediterranean area the total is 25 million. Some work still to do….

 

Yeah, it's just awful! And with species like Turtle Doves it's so obvious how they are plummeting!

 

On 4/25/2024 at 5:23 AM, Kitsafari said:

The Europeans should be more vocal about these killings in the Mediterranean area and highlight these illegal massacres!

(sorry Michael for detracting from your excellent BY)

 

No need to apologise Kit. Unfortunately hunters have such a big lobby in the Union and way too many people from these countries believe it's part of their "culture".

 

4 hours ago, pedro maia said:

it’s obvious that you’re getting familiar with the new gear,

 

I've better grasped what it can / cannot do, yes, but I still don't love it.

 

4 hours ago, pedro maia said:

I’m sure you would have taken great pictures of the caracal…

 

I never realized you are such a cruel cuy Pedro! 

[michael-ibk]

188/E52) Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) / Rothuhn

 

Castelldefels, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/24. I had a seminar in Barcelona (yay!) and added on three days of birding. Very lucky with the weather, and had a great guide. Sergi Sales from Barcelona Birding Point. Highly recommended! Catalonia is just a great birdwatching destination (well, most places in Spain or Portugal are I guess).

 

Just one Partridge sighting, and it did not want to cooperate.
 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

189/E53) Iberian Green Woodpecker (Picus sharpei) / Iberiengrünspecht

 

Castelldefels, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/24. A good area for this species. Seems to be a bit easier than our Green Woodpecker.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

190/E54) Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) / Halsbandsittich

 

Castelldefels, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/24. A long-established species. Unlike its Monk cousin it has also spread out to the countryside.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

191/E55) Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) / Einfarbstar

 

Castelldefels, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/24. Not totally spotless in breeding plumage.

 

 

 

Here with a Common Starling:

 

 

[michael-ibk]

192/E56) Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) / Gartenrotschwanz

 

Castelldefels, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/24. Would have preferred the male (which I might post if I manage a good one) but still a nice sighting.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

193/E57) Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) / Brandgans

 

Llobregat Delta, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/2024. Llobregat is a nice nature reserve just next to the airport. Very popular with local birders.

 

 

And a bonus Little Grebe just because it was so close.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

194/E58) Common Swift (Apus apus) / Mauersegler

 

Llobregat Delta, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/2024. Ours are just arriving, present much earlier here.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

195/E59) Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) / Löffler

 

Llobregat Delta, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/2024. Only this single one, am not very lucky with this species this year.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

196/E60) Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus) / Iberienzilpzalp

 

Llobregat Delta, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/2024. A rarity for the area. I'm fairly certain I've seen them before but this is the first 100 % Iberian Chiff. Was singing loud and clear. The longer and brighter eyebrow is a good visual feature.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

197/E61) Eurasian Penduline-Tit (Remiz pendulinus) / Beutelmeise

 

Aiguamolls de Molins de Rei, Catalonia / Spain, 10/4/2024. Always a pretty difficult bird. Really lovely seeing it on the nest. (Watched from the path, they did not pick the most secluded spot.)

 

 

 

 

Edited May 1 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

198/E62) Little Crake (Zapornia parva) / Kleines Sumpfhuhn

 

Lliça d'Amunt, Catalonia / Spain, 13/4/2024. Very lucky with this one. The only known location with this species when I was there. Waited 10 minutes and bam, there it was. Gone as quickly as it had appeared. Very low light though.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

199/E63) Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) / Zwergtrappe

 

RN 2000 Secans Belianes-Preixana, Catalonia / Spain, 13/4/2024. A threatened species and a great bird to see. Sergi was happy, we found 7 males, more than in previous years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their "song" is not very dignified - sounds very much like a fart. 

Edited May 1 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

200/E64) Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) / Rotschnabel-Sonnenvogel

 

Collserola PNat, Catalonia / Spain, 13/4/2024. Not a great photo but a lifer, and lifers in Europe are something to celebrate of course. And yes, even though of course not a native, this is a fully countable species in Catalonia. This species has been around since the 80ies, and populatons here and in France are well established. Very difficult to get, skulky as hell.

 

 

 

[xelas]

Leiothrix is such a colorful bird. Skulky as Nightingale?!

[pedro maia]

Congrats on the second century, Michael. The Leiothrix is also countable here but it wasn’t when I saw one during my second BY.