Michael's Ninth Year

[PeterHG]

An admirable score for three days in Catalonia, with many good species. Agree on the vulture and moon shot, that is a really special moment.

[michael-ibk]

2 hours ago, xelas said:

Lesser Kestrel.

 

Well, that one I never expect in Austria - don't forget, that's a huge rarity to be reported to our birding committee, so our sighting back then was pretty special.

 

30 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

looks like you had a great trip to Spain - love the vulture in front of the moon. How long did you wait for that shot?

 

Thanks @Tdgravesand @PeterHG ! About 20 minutes I'd say, was quite happy that one actually did what I wanted it to do!

Edited May 4 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

235/E100) Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) / Säbelschnäbler

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 25/4/2024. Onwards and upwards. As already told in Alex's thread I finally made a Spring return to my favourite birding place in Austria - Seewinkel. This Avocet welcomed me. Had a distant sighting in Oman, much better this way.

 

[michael-ibk]

236/E101) Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) / Jagdfasan

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 25/4/2024. Even though it is a pretty bird I always forget about Pheasants. Very common in the area.

 

[michael-ibk]

237/E102) Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) / Kolbenente

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 25/4/2024. One of our prettier Ducks. Doing well this year, finally they have a lot of suitable habitat again in the area.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

238/E103) Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides) / Rohrschwirl

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 25/4/2024. Often quite a tough bird but made it easy for me this time. One was singing so closely I even took a video with my mobile!

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

239/E104) Ruff (Calidris pugnax) / Kampfläufer

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. Another Oman leftover. I love how variable the males are. The most common wader during my visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

240/E105) Dunlin (Calidris alpina) / Alpenstrandläufer

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. Also seen in Oman.

 

 

Edited May 5 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

241/E106) Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) / Grauammer

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. This bird was also easy around the Lleida steppes but it's Austria's bird of the year 2024, so more fitting it comes with this batch. Chosen because it's enblematic for the disastrous state of our meadow birds. Decline of almost 90 percent in the last 20 years.

 

 

Another candidate for a mobile video - they can be really confiding.

 

 

Edited May 5 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

242/E107) Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) / Feldlerche

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. Very common in the area. Love when their song is all over.

 

[michael-ibk]

243/E108) Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) / Zwergmöwe

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. If you are wondering about the weird position in the frame - well, I only caught it flying out of it and this was the only way I could crop.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

244/E108) Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) / Turmfalke

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. The head is absolutely still when they are hovering so I tried with 1/3200 and one with 1/250.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

245/E109) Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca) / Klappergrasmücke

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. A common migrant and sparse breeder in the region.

 

[michael-ibk]

246/E110) Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) / Kiebitz

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. Still a very common breeding bird here.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

A non-counting post. This visit to Seewinkel made me very, very happy. The region has been plagued by drought in the last few years. Most soda lakes were dry even in spring, and the lake itself was getting lower and lower. A catastrophe for wildlife, farmers, and tourism in the area. The state of Seewinkel has become a very controversial political issue. There are plans to divert water from the Danube into the area. Biologists are strongly advising against that since it would in all likelihood destroy the saline habitat which makes the area so special in the first place. But since it sounds like a good idea to most people not educated on the issue it will still likely happen sooner or later. It's the way politics work unfortunately.

But this year the area has been blessed with a temporary respite at least. We had good rains in Winter and Spring, all soda lakes are full, many of the meadows submerged - it has become the paradise I love again. And it was just beautiful birding here. I can only hope (against reason really) that this will not have been the last good spring the area has seen.

 

A few mobile shots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

247/E111) Little Owl (Athene noctua) / Steinkauz

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. Very cool sighting, my first one for Austria! Totally accidental, saw a weird bird on a pole flying to a barn and waited for it to show up again. Very much worth it.

 

 

Also had a sighting in Catalonia. Good camouflage here:

 

 

[michael-ibk]

248/E112) Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) / Purpurreiher

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. By now Alex had joined up with me. A good thing - always more fun birding together. So if you are getting deva vu now, several shots will be quite similar to those posted in this thread. Purple Heron was also seen in Oman and Catalonia.

 

[michael-ibk]

249/E113) Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus) / Blutspecht

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. Very similar to Great Spotted Woodpecker, slightly different hue of red and incomplete black cheek band. Not quite my best effort for this species.

 

[michael-ibk]

250/E114) Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) / Schilfrohrsänger

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/4/2024. Probably the most common, or at least obvious, reed bird in spring.

 

 

[pedro maia]

You did very well in Catalonia, it´s indeed great for birding, I was there last weekend but looking for specific species. I´m envious of the Western Orphean Warbler, we have them here but Inever saw one.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Thanks Pedro! I hope we will see what you were looking for in your thread Pedro. Orphean is a really tough bird, I was lucky to get a shot.

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on blasting past the 200, and since Seewinkel I guess you will soon be past 250 as well.

Thanks for the bunnies. But even more so the Ibex. That's like saying "sorry for the bicycle with the bent front wheel, here is a Porsche 911".

[Galana]

Good to be reminded of what Spain can offer a patient birder. Loved the Seewinkel landscapes too.

[Kitsafari]

A brilliant count from just 3 days - catalonia remains one of our favourite places to bird. Cute bunnies!

Seewinkel is looking lovely, and is calling to me. sadly, not this year.....

 

 

[PeterHG]

Tempting photos from Seewinkel, both the birds and the scenery. Good effort with the low shutter speed on the kestrel!