White-tailed Lapwing in Nature Reserve near Frankfurt / Main

The bird with the scientific name Vanellus leucurus is a big attraction right now in Nature Reserve Mittlere Horloffaue near the small town of Hungen. On an area called „Kuhweide“ an adult White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)  could be (and still can be) observed on April 27th, 2014 just 40 km from the city center of… Continue reading White-tailed Lapwing in Nature Reserve near Frankfurt / Main

Weissschwanzkiebitz auf der Kuhweide in der Wetterau

Seit mindestens Samstag, den 26. April 2013, hält sich inmitten des NSG Mittlere Horloffaue, auf der Kuhweide bei Hungen ein adulter Weißschwanzkiebitz (Vanellus leucurus) auf. Auch am folgenden Sonntag hielt sich diese Ausnahmeerscheinung zwischen anderen Limikolen und Enten in den Gräben und vor allem zwischen den Seggen entlang der Gräben auf. Sie konnte heute kurz… Continue reading Weissschwanzkiebitz auf der Kuhweide in der Wetterau

Hazel Grouse: the results

In total we visited 5 different locations where the local guides had encountered several individuals of the Hasezl Grouse the last weeks or even years. The last encounter sometimes was only 3 days before. 4 of the locations were locations like a lek – where you could hear the mating song and the mating

Hazel Grouse: the hide

Additionally finding Hazel Grouse means knowing the behavior of the Hazel Grouse. E.g. the Hazel Grouse is – although a shy bird – quite responsive or even aggressive during the mating season which has a first peak in September and then again in March/ April. In this time you can hear the mating call or… Continue reading Hazel Grouse: the hide

Hazel Grouse: the habitat

Finding Hazel Grouse is equivalent of knowing the habits of the Hazel Grouse which means also knowing and recognizing the habitat of the Hazel Grouse. The search for the right habitat is not eased by the fact, that the Hazel Grouse has at least 3 different habitat requirements during the year in the different seasons.… Continue reading Hazel Grouse: the habitat

Finding Hazel Grouse in the Carpathians

Hazel Grouses (Bonasa bonasia) are certainly one of the most thought-after bird species for naturalist and bird photographers in western Palearctic. This is in parts due to the fact, that this bird is one of the few autochthon representatives of the Phasianidae family in Middle Europe. And: actually it is a very beautiful bird. Unfortunately… Continue reading Finding Hazel Grouse in the Carpathians

Caspian Seashore & Volga delta in May

Bird richness on the northern shore of the Caspian Sea is amazing. Caspian Sea is counted the largest inland body of water in the world. More than 100 rivers provide inflow to the Caspian, with the Volga River being the largest. Pristine floodplain forests, flooded grasslands to the horizon, eagles on almost every tree. A… Continue reading Caspian Seashore & Volga delta in May

Zwergtrappenfotografie in der Estremadura

Die Sonne steht noch hoch am Himmel, obgleich es fast 18:00 Uhr ist. Soweit das Auge reicht: Steppe, unterbrochen hin und wieder von erodierten Felsen. Über dem Boden flimmert die Luft. Im Auto herrscht unbeschreibliche Hitze. Nachdem letztes Jahr die Winterniederschläge der Estremadura ausgeblieben sind, wirkt alles vertrocknet. Und doch wimmelt es von Bodeninsekten, vornehmlich… Continue reading Zwergtrappenfotografie in der Estremadura

Alpine Accentor on migration on top of the Grosser Feldberg near Frankfurt / Main

No less than 3 Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) could be observed on April 11th, 2014 at the Grosser Feldberg just 20 km from the city center of Frankfurt / Main. After Ingo Roessler had found the species in searching for Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus, around the little town of Schmitten, several ornithologists had already been… Continue reading Alpine Accentor on migration on top of the Grosser Feldberg near Frankfurt / Main

Alpenbraunelle (Prunella collaris) am Großen Feldberg bei Frankfurt / Main

Sage und schreibe 3 Alpenbraunellen waren 11. April 2014 am Großen Feldberg gerade mal 20 km entfernt von der Innenstadt von Frankfurt / Main zu beobachten. Nachdem Ingo Rössler die Art bei der Suche nach Ringdrosseln, Turdus torquatus, entdeckt hatte, waren schon mehrere Ornithologen auf dem über 800m NN hohen Gipfel gewesen, um die hier… Continue reading Alpenbraunelle (Prunella collaris) am Großen Feldberg bei Frankfurt / Main

Birkhähne am Balzplatz

In Deutschland ist es fast eine aussterbende Erfahrung: das Birkhahngurren ((Tetrao tetrix) im zeitigen Frühjahr. Der autochtone Bestand in der Rhön ist fast erloschen. Nur in den Alpen lebt noch eine vitale Population dieses mittelgroßen Raufußhuhns. Will man Fotos von der Birkhahnbalz machen, sollte man auch aus naturschützerischen Gesichtspunkten nach Skandinavien fahren und nicht auch noch… Continue reading Birkhähne am Balzplatz

Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) photography in Extremadura

The sun is still high in the sky, although it is almost 6:00 pm. As far as the eye can see : steppe, interrupted now and then by eroded rocks . Above the ground , the air shimmers . In the car there is indescribable heat. After last year’s winter precipitation had failed in the… Continue reading Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) photography in Extremadura