There are only remnants of the former alluvial forest belt along the Rhine between Bonn and Düsseldorf. Thick clouds stand over the Rhine near Cologne-Porz. A humid temperature, as it is not unusual for the Cologne Bay in summer. Reluctantly at first: drizzle. Then a rain shower pelts the relics of an alluvial forest in… Continue reading Dancing in the Rain: a Coot
Category: Bird Behaviour
How birds behave, strange features, fighting, eating….
A memory of a Pterosaur
An image that could have come from a book about pterosaurs due to the monochrome background of a late afternoon sky. A larger winged animal is being chased by a tern against a pinkish-gray sky. The body posture or the cutout from a body turn seems almost artistic and unusual. Although, the background of the… Continue reading A memory of a Pterosaur
Pied Wheatear only 150 km south of Berlin
According to ornitho.de a Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka) can now be seen far north of its regular distribution/ breeding area. This male individual, now molting into new plumage, can currently be seen on the Alte Elbe near Kathewitz; approx. 10 km as the crow flies from Torgau in northern Saxonia. When I came to the… Continue reading Pied Wheatear only 150 km south of Berlin
Prey and spectrum of food of European Bee-eater
The name already reveals part of the food spectrum of the magnificent birds. Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) lead a short, eventful life in Germany. The colorful birds only arrive in our latitudes in the second half of May. Bee-eaters feed exclusively on insects, specializing in the hunting of large and medium-sized flying insects. Bees, bumblebees, beetles,… Continue reading Prey and spectrum of food of European Bee-eater
Ospreys attack White-tailed Eagle at the nest
Their nests are never far from water. The bulky structures are often high on a pylon for the power supply. Sometimes the nests are scattered over the landscape, sometimes they are not far from a road or a village. A nest of the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) not far from a parallel main road made me… Continue reading Ospreys attack White-tailed Eagle at the nest
Little Grebe: offspring in Brandenburg
A high rhythmic whine can be heard as soon as I enter the reservoir. But nothing can be seen. Then a ripple of the water surface in front of the reed belt can be seen. The duckweed rises and falls noticeably. Then a small, dark-black bird appears. It has a maroon neck and a bright… Continue reading Little Grebe: offspring in Brandenburg
Young Nightingale in the countryside of Brandenburg
Laterally, the warm first sunlight falls on the exposed hedge. A fence post stands picturesquely in front of it. For a long time, I look out of a hide at the place illuminated with the rise of the sun. The hedgerow is still in the shade. Suddenly, there is a grey-brownish bird standing on a… Continue reading Young Nightingale in the countryside of Brandenburg
Little Terns breeding in Brandenburg
The gravel and sand pit opens up a view like over a prehistoric river landscape. Between shallow water areas, sandy areas, reeds the blue water sparkles. The edges of the pit are separated by heaped dams from the agricultural land. Suddenly a bird emerges at about the edge of the dam, which is characterized by… Continue reading Little Terns breeding in Brandenburg
Photographing European Bee-eater: How and Where
A thin branch in the most beautiful evening light and on it a European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster). This is an image many nature photographers want to shoot. This raises the question of course of what the Bee-eater’s habits and preferences are. If you take a closer look at Bee-eater photography, you ask yourself e.g. how… Continue reading Photographing European Bee-eater: How and Where
Blackbird with a thick maggot in the beak
A thick, fat maggot has been washed out of the earth on the former compost heap. The male Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) had only briefly scratched the surface with its yellow beak and had already very skillfully removed a thick maggot – probably a large beetle larva – from a dark-black layer of earth. It… Continue reading Blackbird with a thick maggot in the beak
Great Crested Grebe in breeding season
A Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) sits upright on its nest and hatches the cubs. Elegant feathers adorn the head on the long, thin neck. At the beginning of spring, harsh screams came from the reeds. On silent days one could hear the deep cries far over the smooth water of the lake. A couple… Continue reading Great Crested Grebe in breeding season
On confrontation: the Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla)
The leaves in the riparian forest are still sparse. The warm spring sun shines beautifully down to the ground. Everything is full of life. Now it is important to find the perfect breeding site and the right territory – and above all to keep it. A Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) enters the territory of a conspecific.… Continue reading On confrontation: the Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla)