On the eastern edge of the western palearctic are living bird families closely related to the species you find on a regular basis in the western palearctic too. Sometimes these birds cross or touch the borders of the western palearctic only. Sometimes they occur during an influx as vagrants touching down often to islands of… Continue reading Siberian specialities on Bird-Lens
Category: Bird Migration
Observations of migration birds, aspects of migration
Influx of Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) this winter?
According to discussion in EuroTwitch there is a good chance that twitchers of the north of Middle Europe can observe Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) this winter/ late fall on their homegrounds. This should be not only true for Denmark but also at least for the northern part of Germany for this autumn/winter as there are very… Continue reading Influx of Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) this winter?
Cranes on Happy Island, Chinas´s Helgoland, Part I
China’s Helgoland? Is there such a thing? Well, it depends on what you consider to be the specific characteristic of the “Shijiu Tuo Island” or “Bodhi Island” (in English simply “Happy Island”) mentioned island. Shijiu Tuo Island or simple Happy Island, about 3 hours drive from the seaside resort of Beidaihe located on the Yellow… Continue reading Cranes on Happy Island, Chinas´s Helgoland, Part I
Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skuas) in Romania: a nice surprise
September is fall migration time in Romania´s Black Sea coast. Thus it is prime birdwatching time. After having seen the spectacular mass migration of Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus, in an area south of the Danube Delta with its wide stretch of a sandy shoreline with shallow lagoons we arrived at the sandy beach near the… Continue reading Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skuas) in Romania: a nice surprise
Fall migration at the Black Sea Coast/ Romania
Spectacular numbers of Pallid Harrier, Circus macrourus, and Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus, were the highlight of the first day. Having spent 3 days in May north of Constanta at Romania´s Black Sea coast, it was decided to try our luck with birds again in the area around the village of Vadu. The target was, to… Continue reading Fall migration at the Black Sea Coast/ Romania
Migration of raptors over the Macin Mountains National Park
Because Macin Mountains is famous as an important migration hotspot for raptors in autumn, we decided to visit this site after a visit in May again at the end of September. An excellent choice. Arriving only at around 11:00h the activity of the “normal” birds were low. But the highlight, we were looking for, was… Continue reading Migration of raptors over the Macin Mountains National Park
Booted Warbler and other vagrants on Helgoland
During a trip from October 08th till 13th 2012 to experience migrating birds on Helgoland several remarkable sighting could be noted. A Booted Warbler, Hippolais caligata, was seen at the red sandstone cliff at the southern corner of Helgoland, at the so-called “Kringel” on the 9th of October 2012. On the same day a Siberian… Continue reading Booted Warbler and other vagrants on Helgoland
Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor on Helgoland
During a trip in the 1st half of October 2012 to experience migrating birds on Helgoland several remarkable sighting could be noted. Just one sighting very short. A beautiful Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor, could be seen in perfect light in the afternoon of the 13th of October in the area of the former Suedhafen… Continue reading Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor on Helgoland
Blue Tit migration on southern tip of Falsterbo/ Sweden
During the last week of September 2012, huge numbers of Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) have been observed in Nabben at the peninsula of Falsterbo, the south-western tip of Sweden. 24,000 individuals has been migrating at Nabben which is 10% more than what is seen in a whole year in average. In the Migration Counts run… Continue reading Blue Tit migration on southern tip of Falsterbo/ Sweden
Ring Ouzel migrating through the Taunus near Frankfurt/ Main
Sunny weather and clear sky seduced for a nice hike on midday of September 30th through the upper Taunus near Bad Camberg, only 25 km north of the center of the city of Frankfurt. Having parked the car near Riedelbach, the nice Riedelbacher Heide on more than 500m above sea level (asl) was a resting… Continue reading Ring Ouzel migrating through the Taunus near Frankfurt/ Main
Black Kite on migration along Black Sea coast Romania
During a trip from September 21st till 24th 2012 to experience migrating birds in Romania a remarkable sighting could be noted. A juvenile Black Kite was seen flying against heavy wind southward on his migration route along the Black Sea coast near the town of Eforie over Lake (Lacul) Techirghiol. Lacul Techirghiol and Eforie are… Continue reading Black Kite on migration along Black Sea coast Romania
Rare buntings in the western Palearctic
For middle Europe, Urs N. Glutz von Blotzheim listed 16 species of buntings of the genus Emberiza plus the Corn Bunting, Miliaria calandra, of the genus Miliaria, the Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis, of the genus Plectrophenax the Lapland Bunting (also known as Lapland Longspur), Calcarius lapponicus, of the genus Plectrophenax in his „Handbuch der Vögel… Continue reading Rare buntings in the western Palearctic