It’s early morning, and the pebble-strewn shore is alive with the soft chatter of shorebirds. Among them, a strong flock of Sanderlings (Calidris alba) scurries back and forth, their pale plumage blending into the beach’s muted tones. Darting in sync with the rhythm of the waves, they feed eagerly on small invertebrates. Just beyond them,… Continue reading Sanderlings and a Lone Dunlin: A Moment on the Pebble Ballycastle Beach, Mayo
Category: Bird Behaviour
How birds behave, strange features, fighting, eating….
Photographing a Hawfinch by the Water
It was one of those warm late summer days, when the heat slowly cools and the golden sun streams through the canopy. I heard a rustling at the edge of the forest, and there it was – a Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes). With its powerful head and massive beak, it appears rather stocky, but as it… Continue reading Photographing a Hawfinch by the Water
Young Silver-beaked Tanager female with a crossbill-like beak
I spot her at the edge of a forest together with Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus). She moves with quick, precise hops along a concrete sidewalk in the mining town of Carajás, near the city of Parauapebas on the lower Amazon. At first glance, she looks like any other young female Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo). The… Continue reading Young Silver-beaked Tanager female with a crossbill-like beak
Dot-eared Coquette in Gunma Ecological Park
The middy heat was just beginning to press down after a cloudy morning when we reached the edge of a new-established outskirts, in the Gunma Ecological Park near Belém. The small village here might have its charms, but the real draw for birders is far more delicate: the Dot-eared Coquette (Lophornis gouldii). I had been… Continue reading Dot-eared Coquette in Gunma Ecological Park
Black-collared Hawk mobbed by Kingbird
I’m standing on the riverbank near Monte Alegre, Pará, watching the sky shift through the heavy Amazon humidity. The air smells of wet earth and fruiting trees, and everything seems to hum. Then something rufous wings over the riparian wood. A Black-collared Hawk (Busarellus nigricollis) glides low over the water, scanning for fish. Its slow,… Continue reading Black-collared Hawk mobbed by Kingbird
Eurasian Hoopoe feeding the offspring
Anyone who observes a Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) raising its young quickly notices how purposeful these striking birds are in their actions. An adult bird repeatedly returns to the nesting site with a green caterpillar in its beak. At first glance, it almost appears as though it is catching the same type of prey every… Continue reading Eurasian Hoopoe feeding the offspring
Sulphur-breasted Parakeet in the Amazon
In the lush canopy of tropical forests, the vibrant colors of the Sulphur-breasted Parakeet (Aratinga maculata) shimmer against the deep green backdrop. Picture this: a group of these lively birds flutters about a fruiting mango tree, their bright yellow underparts contrasting with their green wings and backs. They chatter excitedly as they feast on ripe… Continue reading Sulphur-breasted Parakeet in the Amazon
Spotted Flycatcher in attack
You’re sitting comfortably in your garden chair, listening to the bustling feeding of the great tits – and suddenly the drama starts. A Spotted Flycatcher darts up, chases the tit away from its nesting box, snarls, barks, and sometimes just flies bows of indignation. This isn’t a hunting scene, it’s not a coincidence – it’s… Continue reading Spotted Flycatcher in attack
Song in the Early Morning Mist of Summer: the Bluethroat
The day is just beginning. A thick veil of mist still hangs over the marshland, with its mudflats and sparse reeds. At first, there is barely a sound—save for the early call of a cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). Then, suddenly, a soft, metallic song breaks the morning silence. A Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)! Singing first from among… Continue reading Song in the Early Morning Mist of Summer: the Bluethroat
Birding Yelkouan Shearwater in Sicily
The light over the Sicilian coast is even softer in the early morning. And the sea has only just begun to shift its hue from a deeper, metallic gray to an ever-brighter blue. I stand on a rocky headland facing the Isola delle Correnti, scanning the horizon where the boundary between water and sky blurs.… Continue reading Birding Yelkouan Shearwater in Sicily
Notable Bird Migration Along the Pomeranian Coast
On a windy June day along the Pomeranian Baltic coast near Dziwnów (formerly Dievenow), there was suddenly plenty to see. A strong westerly wind was blowing across the sea, and several species of ducks and waders were migrating from east to west along the narrow coastal strip. At first, 8 Northern Shovelers (Spatula clypeata) in… Continue reading Notable Bird Migration Along the Pomeranian Coast
Clumsy, young Great Spotted Woodpecker in pine forest
If you’re strolling through a sparse pine forest in early summer, with a bit of luck you might witness an enchanting moment: After days of curious gazing, a young Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) ventures out of its round nest hole high above the ground. Still slightly clumsy, it flutters from trunk to trunk, its… Continue reading Clumsy, young Great Spotted Woodpecker in pine forest