Bird Behaviour – Page 25

Birds in courtship and singing behaviour

With the beginning of spring, the days get longer and the birds awaken to seemingly new life. For the males now the time of the highest activity begins. Everyone is keen to conquer a territory and find a mate. For this purpose, the birds have developed a variety of optical and acoustic methods, and specific… Continue reading Birds in courtship and singing behaviour

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

Common Black-headed Gull hunted by a Peregrine in the sewage farm near Muenster

While searching for the Green-winged Teal which still can be seen on the pond E1 in the sewage farm Münster, I was also able to observe and photograph a successfully hunting Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) a young Common Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus). With binoculars I watched from the hide at the entrance to the E1… Continue reading Common Black-headed Gull hunted by a Peregrine in the sewage farm near Muenster

Mating of Common Buzzards on spruce top

During a visit on a fairly high mountain in the Taunus first mountain chain, the Atzelberg, in early March it was possible to observe and photograph the copulation of a pair of the Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo). On top of the Atzelberg there is a lookout tower, which gave the perfect position to photograph this… Continue reading Mating of Common Buzzards on spruce top

Black Grouse on lek in Finland

In Germany it is almost a dying experience: the sound of Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) in early spring. The indigenous population in the Rhoen – a mountaninour area in the middle of Germany – is almost extinct. Only in the Alps a vital population still survives. If you want to take pictures of the Black… Continue reading Black Grouse on lek in Finland

Grey Partridges in winter in Lower Saxonia

Grey Partridges (Perdix perdix) share a hard life with many other birds of fields and meadows in nowadays agricultural steppes. One a common bird, encountered in many rural areas, this nice bird of the family of the Phasianidae, the Pheasants, Fowls & Allies is becoming more and more rare. But there are still some places… Continue reading Grey Partridges in winter in Lower Saxonia

Parrot Crossbills drinking in a pond in Mulderskop/ Limburg

Parrot Crossbills (Loxia pytyopsittacus) close-up in a puddle while bathing. The photos on the website of the birders in the Netherlands “waarneming.nl” were really sensational. The Sunday before, I had made already for a short trip to an area nearby for the long-staying Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus). The Brown Shrike was a first sighting for… Continue reading Parrot Crossbills drinking in a pond in Mulderskop/ Limburg

Bullfinches: White-red-black balls in action

Eurasian Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula, are usually thought-after species for the wintertime photographer. These colorful finches are now increasingly observed at the feeding tables when wintertime proceeds. Last year they could be seen with other wintering birds at the feeding sites, too. The favorite food of the birds observed in recent winters is a product made… Continue reading Bullfinches: White-red-black balls in action

Woodpeckers at the winter feeder

A few years ago, I was a guest at a commercial winter feeding site for raptors. Great shooting conditions, beautiful scenery, great birds. Unfortunatelly not quite around the corner of my home located in the Eifel. ” …this I can do that, too” ,I thought. But then it turned out to be not so easy.… Continue reading Woodpeckers at the winter feeder

White-tailed Eagle catching fish in Norway

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) are now at least in the eastern part of Middle Europe (as East Germany or Poland) a familiar sight . Nevertheless, it is not easy to photograph an eagle on close range. The animals are not extremely shy towards people, but they show respect and thus quite a distance from people… Continue reading White-tailed Eagle catching fish in Norway

Occurrence and habitat of Eurasian Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) in Brandenburg

This small owl is the sole member in Europe of a worldwide spread genus Glaucidium. The owl inhabits mainly the coniferous forest zone, especially the upland and mountain areas up to the tree line in Central Europe. But in the 19th Century this owl was widespread distributed in all the mountain ranges of central Europe… Continue reading Occurrence and habitat of Eurasian Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) in Brandenburg

Copula in flight of Alpine Swift in Romania´s Carpathians

During a trip from July 1st till 8th 2013 to observe birds in Romania and Bulgaria a remarkable sighting could be noted. A couple of Alpine Swift (Apus melba) was seen flying below a crag in a steep rock and copulated for several seconds. This could be seen in a beautiful gorge near the town… Continue reading Copula in flight of Alpine Swift in Romania´s Carpathians