I arrive early. The wind is cold, blowing in from the sea, and my first glance across the bay reveals exactly what I expect. The long sandy beach of the spa town of Boltenhagen on the Baltic coast is bustling with tourism, even in winter. Nevertheless, I’m confident I have a good chance of spotting… Continue reading An Ornithological Excursion to Boltenhagen at the Baltic Sea in Winter
Category: Bird Behaviour
How birds behave, strange features, fighting, eating….
Reddish Hermit at red flowers at Gumna
A thunderstorm is brewing. In the afternoon, the sky has been clouded over. We are sitting near Gumna Reserve, on the outskirts of Belém, Brazil. But the air still feels heavy with humidity and scent—earth, leaf litter, and the faint sweetness of blooming flowers. Amid the dense understory, flashes of reddish bronze move in quick… Continue reading Reddish Hermit at red flowers at Gumna
Grayleg Geese in the Misty Embrace of the Lake
In the calm of the misty dawn, in which the mist, like wet veils, weaves a mysterious cloak around the still waters of a calm lake, a flock of birds appears – they are Greylag Geese (Anser anser). In this atmospheric environment, the connection between the grace of birds and the enigmatic beauty of nature… Continue reading Grayleg Geese in the Misty Embrace of the Lake
Zimmer’s Woodcreeper, a Amazon specialist
Deep inside the flooded forest near Santarém, the air is dense with insects and the sweet smell of decay. A subtle motion draws my eye to a tree trunk dappled in filtered light—a slender, chestnut-brown bird spirals upward with careful, deliberate hops. Its short, only slightly decurved, bill gleams in the half-shade. This is Zimmer’s… Continue reading Zimmer’s Woodcreeper, a Amazon specialist
Long-tailed Hermit with a Bee at a hummingbird feeder at Gumna
In the afternoon, the sky clouded over. A thunderstorm was brewing. Despite this, the air in the Gumna Reserve on the outskirts of Belém, Brazil, was still teeming with life – chirping, buzzing, and the rustling of wings in the humid air. I sat on a plastic chair in front of a flowering bush, where… Continue reading Long-tailed Hermit with a Bee at a hummingbird feeder at Gumna
Long-billed Woodcreeper at Amazon shore
The river is high again, swallowing the forest edges and turning the lower branches into reflections. Along the flooded shore, a flicker of movement catches my eye — long, chestnut brown, with a bill like a gentle scythe. It’s a Long-billed Woodcreeper (Nasica longirostris), emerging curiously from the semi-submerged forest to inspect a line of… Continue reading Long-billed Woodcreeper at Amazon shore
Photographing the Versicolored Emerald in a Moment in the Tropical Light
It happens in an instant. Deep in the humid air of the Amazon, surrounded by vines and insect noise, a shimmer of green slices through the shade. A Versicolored Emerald (Chrysuronia versicolor) hovers before a yellow blossom, motion suspended, wings invisible. For a second, everything aligns—light, color, movement—and then it’s gone, leaving only the echo… Continue reading Photographing the Versicolored Emerald in a Moment in the Tropical Light
Ferruginous Partridge in the Japanese Garden in Bukit Tinggi
A local guide growls at me, asking if I’ve already scattered anything edible. I don’t understand him at first. Yes, I say: but only mealworms. Then he scatters grain. Then we take a seat. Half of his group stands at the net further up. The other guests are very nice and readily tell me that… Continue reading Ferruginous Partridge in the Japanese Garden in Bukit Tinggi
Sandcolored Nightjar on perch in Amazon
The river is still half asleep when the first light glances off the broad, coppery surface of the Tapajós. The air smells of wet sand and driftwood. On a narrow, flooded island midstream, a Nightjar rests on a sun-bleached branch just above the waterline. It is a Sand-colored Nightjar (Hydropsalis intercedens) which formerly used to… Continue reading Sandcolored Nightjar on perch in Amazon
Black-bellied Gnateater male in thicket of FLONA Carajás
The afternoon light in the Carajás forest feels golden and slow, filtering through the canopy like dust through a lens. The forest hums softly—cicadas, the buzz of wings, a distant rustle of leaves. On a narrow perch beside the trail, a Black-bellied Gnateater (Conopophaga melanogaster) sits almost motionless. It’s small and round-bodied, with a dark… Continue reading Black-bellied Gnateater male in thicket of FLONA Carajás
Recommendations for a stay in the Stelvio National Park
On the edge of the majestic Alps, where rugged peaks rise into the sky and – supposedly – untouched landscapes stretch as far as the eye can see, lies the enchanting Zugspitz region. Embedded in this breathtaking expanse lies the Eibsee, a green-blue sparkling jewel in the middle of the mountain forest. In the early,… Continue reading Recommendations for a stay in the Stelvio National Park
Wedge-tailed Hillstar at the nest near Cochabamba
On our trip to Cochabamba we pass a road bridge that my companion, Francoise, knows well from recent years. At that time, a Wedge-tailed Hillstar (Oreotrochilus adela) had bred there. We found what we were looking for right at the first bridge near Copachunchu – just 92 km from Cochabamba. A pair of delicate wings… Continue reading Wedge-tailed Hillstar at the nest near Cochabamba