The first European Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) will soon be seen again. Then these colorful birds will demonstrate their flying acrobatics a few meters away. With their high, distinctive call, their brilliant, exotic colors and their sociability, they are wonderful to observe and very nice to photograph. Like all Meropidae, the European Bee-eater is characterized by… Continue reading European Bee-eaters: Spontaneous life artists
Category: Bird Migration
Observations of migration birds, aspects of migration
Vagrant Blue-cheeked Bee-eater at Capo Murro di Porco in Sicily
I’m standing at Capo Murro di Porco, the southern edge of Sicily, where – quite close to Syrakus – the land gives way to open sea and the wind never really settles. I’ve come here for seawatching, scanning the horizon for shearwaters, but something unexpected pulls my attention closer. Near the parking area, a vagrant… Continue reading Vagrant Blue-cheeked Bee-eater at Capo Murro di Porco in Sicily
1st European Stonechat in the Fläming: Spring is coming
It started with a flicker of movement on a low shrub. For me as a birdwatcher in the Fläming region south of Berlin, the sight was both quite unexpected —a European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), a species which is commonly observed later in the year in this area, perched confidently against the early spring landscape. This… Continue reading 1st European Stonechat in the Fläming: Spring is coming
Wilson’s Plover on the Brazilian coast in austral winter
A quiet stretch of Brazilian beach early in the morning, before umbrellas and voices take over, I walk with my camera along the shore. Besides some regular coastal birds I notice a small, pale shorebird standing not too far from the waterline. It pauses, runs a few steps, then stops again, alert and watchful. Many… Continue reading Wilson’s Plover on the Brazilian coast in austral winter
Bramblings over sunflower fields – a winter spectacle
Winter turns the landscape into a canvas for bird artwork, and few sights are as mesmerising as flocks of Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla) soaring and descending over sunflower fields. These striking birds, with their orange plumage and intricate patterns, bring life and colour to the muted tones of the season. On a cool morning, the fields… Continue reading Bramblings over sunflower fields – a winter spectacle
Visiting eastern Turkey: Bird migration at Cildir Lake
It is dawn when I have circled the Cildir Gölü, the Cildir Lake halfway. Not far from the border with Georgia I am driving. At the sign for Akçakale I drive into a sleepy town and pass a tourist restaurant with a few seagulls and above all 2 young – probably tame – Dalmatian Pelicans… Continue reading Visiting eastern Turkey: Bird migration at Cildir Lake
Birding migration at Tanjung Tuan/ Malaysia
Initially activity is low at the lighthouse of Cape Rachado. Therefore I photograph the common Germain’s Swiftlet (Aerodramus germani) and also the House Swift (Apus nipalensis). In addition to the common Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica) on the migration, there are also some Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) among them. But at some point the migratory birds… Continue reading Birding migration at Tanjung Tuan/ Malaysia
An Ornithological Excursion to Boltenhagen at the Baltic Sea in Winter
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
Brambling-Invasion in the Siebengebirge in Winter 1987/88
The hike in the Fonsbach Valley east of the Rhöndorf Forest Cemetery in the Siebengebirge hills during the winter of 1987 was almost over. Harsh snow crunched underfoot. Dusk was falling. But in the gathering darkness, birds could be seen on the forest floor among the leaves and drying snow. Masses of birds. Countless Bramblings… Continue reading Brambling-Invasion in the Siebengebirge in Winter 1987/88
Eider on Lake Schwielowsee
This morning, looking out over Lake Schwielowsee near Ferch – very close to Potsdam – I could hardly believe my eyes. Among the usual Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and Coots (Fulica atra), something unusual was floating on the gray water – a robust, black-and-white bird with a greenish-tinged nape and a wedge-shaped, pale bill. No doubt… Continue reading Eider on Lake Schwielowsee
Eleonora’s Falcon: The Spring Return of a Master Predator
As spring breathes new life into the landscapes of the Mediterranean, it also marks the return of one of the region’s most remarkable avian inhabitants: Eleonora’s Falcon. Named after Eleonor of Arborea, a 14th-century Sardinian ruler known for her progressive conservation laws, this falcon is not only a symbol of natural beauty but also of… Continue reading Eleonora’s Falcon: The Spring Return of a Master Predator
Wader migration along the Black Sea coast in Eastern Anatolia
Two Common Sandpipers (Actitis hypoleucos) are arguing on a concrete quay in a dilapidated port complex. Why they’re arguing isn’t clear, but it’s likely they have at least one thing in common: they’re migratory birds, both stopping here for a stopover. I arrive on the southern Black Sea coast with mixed feelings. The coast is… Continue reading Wader migration along the Black Sea coast in Eastern Anatolia