On the southern edge of the western palearctic, in Egypt, south of the Sahara, in southern North Africa are living some strange bird creatures which touch the borders of the western palearctic only. Sometimes they occur as a rare breeding species in countries like Morocco or Egypt or you can see them as a strangler… Continue reading African specialities on Bird-Lens
Category: Birds of Western Palaearctic
Pelagic Birds in the Western Palearctic
Pelagic or oceanic birds, seabirds or marine birds all describe bird which spend a significant portion of its life on the open ocean, rarely venturing to land except to breed. Their flight is often described as elegant and beautiful. This is particulary true for the Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris), as you can see on the image… Continue reading Pelagic Birds in the Western Palearctic
Looking for larks in Morocco, PART I
Many species of larks are one of the big treasures of Morocco. If you want to see the most larks in the Western Palearctic (in quality and even in quantity) you have to go for that north-african country which besides the larks offer much more birdingwise. Beginning of June might be regarded as already quite… Continue reading Looking for larks in Morocco, PART I
Common Wood-Pigeon & other birds in elderberry shrub
The elder of the species Black Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in my garden right outside my work room window is a special attraction. Not only for birds but also for insects and small mammals such as mice. In the elder I’ve seen birds the size of a Common Wood-Pigeon (Columba palumbus) to the smallest passerine species… Continue reading Common Wood-Pigeon & other birds in elderberry shrub
Identifcation of flying Chlidonias Terns in breeding plumage
Looking at field guides like „ Collins Bird Guide“ from Peter Grant, Dan Zetterstrom, Lars Svenson and Killian Mullarney the ID look quite simple. But even in the breeding plumage Chlidonias – or Marsh – Terns can cause some headache identifying in the field. Then even the Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) can be confused with… Continue reading Identifcation of flying Chlidonias Terns in breeding plumage
Cream-colored Courser with young in Morocco
Beginning of June might be regarded as already quite late to look for birds in the deserts of Boumalne du Dades (called Tagdilt), Morocco. But The Cream-colored Courser (Cursorius cursor) a bird of dry open country, preferably semi-desert is hatching the offspring at that time of the year. Thus a good chance to take images… Continue reading Cream-colored Courser with young in Morocco
Black Terns catching flies in the Danube Delta
I was almost titeling Black Tern flycatching… but then I found an interesting nice article in Wikipedia, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawking_(birds)) to the meaning of feeding strategies of birds involving catching flying insects in the air. Wikipedia says, that the term “flycatching” refers to a technique of sallying out from a perch to snatch an insect and then… Continue reading Black Terns catching flies in the Danube Delta
birdline : Message: STILT SANDPIPER in Northumberland
An adult Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus), remains for its second day at Low Newton-by-the -Sea (Northumberland) on the scrape between the village and Newton Pool (see: birdline : Message: STILT SANDPIPER in Northumberland). There it can be viewed from the footpath at NU 241 243. Please park in the village car park rather than on… Continue reading birdline : Message: STILT SANDPIPER in Northumberland
More Bird Images in Picture Shop
Having checked the output of trips to the Emirates, Oman, Romania & Poland, Bird Lens is proud to show more excellent images of birds shot in these countries at excellent destinations in the gallery of the pictures shop. There were some excellent opportunities to photograph on several occasions in the desert, in the mountains and… Continue reading More Bird Images in Picture Shop
Top Birds at Romania´s Black Sea Coast
South of the Danube Delta is a wide stretch of a sandy shoreline with shallow lagoons. This is part of Romania´s Black Sea coast. May is Migration and early breeding time. Whereas the association of the east Romanian countryside is normally with the core Danube Delta with its speciality birds like Pelicans, Black-necked and Red-necked… Continue reading Top Birds at Romania´s Black Sea Coast
Identification of Sternula Terns in Asia/Africa
When you are going to eastern Arabia in spring, you have good chances to see (and compare) 2 small terns of the genus Sternula. Sternula is a genus of small white terns, which is often subsumed into the larger genus Sterna. Saunder’s Tern, Sternula saundersi, was formerly considered to be subspecies of Little Tern but… Continue reading Identification of Sternula Terns in Asia/Africa
Greater Short-toed Lark just fledged
On Romania´s Black Sea coast May is migration and early breeding time. After having seen many of top birds like in the Macin Mountains, a small group of bird photographers went for the steppe habitat further south. Excellent sightings of larks (Calandra Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark and Wood Lark – a… Continue reading Greater Short-toed Lark just fledged