Big data has become a crucial tool in conservation efforts, offering innovative ways to inspire public support and inform ecological management strategies. One notable example is eBird in Action, a segment showcasing conservation success stories made possible through user contributions. Accurately determining bird populations in specific areas can be challenging, especially for species that are… Continue reading Challenges in Bird Population Monitoring
Category: Nature Conservation
Photographing Red-backed Shrikes in Germany
The male of the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) sits exposed on an Elderberry branch (Sambucus nigra) protruding from the hedge. For years, this small shrike has been found in the midst of a wet forest meadow landscape during the breeding season. In the North German Plain the Red-backed Shrike is still widespread, but the population… Continue reading Photographing Red-backed Shrikes in Germany
Roseate Terns at Lady’s Island in southern Ireland
Imagine walking along the tranquil shores of the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean, the rhythmic waves gently touching the sand. Suddenly a delicate bird catches your eye – its slender shape and graceful flight are a testament to nature’s elegance. This is the Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii), a very bright, graceful seabird that occasionally displays… Continue reading Roseate Terns at Lady’s Island in southern Ireland
Female Montagu’s Harrier from southern Brandenburg in the Czech Republic
A female Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) from southern Brandenburg – just 60 km south of Berlin – was found a few days ago as a breeding bird on the nest in Plzensky Kraj about 10 km west of Plzen. The Montagu’s Harrier was ringed 2021 when it was a nestling together with its 3 nest… Continue reading Female Montagu’s Harrier from southern Brandenburg in the Czech Republic
A hole in a birch for the Willow Tit
Only a stump of the once proud birch has remained since the last storm. Even before that, drought had caused the birches in the area to die off. Now there are many birch stumps next to one that has already peeled off the bark. It’s hard to believe that an this stump can still be… Continue reading A hole in a birch for the Willow Tit
Hard Birding Taman Negara
Right at the entrance to the Taman Negara National Park in the middle of Malaysia you have the chance to experience an early bird show. So one morning I was standing with a group of bird watchers near the campsite between construction vehicles and looking into a fruiting tree. Undeterred by the hotel staff and… Continue reading Hard Birding Taman Negara
Große Rosin: Northern Shoveler after heavy hailstorm
A hailstorm sweeps across the countryside. Just after the thunderstorm ceased a male Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) flies particularly beautifully in front of us on the watch tower. From the observation tower it can be admired in flight at eye level with its bright blue and green wings and the brown belly. Although it is… Continue reading Große Rosin: Northern Shoveler after heavy hailstorm
Vagrant Egyptian Nightjar on Fuerteventura
A Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius) was found on March 29, 2007 near La Lajita Beach on Fuerteventura. The Egyptian Nightjar was ringed and released the next day. After the onset of south-easterly winds and sandstorms from the Sahara, a Egyptian Nightjar was caught on the island of Fuerteventura at the end of March 2007, probably… Continue reading Vagrant Egyptian Nightjar on Fuerteventura
Stelvio National Park: bird diversity in the Alps
As the first light of dawn paints the sky in shades of pink and orange, a small group of intrepid bird watchers gather at the entrance to Stelvio National Park. Armed with binoculars, cameras and a shared passion for the winged inhabitants of this Alpine paradise, they embark on a journey into the heart of… Continue reading Stelvio National Park: bird diversity in the Alps
Snipes: Courtship in the air
A flooded area in the middle of the swampy lowland of the Nuthe, south of the Fläming in southern Brandenburg only 30 km south of Berlin. As soon as I arrive at the wetland at dawn, snipes (Gallinago gallinago) start flying. The area was heavily flooded in the winter. Now the highest water levels have… Continue reading Snipes: Courtship in the air
Rhinoceros Hornbill on the Kinabatangan River
A successful day of bird watching begins with the sighting of a pair of Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) feeding at one of the Fig tree on the banks of the Kinabatangan River together with Pink-necked Green-Pigeon (Treron vernans) and Green Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula aenea) and many more birds at Kinabatangan River. Later we had Bushy-crested Hornbill… Continue reading Rhinoceros Hornbill on the Kinabatangan River
Bird photography in your backyard: What to consider
20 small birds are constantly on the move between a garden bush and the nearby birdhouse. Right away I can identify Great Tits (Parus major), Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), Nuthatches (Sitta europaea), Greenfinches (Chloris chloris), Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). While Great Tits and Blue Tits prefer to fly to the feeder,… Continue reading Bird photography in your backyard: What to consider