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
Category: Rare Bird sightings
Specialities
Black Grouse in the Czech Mountains of Rudne Hory
The roaring of the cocks can be heard from the edge of village, high on the Ore Mountains ridge. You don’t have to travel far to witness the wild spectacle of Black Grouse on their courtship display. Every spring, before and about two hours after sunrise, something wild happens in Europe’s remaining natural open moorlands.… Continue reading Black Grouse in the Czech Mountains of Rudne Hory
Cinnamon Tanager near Garganta del Diablo at Iguazú
We arrive a little after 8:00 a.m. at the small landing stage near Garganta del Diablo. The morning still feels untouched. No visitors, no voices, only the wide murmur of the river and the humid air rising from the forest. A lone Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) stands on the railing of the walkway, as if… Continue reading Cinnamon Tanager near Garganta del Diablo at Iguazú
Gold-ringed Tanager in Tatamá mountains, a region in Colombia
The first time you notice it, it almost feels unreal. A small bird moves through the subcanopy, and suddenly a flash of gold catches the eye. For a moment it looks like a ray of sunlight caught in feathers. When the bird turns again, the pattern becomes clearer: a dark body, contrasted by striking golden… Continue reading Gold-ringed Tanager in Tatamá mountains, a region in Colombia
Hazel Grouse in the Czech Mountains of Rudne Hory
In the spring, as I was wandering with binoculars through species-rich, moist spruce forests near Nové Hamry (Neu Hammer), about 8 km south of the German border near Breitenbach, I suddenly noticed a gentle rustling in the undergrowth. Suddenly, a buzzing sound of takeoff. A brown-gray bird began its flight from an area of low… Continue reading Hazel Grouse in the Czech Mountains of Rudne Hory
Bicolored Antvireo: a poorly known species of antbird
I am not expecting it. The morning along the edge of Tatamá National Natural Park in Risaralda is already generous with tanagers and mixed flocks moving through the mid-elevation forest. Then a dark shape shifts quietly inside a dense tangle of bamboo. At first it is just movement and shadow. When the bird turns, the… Continue reading Bicolored Antvireo: a poorly known species of antbird
Munchique Wood Wren defend its territory
Above a certain altitude in the cloud forest, you can hear it long before you see it. Deep from the dense undergrowth comes a sudden, sharp, rapid, and incredibly loud sound for such a small bird. Its song echoes through the vegetation as if the forest itself were speaking. Somewhere in the shadows, a Munchique… Continue reading Munchique Wood Wren defend its territory
Collared Inca in dispute
Mist has settled once again over the western slopes of the Andes in Tatamá National Park. At the highest point, near the entrance to the Montezuma military base, the low-lying forest of Paramo-style hums silently, its sound interrupted only by the sharp, metallic beat of wings. A flash of green and blue cuts through the… Continue reading Collared Inca in dispute
Common Cranes gather on ice
A single patch of open water holds its ground on the lake. Around it, winter tightens its grip. Early in the morning, a light haze drifts across the wide ice surface, softening edges and muting sound. For weeks, temperatures did not rise above freezing. The cold feels settled, confident it will not be chased away… Continue reading Common Cranes gather on ice
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
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
Ponta Poranga Jungle Lodge: a birders paradise
At sunrise, the chorus begins. Perched in the canopy above Ponta Poranga Jungle Lodge, a haunting cry from the Screaming Piha (Lipaugus vociferans) breaks the silence, echoing like a call from the forest itself. This lodge, tucked deep in the rainforest near Manaus, isn’t just a place to stay—it’s a front-row seat to one of… Continue reading Ponta Poranga Jungle Lodge: a birders paradise