Now that winter has proceeded quite well some good birds show up on “stupid” spots like recreation areas and parks. In a series of blogs Bird-lens has already described some excellent spots like the Langener Waldseen to observe birds, but this spot came to my awareness the first time. This was due to the fact… Continue reading Ferruginous Duck near Frankfurt – Germany
Category: Rare Bird sightings
Specialities
Influx of Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) cancelled?
Now that winter has proceeded quite well already with cold temperatures all over the northern part of the continent, the Influx of Hawk Owls might been cancelled. In a blog in November, Bird-lens mentioned that there might be a good chance that twitchers of the north of Middle Europe can observe Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula)… Continue reading Influx of Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) cancelled?
Spoon-billed Sandpipers and other waders in Thailand on wintering grounds
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is one of the big megas in the birding space – not only for twitchers, but Thailand in general is an excellent birding destination. During a trip to Thailand in January 2011 I was looking for wintering birds from the palearctic. The whole trip was a great success, seeing especially many waders… Continue reading Spoon-billed Sandpipers and other waders in Thailand on wintering grounds
Ring-billed Gull – a vagrant at the Faehre Hitdorf / Germany
During the last days one adult Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) in non-breeding plumage, continues to stay near the town of Monheim in the state of North Rhine/ Westfalia in Germany at the river Rhine. The bird was first spotted on January, 09th 2013. The location “Faehre Hitdorf” is a place where a ferry crosses the… Continue reading Ring-billed Gull – a vagrant at the Faehre Hitdorf / Germany
White-tailed Tropicbird – in Cumbria/ Great Britain
Here are very interesting news, mainly for twitchers in Great Britain: White-tailed Tropicbird – in Cumbria?! | British Birds. But maybe, birdwatchers from the continent are also interested in that remarkable dead bird. Found on the tideline at Mawbray Bank in Cumbria on 6th January, by Peter Scott of Workington, this White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)is… Continue reading White-tailed Tropicbird – in Cumbria/ Great Britain
Vagrant Fox Sparrow in Estonia
During the last days one Fox Sparrow Zonotrichia or Passerella iliaca, continues to stay in the town of Haapsalu, Estonia at the Baltic Sea. The bird was first spotted on last Sunday. The location Läänemaa/ Haapsalu is roughly 100km away from the Estonian capital, Tallinn. This thrush is obviously only the 5th record for the… Continue reading Vagrant Fox Sparrow in Estonia
Cranes on China’s Helgoland, PART II
I was happy to experience a trip to Happy Island at the end of October. A 10-day trip in 2007. So far so good concerning the character of Happy Island in comparison to the vagrant hotspot Helgoland. What Helgoland does not have are resting cranes. But on Happy Island you could see a total of… Continue reading Cranes on China’s Helgoland, PART II
Naumann´s Thrush in Estonia
During the last days one Naumann’s Thrush, Turdus naumanni, continues to stay at Kihnu, Parnumaa. This thrush is obviously one of the few records for the Western Palearctic (only the 20th record might be too pessimistic) and has been observed on the island of Kihnu in the Gulf of Riga in Estonia. The bird was… Continue reading Naumann´s Thrush in Estonia
Siberian specialities on Bird-Lens
On the eastern edge of the western palearctic are living bird families closely related to the species you find on a regular basis in the western palearctic too. Sometimes these birds cross or touch the borders of the western palearctic only. Sometimes they occur during an influx as vagrants touching down often to islands of… Continue reading Siberian specialities on Bird-Lens
Influx of Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) this winter?
According to discussion in EuroTwitch there is a good chance that twitchers of the north of Middle Europe can observe Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) this winter/ late fall on their homegrounds. This should be not only true for Denmark but also at least for the northern part of Germany for this autumn/winter as there are very… Continue reading Influx of Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) this winter?
Cranes on Happy Island, Chinas´s Helgoland, Part I
China’s Helgoland? Is there such a thing? Well, it depends on what you consider to be the specific characteristic of the “Shijiu Tuo Island” or “Bodhi Island” (in English simply “Happy Island”) mentioned island. Shijiu Tuo Island or simple Happy Island, about 3 hours drive from the seaside resort of Beidaihe located on the Yellow… Continue reading Cranes on Happy Island, Chinas´s Helgoland, Part I
Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skuas) in Romania: a nice surprise
September is fall migration time in Romania´s Black Sea coast. Thus it is prime birdwatching time. After having seen the spectacular mass migration of Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus, in an area south of the Danube Delta with its wide stretch of a sandy shoreline with shallow lagoons we arrived at the sandy beach near the… Continue reading Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skuas) in Romania: a nice surprise