For some time we had fought our way up the hiking trail, interrupted again and again by ankle-deep fields of snow. Then, at about 1,650 m above sea level, a woodpecker squeaking can be clearly heard. That can only be the White-backed Woodpeckers (Dendrocopus leucotos)? I play the calls and the drumming from the tape.… Continue reading White-backed Woodpeckers in Durmitor National Park/ Montenegro
Category: Where to watch birds
Birds at Garganta del Diablo-Falls
When approaching the falls „Garganta del Diablo“, one feels with every meter more and more with which power the waterfall thunders over many meters into the depth. Already from some distance we get an impression of what would still expect us at the Iguaçu waterfalls. At the Iguaçu waterfalls one has the possibility to feel… Continue reading Birds at Garganta del Diablo-Falls
White-eared Puffbird in Chapada dos Guimaraes/ Brazil
Leaves at the edge of the dusty track are covered thick with rusty-looking dust. After a cool night, the early morning drives the birds into the first rays of sunlight. So also a White-eared Puffbird (Nystalus chacuru). The bird sits just at the roadside in a bush equipped with leathery leaves. I photograph the Puffbird… Continue reading White-eared Puffbird in Chapada dos Guimaraes/ Brazil
Caspian Tern on southern shores
„Among the vast hordes of sea birds nesting in the great colonies of the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts, this king of all the terns may be seen climbing into the air on its long, strong wings, its big red bill wide open, yelling out its loud raucous cry of defiance. As the dominant, ruling… Continue reading Caspian Tern on southern shores
Capercaillie in wildlife enclosure
Old and weakened trees have not been felled and removed from the forests for years, but remain there until they are knocked over by the wind or pushed down by the snow. Insects such as the bark beetle, which are seen as pests in commercial forests, are allowed to make their natural contribution to forest… Continue reading Capercaillie in wildlife enclosure
Spot-throated Hummingbird in the Marañon valley
A complex series of high chirping sounds and rolling, wheezing, humming or rollovers in one song let me take a closer look at the shadow of a bush. It is the Spot-throated Hummingbird (Leucippus taczanowski) that sings at the spot. I am on the way from the small town of Chamaya in the wider area… Continue reading Spot-throated Hummingbird in the Marañon valley
Chlidonia’s terns in Germany
It applies to all species of the genus Chlidonias that they colonize nutrient-rich waters with rich bank vegetation, especially on lakes and slowly flowing rivers. They build their nests on floating plants and often form colonies during breeding season. Long stalks of rushes, ledges and cattails are used as building material. These are easy to… Continue reading Chlidonia’s terns in Germany
Nature in the Wadden Sea
The Wadden Sea is considered one of the last semi-natural landscapes in Central Europe. The Wadden Sea is the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats in the world, with natural processes undisturbed throughout most of the area. It stretches from Denmark, over Germany to Netherlands over more than 1,100,000 ha and encompasses… Continue reading Nature in the Wadden Sea
Anhingas in Florida
The ditch along the visitor’s trail is teeming with fish. Suddenly a sharp, dart-like beak emerges out of the water right in front of us. It is followed by a long piece of neck. Like a snake, Anhingas – the snakebird – (Anhinga anhinga) glides silently through the water. Its water-permeable plumage reduces the buoyancy… Continue reading Anhingas in Florida
Birding in the Marañon valley
The Spot-throated Hummingbird (Leucippus taczanowski) is one of the (almost) endemic birds in the Marañon valley and one of the top finds for an excursion in this remote northeastern part of Peru. The of the Hummingbird´s underparts are cream or very light gray and there are small glittering spots on the chest and throat. The… Continue reading Birding in the Marañon valley
Huet-huet: observation in Patagonia
Patagonia is a country of contrasts. Patagonia, the storm-swept south end of the South American continent, does not only captivate nature photographers. The further south you go and the narrower the continent, the wider and more endless the landscape seems to become. Suddenly, rugged mountains protrude from the plain like fangs. Scraps of cloud hunt… Continue reading Huet-huet: observation in Patagonia
Extremadura, a paradise for birders
The steppes and extensive dehesas of Caceres and Trujillo are famous for their steppe bird life. Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus), Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni), Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax), Great Bustard (Otis tarda), Eurasian Thick-knee (Burhinus oedicnemus), Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata), Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis), Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyana) and Calandra Lark… Continue reading Extremadura, a paradise for birders