The nature reserve Kuehkopf-Knoblochsaue (in German: Naturschutzgebiet or NSG Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue) is one of the best sites of riparian forest along the river Rhine. The reserve is the largest protected area in Hesse, with 2,369 hectares. It is located on the right bank of the upper Rhine. Towns nearby are Leeheim, Erfelden, Stockstadt and Biebesheim all… Continue reading Lowland birds in and around Kuehkopf
Category: Where to watch birds
White-tailed Lapwing in Nature Reserve near Frankfurt / Main
The bird with the scientific name Vanellus leucurus is a big attraction right now in Nature Reserve Mittlere Horloffaue near the small town of Hungen. On an area called „Kuhweide“ an adult White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus) could be (and still can be) observed on April 27th, 2014 just 40 km from the city center of… Continue reading White-tailed Lapwing in Nature Reserve near Frankfurt / Main
Hazel Grouse: the results
In total we visited 5 different locations where the local guides had encountered several individuals of the Hasezl Grouse the last weeks or even years. The last encounter sometimes was only 3 days before. 4 of the locations were locations like a lek – where you could hear the mating song and the mating
Hazel Grouse: the hide
Additionally finding Hazel Grouse means knowing the behavior of the Hazel Grouse. E.g. the Hazel Grouse is – although a shy bird – quite responsive or even aggressive during the mating season which has a first peak in September and then again in March/ April. In this time you can hear the mating call or… Continue reading Hazel Grouse: the hide
Hazel Grouse: the habitat
Finding Hazel Grouse is equivalent of knowing the habits of the Hazel Grouse which means also knowing and recognizing the habitat of the Hazel Grouse. The search for the right habitat is not eased by the fact, that the Hazel Grouse has at least 3 different habitat requirements during the year in the different seasons.… Continue reading Hazel Grouse: the habitat
Finding Hazel Grouse in the Carpathians
Hazel Grouses (Bonasa bonasia) are certainly one of the most thought-after bird species for naturalist and bird photographers in western Palearctic. This is in parts due to the fact, that this bird is one of the few autochthon representatives of the Phasianidae family in Middle Europe. And: actually it is a very beautiful bird. Unfortunately… Continue reading Finding Hazel Grouse in the Carpathians
Caspian Seashore & Volga delta in May
Bird richness on the northern shore of the Caspian Sea is amazing. Caspian Sea is counted the largest inland body of water in the world. More than 100 rivers provide inflow to the Caspian, with the Volga River being the largest. Pristine floodplain forests, flooded grasslands to the horizon, eagles on almost every tree. A… Continue reading Caspian Seashore & Volga delta in May
Alpine Accentor on migration on top of the Grosser Feldberg near Frankfurt / Main
No less than 3 Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) could be observed on April 11th, 2014 at the Grosser Feldberg just 20 km from the city center of Frankfurt / Main. After Ingo Roessler had found the species in searching for Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus, around the little town of Schmitten, several ornithologists had already been… Continue reading Alpine Accentor on migration on top of the Grosser Feldberg near Frankfurt / Main
Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) photography in Extremadura
The sun is still high in the sky, although it is almost 6:00 pm. As far as the eye can see : steppe, interrupted now and then by eroded rocks . Above the ground , the air shimmers . In the car there is indescribable heat. After last year’s winter precipitation had failed in the… Continue reading Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) photography in Extremadura
Common Black-headed Gull hunted by a Peregrine in the sewage farm near Muenster
While searching for the Green-winged Teal which still can be seen on the pond E1 in the sewage farm Münster, I was also able to observe and photograph a successfully hunting Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) a young Common Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus). With binoculars I watched from the hide at the entrance to the E1… Continue reading Common Black-headed Gull hunted by a Peregrine in the sewage farm near Muenster
Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) near Muenster/ North Rhine-Westphalia
After a message on Ornitho.de I decided to visit the sewage farms in the north of Muenster. A Green-winged Teal, a close relative of our European Teal (Anas carolinensis) was said to stay for a few days already in Muenster. The duck was in the area of an old abandoned sewage farm. The species has… Continue reading Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) near Muenster/ North Rhine-Westphalia
Mating of Common Buzzards on spruce top
During a visit on a fairly high mountain in the Taunus first mountain chain, the Atzelberg, in early March it was possible to observe and photograph the copulation of a pair of the Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo). On top of the Atzelberg there is a lookout tower, which gave the perfect position to photograph this… Continue reading Mating of Common Buzzards on spruce top