The roosting Red-backed Shrikes (Lanius collurio) are all juveniles. One has taken a long morning bath and is now shaking its wet feathers on a stick in the morning sun. Again and again the wings are spread, shaken and then placed one on top of the other. In particular, a tiny garden with runner beans… Continue reading Songbird migration along the southern Black Sea coast
Tag: Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed lark on migration along the Pontic Mountains in Turkey
We walk along a narrow pebble beach on the Black Sea coast. What is really remarkable is that I see a fawn colored bird flying in that has a remarkable eye stripe and a thick beak. Spontaneously I think of a Pipit (Anthus sp.), but it is a Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), which turns… Continue reading Greater Short-toed lark on migration along the Pontic Mountains in Turkey
MONTENEGRO – a birding trip to the south-western Balkan in May
INTRODUCTION The main goal was to carry out the first vacation in post-Corona times. For this purpose, we were looking for a country that is rather relaxed when it comes to entering the country. Also in the foreground is to relax and to photograph the Rock Partridge or a few good eastern European Warblers and… Continue reading MONTENEGRO – a birding trip to the south-western Balkan in May
Oriental Skylark versus Eurasian Skylark
The Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula) is basically an “eastern” species. Nonetheless, the species is a local migrant and winter visitor in Israel. The best places to observe them are the are alfalfa and lucerne fields in the valleys. During migration periods, these larks are regularly seen along the Mediterranean coast. The Lesser Skylark is often… Continue reading Oriental Skylark versus Eurasian Skylark
Steppe habitat just outside Castilla de la Mancha
The Spanish province of Valencia was visited in summer. One reason was to relax for a week. The second argument was to get a feel for avian delights of an area of the country normally thought of in mainstream tourism terms. As a habitual visitor to the more well-known birding destination of Andalucía and Portugal,… Continue reading Steppe habitat just outside Castilla de la Mancha
Irrgäste auf Bird Island/ Seychellen
Mit ohrenbetäubenden Schreien segeln Rußseeschwalben (Sterna fuscota) Tag und Nacht über der Lichtung des Palmenwaldes. Nicht nur für die Massen an Rußseeschwalben oder die Sichtung der wunderschönen Reiherläufer (Dromas ardeola) machten den Trip auf die Seychellen zu einem großen Erfolg. Es war für die Beobachtung der Zugvögel – und damit für die „selteneren“ Arten der… Continue reading Irrgäste auf Bird Island/ Seychellen
The Dupont‘s Lark at Las Almoladeras in Spain
Although recent research and an action plan by SEO regards the Dupont‘s Lark (Chersophilus duponti) as highly on risk in Almeria, this area is still worth a try. This Lark is probably one of the highly thought-after bird species if travelling to and birdwatching in southern Spain. I photographed it in mid May 2002. First… Continue reading The Dupont‘s Lark at Las Almoladeras in Spain
Hide Photography in Bulgaria in July; Images from the Dobruja
The north-eastern countryside of Bulgaria called Dobruja or in Bulgarian Dobrudzha or in romanian Dobrogea was not famous of being one of Bulgaria´s birding hot spots for bird-lens before. But a trip to the Romanian Dobrogea in may 2012 was already very productive. Thus maybe an excursion to that thinly populated area south of the… Continue reading Hide Photography in Bulgaria in July; Images from the Dobruja