Identification of the Long-tailed Tit ssp. caudatus in Middle Europe

Now they are moving from the north again. A chatty flock of tits in autumnal Germany could also contain Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalos caudatus) with a largely or even completely white head, which are often immediately counted as Aegithalos caudatus caudatus. The Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) exhibits complex global variation, with 19 subspecies recognized. They can… Continue reading Identification of the Long-tailed Tit ssp. caudatus in Middle Europe

Verbreitung der Fichtenammer in der Westpaläarktis

Die Fichtenammer ist in Sibirien als Brutvogel des offenen Kiefernwaldes westlich bis zum Ural weit verbreitet. Dabei reicht ihr Verbreitungsgebiet zur Brutzeit nur knapp in den europäischen Bereich hinein. Nach der Brutzeit wandert die Fichtenammer im Allgemeinen weiter nach Süden durch Asien und überwintert dort auch. Auf der Insel Happy Island, dem Hotspot für die… Continue reading Verbreitung der Fichtenammer in der Westpaläarktis

A rare vagrant: Pine Buntings in Germany

Though a Pine Bunting (Emberiza leucocephalos) is present in the Winsener Marsch near the Lower Elbe south of Hamburg for some days now, the Pine Bunting is a real exception in Germany. No wonder, that the bird keeps the twitcher in Germany in suspense. Several times in the last days a bright Bunting could be… Continue reading A rare vagrant: Pine Buntings in Germany

Siberian Vagrants: The Yellow-browed Warbler

Soft evocative calls in tall herb. Every year there is a pronounced migration of Goldcrest (Regulus regulus). But it is worth to risk a closer look. In the mixed flocks sometimes there are representatives of small Phylloscopus-Warblers. One of them, the Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus), comes from the forests of the taiga between Sea of… Continue reading Siberian Vagrants: The Yellow-browed Warbler

Happy Island, der Hotspot für die Zugvogelbeobachtung an Chinas Süd-Ostküste

Es gab jetzt ein paar Nachfragen zu Happy Island, dem Hotspot für die Zugvogelbeobachtung an Chinas Süd-Ostküste. Dies nicht zuletzt auf dem Hintergrund des Blogs zu dem schönen Morgen an einem Spätherbsttag auf Happy Island bei dem ein männliches Rubinkehlchen (Calliope calliope) im Morgenlicht auf einem Dornstrauch fotografiert werden konnte. Wie bin ich auf Happy… Continue reading Happy Island, der Hotspot für die Zugvogelbeobachtung an Chinas Süd-Ostküste

On migration: a Siberian Rubythroat on Happy Island

Happy Island is considered to be (one of) the best location to watch the East Asian migration. This turned out to be already on the first – very successful – photo morning of my stay on a late autumn day on Happy Island. Wow, a real hotspot for migratory bird observation on China’s south-east coast.… Continue reading On migration: a Siberian Rubythroat on Happy Island

Rubinkehlchen (Calliope calliope) auf dem Zug

Auch ein erfolgreicher Fotomorgen kann schon am Anfang sehr produktiv sein. So geschehen an einem Spätherbsttag auf Happy Island, dem Hotspot für die Zugvogelbeobachtung an Chinas Süd-Ostküste. Ich war gegen 5:45, vom Wecker am Handy geweckt, aufgewacht. Ich packte auch das Stativ sowie das Spektiv ein. Zuerst widme ich mich dem Strand. Es sind schon… Continue reading Rubinkehlchen (Calliope calliope) auf dem Zug

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) on Norderney

Norderney, the most densely populated island in the german Wadden Sea is with good reason called a bird paradise. Terns, Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Redshank (Tringa tetanus) , Brent Geese (Branta bernicla), Greylag Geese (Anser anser)and many other birds of water are to be found there, as well as the rare Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea… Continue reading Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) on Norderney

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

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

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