Tag Archives: Lesser Sand Plover

Beste Beobachtungsgebiete für Vögel, Vogelreisen

Limikolen auf St. Lawrence

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Rotkehl-StrandläuferVor einem die Steilküste Kamtschatka, der Halbinsel im ostasiatischen Teil Russlands hinter einem baumfreie, Tundra-bedeckte Hügel. Für den Zugvogelzug ist die Nordwestspitze der Insel St. Lawrence eine der besten Stellen weltweit. Neben Seevögeln sind es vor allem die Limikolen, die einem westpaläarktischen Beobachter, die Abwechslung nahe verwandter heimischer Arten oder bisher unbekannter Unterarten möglich machen. Gerade der Vergleich der Schwesterarten Sandregenpfeifer (Charadrius hiaticula) und Weißstirnregenpfeifer (Charadrius semipalmatus) sowie Beringstrandläufer (Calidris ptilocnemis) und Alpenstrandläufer (Calidris alpina) sind hier sehr gut möglich.

Dann kommen die tollen Möglichkeiten für Vagrants wie Rotkehl-Strandläufer (Calidris ruficollis), Terekwasserläufer (Xenus cinereus), Grünschenkel (Tringa nebularia), Bruchwasserläufer (Tringa glareola) oder gar Spießbekassine (Gallinago stenura) dazu. Die meisten Limikolen rasten teils nur kurz um den Ort Gambell auf den ausgedehnten Schotterterrassen zwischen Continue reading Limikolen auf St. Lawrence →

Bird Migration, Bird Trips (Pictures & Stories), Rare Bird sightings

Passerine vagrants on St. Paul – Pribilof Islands

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RubinkehlchenAs the plane gets closer to the barren island of St. Paul, the first impression is Brown und Olive-green. Later we see that there are not only brown and olive colors on the island. Metre-high waves of a dark blue sea are breaking against the rugged, rocky coast which is shimmering black. As we land, sunrays are breaking through the clouds. Enchantment in a wild landscape. The melancholic character of the open tundra is obvious. When we get off the plane in front of the hangar, it is very quiet at once. What a contrast to the noise in the machine. Only now and then we hear the melancholy flight song of Lapland Buntings (Calcarius lapponicus) or the high trill of the local race of Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis).

Barren tundra-covered hills dominate the landscape of the Pribilof Islands. But these island also host the largest seabird colony in the Northern Hemisphere with 98 percent of the world population of Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris). In addition, the strongest breeding colony Continue reading Passerine vagrants on St. Paul – Pribilof Islands →

Bird Migration, Bird Trips (Pictures & Stories), Birds of Western Palaearctic

Bird migration in late fall on Seychelles – an abstract

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Escaping the cold and shorts days in Germany in late fall is a real privilege. This time the target was the Seychelles Islands. Relaxing and birdwatching is both possible on these famous island near the equator. Whereas the bigger islands as Mahé or Praslin are famous for its endemic (and rare) land birds the smaller islands are famous for huge seabird colonies where several thousands of birds breed in densely packed colonies on rocks, sandy beaches and trees. Looking mainly for western palearctic birds to complete the gallery for www.bird-lens.com the real thrill was to find migrating birds. Late fall is a perfect months as you find migrating and wintering birds side by side with the above mentioned endemics and sea birds. Birds visiting Seychelles also include a good number of Asian species which are vagrants to the western palearctic, too. Another good reason to travel to the Seychelles. But anyway, the list of all birds recorded in Seychelles is long and includes visitors from almost all over the globe. Thus one more reason to do the trip and shoulder the long flight.

During this 2-week journey at the end of October/ beginning of November it was possible to visit the bigger islands as well as small islands like Bird Island. Here we were very successful with several waders like Grey (Black-bellied) Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, Common Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula, Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos, Little Stint, Calidris minuta, Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea, as you see in that gallery.

Whereas these birds are regular visitors to coasts of the Western Palearctic too, the good numbers of both Mongolian (Lesser Sand) Plover, Charadrius mongolus, as well as the Greater Sand Plover, Charadrius leschenaultii, were a most welcomed observation. The black-and-white Crab Plover, Dromas ardeola, was another Continue reading Bird migration in late fall on Seychelles – an abstract →