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Zvezda & Alex Big Year 2016 - first attempt


xelas

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Alexander33

So many wonderful shots here, Alex, it's hard to know where to begin. But let's start with post # 100: that yellow-crowned bishop. Zvezda did an impressive job with that one, as it is very easy to blow out those bright yellow highlights, especially when trying to manage to depict detail in the blacks. Masterful.

 

The long-tailed widowbird? More, please! And you know how I feel about the black egret (heron). I hope someday I will have chance to see one in hunting mode.

 

Thanks so much for sharing these. I'm missing Africa!

Edited by Alexander33
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Wow, the last 2 sets are amazing!!! More, please :)

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Thank you all for kind words, and Thank You Zvezda for excellent photos! There is still some room to improve, specially in the PP section.

 

@@Alexander33 , I am missing your BdC TR !! I know, it is hard to lay down the D7200 + 200-500 ...

 

I am afraid that is all from our trip to South Africa. Yet, we were working hard to bring you some local birds.

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Ah, those Widowbirds! Really wonderful photos. The Back Heron, too, of course......

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Time to start with birds from my native country, Slovenia. I have never thought of Slovenia to be a birding country. Although I am living on the "outskirts" of the Nature Park Ljubljansko barje www.ljubljanskobarke.si my bird knowledge was limited to SBB and BBB and maybe a pigeon ... until you guys have hooked me into this time consuming, sleep deprivating, out-of.the-window staring hobby :) ! Now I can prodly say I know about 15 species by name, and 2 species by sound :D !!

 

Buying a new lens, and later a new body also gave an additional boost to our birding.

 

I will start with those that are common, and have been seen from our house balcony. One of my birding co-mentors, @@Galana called this activity balcony birding. My balcony is due west so early mornings are good for observing small birds.

 

102. Serin - Serinus serinus - Grilček

 

post-47185-0-14024200-1465669160_thumb.jpg

balcony - 26. March

 

post-47185-0-93035200-1465669155_thumb.jpg

balcony - 03. June

 

This one is the most visible, and also the nicest sounding birds I can see and listen to almost every day.

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2 species by sound :D !!

 

That's impressive, you know 2 more than I do...

 

Living so close to a NP is wonderful, I envy you. No birds can be seen from my balcony, maybe a swallow in flight every now and then (I live on the 25th floor of a building). Looking for more Slovenian residents, the Serin is beautiful. How come the 2nd one is more yellow? Different season? Male?

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There is a large lawn with a dead birch tree at about 50 meters away. Birds love to use it as a temporary stop-over place.

 

103. Common Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - Škorec

 

post-47185-0-30185700-1465669922_thumb.jpg

balcony - ??/04/2016 (exif date is wrong)

 

post-47185-0-29168900-1465669928_thumb.jpg

balcony - 03/04/2016

 

As already mentioned there is nothing common when the light hits this bird at right angle!

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@@xyz99

 

Well, my youth I have been living on the 13th floor ... and only bird to be seen was a pigeon on the roofs below ...

 

Oh, I should add this info also. The first Serin is a female, and the second one is a male (obviously, he is the shinning one :) ).

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Next one is a rare visitor. The second bird probably is a juvenile.

 

 

104. Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus - Dolgorepka

 

post-47185-0-11268800-1465670231_thumb.jpg

17/04/16 - balcony

 

post-47185-0-81782100-1465670240_thumb.jpg

03/06/16 - Ljubljansko Barje

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This one is probably my favorite! A very shy bird, and tends to stay in the shaded areas lower to the grounds, and is quick to fly away. This were taken in the local zoo (not zoo animals, just visitors looking for some free lunch :) )

 

105. Robin - Erithacus rubecula - Taščica

 

post-47185-0-75172700-1465670519_thumb.jpg

12/03/16 - Ljubljana Zoo

 

post-47185-0-18961200-1465670514_thumb.jpg

12/03/16 - Ljubljana Zoo

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Early spring visitor; this year I have seen only this pair, not the sharpest photo though :(

 

 

106. Blue Tit - Parus caeruleus - Plavček

 

post-47185-0-89242600-1465670877_thumb.jpg

??/04/16 - balcony

Edited by xelas
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Time for some BBB

 

 

107. Blackbird - Turdus merula - Kos

 

post-47185-0-76249300-1465671124_thumb.jpg

12/03/16 - Zoo Ljubljana

 

post-47185-0-33070400-1465671118_thumb.jpg

17/04/16 - balcony

 

post-47185-0-26447100-1465671114_thumb.jpg

17/05/16 - balcony

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I really like this one; it is teasing me by perching on this roof until he saw me grabbing the camera ... then he flies away ... well, not always :P

 

108. Black Redstarter - Phoenicurus ochruros - Šmarnica

 

post-47185-0-25385400-1465671435_thumb.jpg

17/04/16 - balcony

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The most colourful one in our garden is

 

 

109. Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis - Lišček

 

post-47185-0-05304000-1465671594_thumb.jpg

??/04/16 - balcony

 

post-47185-0-82521900-1465671599_thumb.jpg

??/04/16 - balcony

 

 

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A frequent, everyday guest is also

 

 

110. Greenfinch - Carduelis chloris - Zelenec

 

post-47185-0-15909900-1465674401_thumb.jpg

17/04/16 - balcony

 

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17/04/16 balcony

 

post-47185-0-23882900-1465674410_thumb.jpg

??/04/16 - balcony

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One very unexpected guest, photographed only once

 

 

111. Lesser Whitethroat - Sylivia curruca - Menišček

 

post-47185-0-88602500-1465674726_thumb.jpg

29/04/16 - balcony

 

post-47185-0-69380700-1465674731_thumb.jpg

29/04/16 - balcony

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Just the opposite this one is very common visitor

 

112. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus - Domači vrabec

 

post-47185-0-92321100-1465674969_thumb.jpg

12/03/16 - Zoo Ljubljana

 

post-47185-0-47115800-1465674966_thumb.jpg

16/04/16 - Ljubljansko Barje

 

post-47185-0-26394800-1465674976_thumb.jpg

29/04/16 - Ljubljansko Barje

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His next of kin is also prolific but keeps more distance

 

 

113. Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus - Poljski vrabec

 

post-47185-0-85544100-1465675191_thumb.jpg

17/04/16 - balcony

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You must have been asking yourself by now: "Where are photos by Zvezda?" OK, here is one

 

114. Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla - Črnoglavka

 

 

Male

post-47185-0-76055900-1465676036_thumb.jpg

08/05/16 - Škocjanski zatok

 

Female

post-47185-0-28029700-1465676031_thumb.jpg

26/05/16 - balcony

 

post-47185-0-99664300-1465676042_thumb.jpg

17/04/16 - balcony

 

 

 

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One more from the balcony

 

 

115. Pied Flycatcher - Fycedula hypoleuca - Črnoglavi muhar

 

post-47185-0-42944400-1465678586_thumb.jpg

17/04/16 - balcony

 

 

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Often seen in previous years in our garden but not this year, so taken on other locations

 

 

116. Great Tit

 

post-47185-0-13782900-1465679128_thumb.jpg

14/04/16 - Ljubljansko Barje

 

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15/05/16 Arboretum Volčji Potok

 

post-47185-0-41668700-1465679131_thumb.jpg

15/05/16 - Arboretum Volčji Potok

Edited by xelas
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If going chronologically I should start Slovenia with birds from Nature reserve Škocjanski zatok www.skocjanski-zatok.org ; this is a relatively small patch of marshland where fresh water and salt water are wedged between the highway and port. It is a resting/nesting place for many migratory birds, and there were several attempts to fill it to extend the parking lots (Koper is the biggest port for imported cars from Japan and South Korea). Luckily it always had fierce protectors, and this year with EU funds it was renewed with new observation facilities. Opened just a week before our first visit :) .

 

117. Mute Swan - Cygnus olor - Labod grbec

 

post-47185-0-71374300-1465710733_thumb.jpg

27/03/16 - Škocjanski zatok

 

post-47185-0-67346300-1465710738_thumb.jpg

27/03/16 - Škocjanski zatok

 

post-47185-0-23527200-1465710729_thumb.jpg

27/03/16 - Škocjanski zatok

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@@xelas, #106, the Blue Tits, so maybe not the sharpest, but to me one of the prettiest photos.

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After white it comes black (with a white patch)

 

118. Coot - Fulica atra - Črna liska

 

post-47185-0-81581800-1465711013_thumb.jpg

27/03/16 - Škocjanski zatok

 

post-47185-0-04176600-1465711018_thumb.jpg

27/03/16 - Škocjanski zatok

 

post-47185-0-70257400-1465711021_thumb.jpg

27/03/16 - Škocjanski zatok

 

 

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