Alex & Zvezdana Big Year 2017

[Galana]

Had a day at the zoo?

[xelas]

Dear @Galana, I know both species are escapes. But as you can read on the enclosed link, they have been reported already in IWC report 2004 and 2005: http://www.pravo-za-naravo.si/datoteke/2010/01/iwc-2004-2005.pdf

And not, we did not have a day at the zoo.

 

Now, you do remember the discussion about Greater Scaup vs. Tufted Duck (female) from Scotland (BY282/SCO19)? Herebelow are photos of Tufted Duck, and based on what I can see (female not having dark spor on the beak, and being a different colour) I am going back to my original ID of that bird photographed in Scotland being a Greater Scaup.

 

 

BY 357 / SI 074

Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula

 

female

 

male

Zbilje, 03/12/2017

 

 

[xelas]

BY 358 / SI 075

Red-crested Pochard - Netta rufina

 

Zbilje, 03/12/2017

[xelas]

On 11/24/2017 at 0:17 PM, Galana said:

What next? Indian Runners?

 

Specially for you, @Galana ; and I will not push my luck with countinmg them although a local birder confirmed to me that they do live here on their own.

 

Indian Runner - Anas platyrhynchos domesticus

 

[Galana]

2 hours ago, xelas said:

I know both species are escapes

Actually Ruddy Shelduck are on the Official list and appear in "Collins".

But however much you try you won't make that female Tufted (282) into a Scaup which is mainly a winter visitor (and does have a black tip to the blue bill too.) and has a much larger white base to the bill.

See mine

But it's your list. You do as you wish.

Nice Indian Runners.

[Peter Connan]

Fantastic photos in this batch Alex and Zvezda!

 

9 birds to go and 27 days in which to do it... Sounds possible from down here...

[Dave Williams]

4 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Fantastic photos in this batch Alex and Zvezda!

 

9 birds to go and 27 days in which to do it... Sounds possible from down here...

 

8 to go......... Turkey on Christmas Day now on the menu!

[xelas]

7 hours ago, Galana said:

But it's your list. You do as you wish.

 

Its (almost) on our home turf, @Galana so I have to respect your comment. You have just made 2017 a Leap Year for us !

 

Now that I know how the Greater Scaup female looks like, please try and find also one Tufted Duck female that looks like the one I have taken photo of in Scotland, as the one we have seen in Domžale is quite much different.

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

Turkey on Christmas Day now on the menu!

I think that would get ruled out as it was not free winged and had no identifying filed marks but at least it was not an escape.

 

1 hour ago, xelas said:

please try and find also one Tufted Duck female that looks like the one I have taken photo of in Scotland,

I don't have one in my library but will this do?

Females of most species, even Hom Sap as you will know, do like to be that little bit different.

Feb 29th has been and gone. You must have slept through it.

[xelas]

3 hours ago, Galana said:

Feb 29th has been and gone. You must have slept through it.

 

And will come again soon enough. 

[xelas]

This Sunday was just pure bliss ... warm and sunny and I have spent at Isola della Cona. No new birds but chances to improve on two ebc shots:

 

Common Pochard ...

 

... and third attempt on Greater Flamingo

 

 

 

 

As said, a beautiful day, as beautiful as this Mute Swan

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Working hard to add more birds. Going out into the cold misty morning only produces a couple of better photos of already posted birds. 

 

 

Bullfinch, female and male

 

 

 

 

Goosander female

 

[TonyQ]

@xelas

good to see your dedication paying off!

[PeterHG]

Great capture of the Bullfinch @xelas!

[Galana]

If we all waited for the best shot before posting we would all still be on zero until Christmas.

Great Bullfinches.

[xelas]

Persistance is the name of the (birding) game. Thus we have returned to Foce dell'Isonzo, as the weather forecast was again sunny, and I needed a place to try out how 200-500 zoom works with TC14. Short answer to whoever is interested: decently OK at shorter distances, not at all at longer distances. But more importantly, we were lucky with 2 more birds to be added.

 

First one I would not know to tell the difference but the local bird photographer was absolutely assured.

 

BY 358 / ITA 17

Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla

Isola della Cona, 23/12/2017

 

 

This one was much easier to ID although, a solo traveller he tried his best to blend himself among Coots and Tufted Ducks and Common Pochards (not all presented on below photo).

 

BY 359 / ITA 18

Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula

Valle Cavanata, 23/12/2017

Edited December 23, 2017 by xelas

[Peter Connan]

Nice finds, especially the treecreeper!

[Dave Williams]

Nice finds indeed, I have been looking for a Treecreeper this week.No luck...yet.

 

[xelas]

17 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Nice finds indeed, I have been looking for a Treecreeper this week.No luck...yet.

 

Keep tryin' ! I have seen one today again. 

[xelas]

Looking hard under the branches of Kamniška Bistrica river for Dippers, no success but still 5 days to go. Instead of I have found this lovely couple well hidden ... but not invisible !

 

 

BY 360 / SI 076

Mandarin Duck - Aix galericulata

Edited December 24, 2017 by xelas

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful Alex!

[PeterHG]

Good find, Alex! And a lovely photo. Now go and enjoy Christmas, enough is enough 

[xelas]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018 to all Safaritalkers, birders and non-birders alike, from Zvezda, Tanja and Alex!!!

 

 

 

 

[TonyQ]

Alex

Merry Christmas to you, Zvezda and Tanja. And still a few days to get a few more European birds before your trip to South Africa  

[lmSA84]

Thanks @xelas ! A merry Xmas to you and yours