Michael´s Second Year

[michael-ibk]

341/E112.) Black-Crowned Night Heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax ) / Nachtreiher

 

Estany d´Ivars i Vila-sana, 15/7, Spain. A very rare breeding bird in Austria, I´ve yet to find them here.

 

The adult did not want to come out.

 

 

But the juvenile was a bit bolder.

 

[michael-ibk]

342/E113.) Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta) / Orpheusspötter - NEW

 

Estany d´Ivars i Vila-sana, 15/7, Spain. The South-Western answer to the Icterine Warbler.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

343/E114.) Little Bustard ( Tetrax tetrax ) / Zwergtrappe - NEW

 

Somewhere on the way back to Barcelona, 15/7, Spain.

 

One of my Top Three targets (along with Roller and Sandgrouse), and Carles worked hard for this one. A breeding bird in Middle Europe still in the 19th century but long gone now there - Spain is their remaining stronghold.

 

 

They crouch down very low when they feel threatened.

 

[michael-ibk]

A few others of interests:

 

We saw a few Bee-Eaters in the steppes.

 

 

Including a young one.

 

 

Also a Penduline Tit chick.

 

 

And also two more new birds, but this Tawny Pipit was just too far away.

 

 

And I still hope to get a better picture of a Pallid Harrier this year (here being mobbed by a Roller).

 

[xelas]

Oh, another B&P trip for you, @michael-ibk! Using every occasion to do a little birding, nice .

[Galana]

Finally caught up. Phew. Some great photos there and belated congratulations on 300 + up. Loved your Ethiopian travels. and some excellent sightings. I really must go back. Last time I was there I had a Praktika with 300mm and Roll film and mechanical shutter. Klunk Klick every shot.

Your Scarlet-chested Sunbird was unusual in the bronze lustre on the primaries and what looked very much like a small violet shoulder patch.

Thanks for all your hard work.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks, @Galana. Are you thinking of Hunter´s Sunbird? Unfortunately I do not have more shots - it was gone too quickly. Lake Langano would be pretty far North of a Hunter´s range according to my bird book, though.

 

BTW, much more about our Ethiopian trip can be found in the report by @Atravelynn and me, almost completed now:

 

 

"B&P", @xelas ?

[TonyQ]

@Michael-ibk

Youor Spanish "work" trip was very productive!

Where did you get Carles? Did you use a Spanish company or do you have other links?

Edited August 4, 2017 by TonyQ

[michael-ibk]

Thanks, @TonyQ. I went with Carles also the last two times, I think I just googled Birding Barcelona and vòila!

 

http://www.barcelonabirdingpoint.com/en/about-us

[Galana]

" Thanks, @Galana. Are you thinking of Hunter´s Sunbird? " I would be being less than honest if I said it had never crossed my mind but it was mainly the bronze sheen on the primaries that grabbed my attention. I have never seen that before.

But the coastal Scarlet-chested of northern Kenya does have the purple patch too,

[michael-ibk]

344/E115.) Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) / Klappergrasmücke

 

Seewinkel, Austria, 26/5. Not a bird I see very often, a couple of times a year tops. The so-called "Common" Whitethroat is even worse - I´ve never seen one.

 

[michael-ibk]

345/E116.) Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) / Gartenrotschwanz

 

This one, OTOH, really deserves the "common" part of its name. Not as abundant as Tits, Blackbirds or Sparrows but not too far behind.

 

A male, singing in my mother´s garden, Mühldorf, Carinthia, Austria, 16/4/17

 

 

And the female listening. (Not really, same place but not same time, 4/6/17).

 

 

And a different angle of the female, Rome, 1/3/17.

 

[michael-ibk]

346/E117.) Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) / Hausrotschwanz

 

Even more common than its cousin, especially at higher elevations - one of the most numerous alpine birds in summer.

 

Pinnistal, Tirol, 19/7/17

 

 

The ashy-grey female, Innergschlöss, Tirol, 30/7/17

 

 

And a closer male, Mühldorf, Austria, 30/4/17

 

[michael-ibk]

347/E118.) Common Swift (Apus apus) / Mauersegler - NEW

 

Really blew this one. They are very common in Innsbruck where I live, but I never tried for them here where chances would be really good for close shots. And now they are already gone, on their journey to their winter quarters far South. I was so used to their "sri-sri" when walking to the office in the morning, and felt a bit sad when that was suddenly gone.

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 15/5/17

 

Edited August 8, 2017 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

348/E119.) Western Bonelli´s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli) / Berglaubsänger

 

Very similar to a Chiffchaff but completely white below, and much duller on the head than a Wood Warbler.

 

Stubaital, Tirol, Austria, 24/6/17

 

[michael-ibk]

349/E120.) Spotted Flycatcher (Musciapa striata) / Grauschnäpper

 

I was delighted to find out that a pair of them was breeding in my mother´s garden this year - successfully, saw the chick a few weeks ago. No idea why they are called "spotted" - no spots anywhere, and the head is actually striped a bit.

 

Mühldorf, Carinthia, Austria, 4/6/17

 

[michael-ibk]

350/E121.) European Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) / Schwarzkehlchen

 

A surprise sighting. Not too uncommon in some areas like Seewinkel or Lower Carinthia but very rare in Tirol and Western Carinthia. This is treated as a different species from the African Stonechat now.

 

Stausee Reißeck, Carinthia, 29/7/17. They even were breeding successfully.

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 2017 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

351/E122.) Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) / Mönchsgrasmücke.

 

A pretty common migrant with a very beautiful song.

 

Male, Rome, 1/3/17

 

 

Female, Pinnistal, Tirol, 19/7/17

 

[michael-ibk]

352/E123.) Red-Backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) / Neuntöter

 

A very common bird especially in the East but to my surprise I had the closest sighting of them in my father´s garden in Western Carinthia, at almost 1000 m above sea level. The German name sounds quite scary - it means "The One who kills nine".

 

Winklern, Carinthia, 3/6/17

 

 

A nicer perch:

 

 

And a female, Stausee Reißeck, Carinthia, 6/5/17

 

Edited August 8, 2017 by michael-ibk

[Dave Williams]

Common Redstarts are not that common here , more chance of a Common Whitethroat I think. 

You are certainly racking up the numbers Michael.

[Galana]

2 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

No idea why they are called "spotted" - no spots anywhere

The ones we get here have spotty/streaky fronts so that is probably the reason.

Another great selection for us to enjoy. Never seen a Common Redstart in England. Saw one briefly in Scotland this last visit but I way way too slow. We get overwintering Black Redstarts on my doorstep so I will be keen to get one of those.

[michael-ibk]

Last weekend we were in Estonia for a spontaneous mini-trip (Friday to Tuesday, 2 nts in Tallinn, 2 nts in Matsalu National Park). A really beautiful country, and in the right season a good place for bears. Also a high density of Lynx and Wolves but those are much trickier I was told. We did see Roe Deer, Foxes, a Pine Marten and an Elk (Moose) - which almost ran into the car but was gone too quickly for photos. Estonia must be spectacular in peak migration time, and judging from this little "taster" I´m quite keen to do a proper, really birding-based trip one day. Even though we could not invest too much time in birds I did see a couple of new ones. A few general shots of Tallinn and the countryside to set the scene:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

353/E124.) Dunlin ( Calidris alpina ) / Alpenstrandläufer

 

The most common of the smaller waders - here with some Ringed Plovers (E125). 13/8/17, somewhere in NW-Estonia. Hope to get some closer shots in Seewinkel in September.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2017 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

354/E126.) Common Whitethroat ( Sylvia communis ) / Dorngrasmücke - NEW

 

I´ve mentioned before that I´ve never seen this so-called "common" species so was delighted to find this young bird. According to Wiki their population crashed badly in 1969 due to the drought in the Sahel zone. Matsalu NP, 14/8/17

 

Edited August 21, 2017 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

355/E127.) Greenfinch ( Chloris chloris ) / Grünfink

 

Paljassaare (small reserve close to Tallinn), 12/8/17.

 

 

Not that I needed to go to Estonia to see them - they are regular guests at the feeders. Fulpmes, 11 and 17/7/17.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2017 by michael-ibk