Michael´s Second Year

[michael-ibk]

93/E93.) European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) / Turteltaube

 

The most attractive dove we have, and also the rarest one. An emblem of devoted love in European culture, and a young couple in love is often referred to as two "Turteltauben" (the German name). Apparently the word "turteln" does not have an English equivalent, it means something like "whispering sweet nothings" to someone you love.

 

[michael-ibk]

94/E94.) Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) / Türkentaube

 

And speaking of young couples in love ...

 

 

[michael-ibk]

95/E95.) Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) / Feldlerche

 

Very common in the area, and often conspicuous because of the song of the male , which is delivered in hovering flight from heights up to 100 m.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

96/E96.) Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) / Kampfläufer

 

A spectacular bird in breeding plumage but the few we saw were only the rather drab-looking juveniles.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

97/E97.) Black-Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) / Uferschnepfe

 

A delightfully common breeding bird this season in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

98/E98.) Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) / Schafstelze

 

One of the most common birds in the area. Birders love this one, lots of different subspecies mostly told apart by slight differences in the face pattern so if you see a Wagtail you can always hope it´s one of the rare ones. We were happy enough with the regular ones.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

99/E99.) Eurasian Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) / Dohle

 

The smallest corvid but IMO the most interesting looking of the familiy.

 

 

 

Often breeding in colonies. Around 15 birds were around in the place this bird was photographed. A home they share with Starlings ...

 

 

... but also with some far more interesting birds.

[michael-ibk]

100/E100.) European Bee-Eater (Merops apiaster) / Bienenfresser

 

Definitely Austria´s most colourful bird, and most definitely the highlight of this Seewinkel visit.

 

 

There´s a good colony in the area where we admired more than 40, maybe more than 50 of these stunning little beauties.

 

 

 

 

They arrive here in May, and immediately start their courtship and the nest building.

 

 

Loose soil like this is perfect for them, they excavate tunnels which can be more than two metres long, the eggs are laid at the very end of the tunnels. So after some years the area starts to look like Swiss cheese.

 

 

 

 

But before getting to the nesting stuff the males first have to woo their partners - and use gifts for that purpose.

 

 

 

Often that is not enough to convince the females of their courters worthiness.

 

 

But sometimes it does.

 

 

And that concludes the Seewinkel part for now. We saw more species (close to 90 in fact) but I´m still hopeful I can get some better shots later in the year - especially in September when a second visit to the area is already planned.

[xelas]

So that was the woodpecker we have been chasing last year?! European bee-eaters, you came so close o them.

[Peter Connan]

More beauties!

[Tdgraves]

Those owl chicks are so cute!

[screentraveller]

I love the goldfinches in our cherry tree and old apple tree in our Mühldorfer garden.

Edited June 8, 2017 by screentraveller
Error

[TonyQ]

Superb photos - the Long Eared Owl is wonderful - and the Bee-eater is an excellent choice to reach the magic 100!

[Dave Williams]

100 up, well done, super collection to date.

[PeterHG]

I've now been at the Bee-eater colony where you took your beautiful pictures. Thanks for the tip and your detailed description, @michael-ibk! I'll post some photos later.

[michael-ibk]

Great Peter, I hope you are having a good time, looking forward to your photos.

[michael-ibk]

Time to leave Europe  - the following birds are from the Ethiopia trip this year (trip report coming up soon). All photos taken between March 11th and March 25th. I will not label "new" birds as I did with the species here back home - way too many lifers for that. The label "Endemic" does not refer to Ethiopia but to the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Socotra). Around 900 birds occur in Ethiopia - so let´s see how many were around and happy to pose for the camera. I´m doing this in the scientific order of my bird book "Birds of the Horn of Africa" by Redman, Stevenson and Fanshawe.

 

101/ET1.) Somali Ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes) / Somalistrauß

 

Neck and legs more bluish than the Common (which does occur far more North in Eritrea and Djibouti), without a white ring at the base of the neck.

 

Ali Deghe Wildlife Reserve

 

 

Abiata-Shalla Lakes National Park

 

 

An orphan from Ali Deghe taken in by the staff of Doho Lodge

 

 

[michael-ibk]

102/ET2.) Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) / Rosapelikan

 

Lake Langano. Delightfully common around the Rift Valley Lakes.

 

 

Here with a Great Cormorant (-/ET3).

[michael-ibk]

103/ET4.) Pink-Backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) / Rötelpelikan

 

Lake Langano. Smaller and duller than its "great" cousin. The only sighting of this bird.

 

[michael-ibk]

-/ET5.) Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) / Zwergtaucher

 

A few (distant) sightings of this familiar bird.

 

[michael-ibk]

104/ET6.) Long-Tailed aka Reed Cormorant (Microcarbus africanus) / Riedscharbe

 

Only one distant sighting of this one, Doho Lodge.

 

[michael-ibk]

105/ET7.) Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) / Kuhreiher

 

Common in the lowlands but less so than in East Africa. Lake Langano.

 

 

And the two other White Egrets:

 

-/ET8.) Great Egret (Ardea alba) / Silberreiher

 

 

Lake Awasa

 

-/ET9.) Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) / Seidenreiher

 

[michael-ibk]

106/ET10.) Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) / Glockenreiher

 

One sighting of this bird at Lake Awasa.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

107/ET11.) Striated or Green-Backed Heron (Mangrovenreiher)

 

One ebc-sigthing very early morning at Lake Langano.

 

 

-/ET12.) Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) / Rallenreiher

 

Common at Lake Langano, don´t remember it from anywhere else.

 

[michael-ibk]

108/ET13.) Black-Headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala) / Schwarzhalsreiher

 

Seen a couple of time in the highlands. Here from somewhere between Addis and Guassa.

 

 

And its well-known cousin:

 

-/ET14.) Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) / Graureiher

 

Here from Lake Langano