Based on a message in Ornitho.de in the beginning of May I when visited the Schiersteiner water works in the vicinity of Wiesbaden in the Rheingau region. This area is about 50 km west from the Frankfurt city center. A singing Reed Warbler had been seen. Maybe a nice photo opportunity. Shortyl after arrival at least one individual of an intensively singing Great Reed-Warbler was found . The individual was singing all the time – as shown in the photo. It showed-up repeatedly on the high stalks ends of last year’s reeds in a water pond called “the Lagoon”. The water body is easily detected from the flood dike. The shooting distance was quite close – just 15 meters. There were at least two different localities where the Great Reed-Warbler could be heard in the reeds.
When birding in this area located along the banks of the Rhine I could see also some the latecomers in the spring migration of birds. Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) were very active. Males and females flew calling again and again over the meadows and open water areas . In the air, insect hunters were common. Swifts (Apus apus) and Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) could be observed. As on previous days, it was it was rather cool . The pleasant, sunny days of the weeks before were obviously over. Also another bird enthusiast (a fellow from Scotland) joined me in the meantime. During the observation of the Great Reed Warbler we had beautiful observations of Black Kites (Milvus migrans), which flew directly over our heads. Also in overflight a male Eurasian Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) was observed. The area can be very productive for birds on and at the edge of the water surfaces of the water basins of the water works. This is especially true in winter and autumn. This time I found only several Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula), of course Mute Swans (Cygnus olor), Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca) and Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) . While walking on the flood dyke that runs along a beautiful, albeit narrow riparian forest, I could find a pair of Ring-necked Parakeets (Psittacula krameri), which had developed a special interest in an old woodpecker hole in a thick trunk of a willow. Again and again they inspected the hole. Not to the delight of a nearby Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), which once even chased successfully away the two cave inspectors. A successful spring photographic trip, which shows the many opportunities for bird watching, even if you just want to discover and photograph a Great Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) .
If you are also interested birds of water and reeds and live in the Rhine -Main area, do not hesitate to go there. The current position
Deutschland
In order to meet the growing demand for top images of the rarer species of Palaearctic, Bird-lens.com has made trips to remote places like the coastal mountains of western Norway or in the winter to a secluded harbor in Denmark. This to ensure excellent photos of the Birds of the Western Palearctic . The results in pictures also of rare Western Palaearctic birds is very good. Just take a look what can be found behind the tab “Picture- Shop“. Just give a notice, if you need the image of another species before more pictures are online.