Syrian Woodpecker and Fall webworm moth

The Fall webworm moth (Hyphantria cunea) seems to like the Bazilescu Park, a small park near the home of Cristian Mihai in Bucharest. During the last weeks beginning in May he saw maybe hundreds of individuals from this species, most of them entirely white, only a few showing a variable number of black dots (see… Continue reading Syrian Woodpecker and Fall webworm moth

Parrots in Papua New Guinea

New Guinea is an island located just south of the equator. New Guinea is home to 46 species of parrots (s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrots_of_New_Guinea), which makes it the third most diverse biogeographic region in parrot diversity, after the continent of South America which harbours about 100 species and Australia which has 57 species. New Guinea on the… Continue reading Parrots in Papua New Guinea

Iberian Chiffchaff on Fuerteventura

Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus (or P. brehmii  as it is called, too) is mainly found on the Iberian peninsula in Spain and Portugal but migrates to the south in fall. This chiffchaff is brighter, greener on the rump, and yellower below than Phylloscopus collybita. This species is a long-distance migrant, occurring every year on the… Continue reading Iberian Chiffchaff on Fuerteventura

Pratincole in Oman´s deserts

These pictures are from Dawkah Farm on 10th of march 2012. Migration time in the desert could be very rewarding as surprises could arise everywhere. So happens with this pratincole with a wine-red underwing. First I thought of course of a. But looking at the photos I did not find the white trailing edge on… Continue reading Pratincole in Oman´s deserts

Young Pale Crag-Martin in flight over Oman

Pale Crag-Martin over the Oman Desert. Early spring in the desert could be very rewarding as surprises could arise everywhere. The birder has a chance to see birds in migration and to see the first birds breeding. A surprise was this Pale Crag-Martin, Hirundo obsolete or Ptyonoprogne obsolete patrolling over the little nice oasis of… Continue reading Young Pale Crag-Martin in flight over Oman

A Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis: From Eye to Eye

Most pictures of Steppe Eagle you find in the internet are from falconry or zoos. But the keen birdwatchter want the right stuff. Here you can see Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis, in the wild. Photographed in the desert environment of Dhofar/Oman near the city of Salalah. To cope with the growing demand for top shots… Continue reading A Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis: From Eye to Eye

Purple-Blue over a sea of grass….

Observing bird migration in the UAE is one of the prime birdwatchter´s target. But also the resident species are targets in their own rights. This is true for sure for one of the most colorful birds in UAE, the Indian Roller, Coracias benghalensis, which used to be called the “Blue Jay”. Some people have even described the Indian… Continue reading Purple-Blue over a sea of grass….

The Brahminy Starling: a vagrant from India at the coast of Oman

Brahminy Starling: a vagrant from India at the coast of Oman. Migration time in Oman is prime birdwatching time. After having seen Moustached Warbler and Savi’s Warbler in the middle of the Oman´s deserts, now I can present the 3rd bird, which will be announced via a Rare Bird Report to the Oman Bird Records… Continue reading The Brahminy Starling: a vagrant from India at the coast of Oman

Moustached Warbler in the middle of the Oman Desert

Migration time in the desert could be very rewarding as surprises could arise everywhere. So happens with a Moustached Warbler, Acrocephalus melanopogon, in the little nice oasis of Mudday in the north-western corner of Dhofar/ Oman. This passerine bird is a species found in upright aquatic vegetation such as reeds and sedge as it happens… Continue reading Moustached Warbler in the middle of the Oman Desert

Black Sittella in Papua New Guinea

In the Central Highlands of PNG I found this nice Black Sittella (Daphoenositta miranda) . This species belongs in the Neosittidae family. It is found in several mountainous areas in New Guinea. There is not much known about this close relative of the more common Varied Sittella. Even Wikipedia does not show much more. For more details… Continue reading Black Sittella in Papua New Guinea

Eurasian Hoopoe

On the 14th of Oktober 2011 I drove with the car to the isthmus of Jandía. We took the curvy road inside Costa Calma village up tot he sandy plain. Up on the highest point we crossed a hiking trail. The trail is marked with red-and-white posts. Here I saw not only Houbara Bustard, Black-bellied… Continue reading Eurasian Hoopoe