20 small birds are constantly on the move between a garden bush and the nearby birdhouse. Right away I can identify Great Tits (Parus major), Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), Nuthatches (Sitta europaea), Greenfinches (Chloris chloris), Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). While Great Tits and Blue Tits prefer to fly to the feeder,… Continue reading Bird photography in your backyard: What to consider
Category: Nature Conservation
In search of the Eurasian Dotterel in Krkonoše-Mountains of Poland
A small gray bird walks shyly in the heath vegetation on the edge of the talus cones. It is a bird of the Krkonoše or Giant Mountains, which otherwise has its main distribution in Northern Europe, Northern Asia and Central Asia. In Poland, the Eurasian Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus) nests sporadically in high mountain grasslands and… Continue reading In search of the Eurasian Dotterel in Krkonoše-Mountains of Poland
Turtle dove carrying nesting material in Abu Simbel
From its nest in an African Mahagony (Thaya senegallensis) a European Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia turtur) flies over our heads to an acacia tree. There she obviously finds dead small, fine twigs and stalks. When it flies back practically the same way for the third time – this time with a fine twig in its beak –… Continue reading Turtle dove carrying nesting material in Abu Simbel
Peregrine Falcon on the coast of Big Sur
Fantastic light in a great landscape. But the hit is a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), which suddenly comes flying in on the steep rock in front of me and can be perfectly photographed eating its prey in the most beautiful morning light. First he crouches down over his plucking. He then secures and sees if… Continue reading Peregrine Falcon on the coast of Big Sur
Red-backed Shrike in the Nuthe-Nieplitz region
Forest edges and small trees – especially small ones – are the habitat of the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio). A male, clearly visible, secures the half-open habitat. From time to time he calls out his unspectacular call, jumps to the ground and then flies back with or without prey on his favorite perch with a… Continue reading Red-backed Shrike in the Nuthe-Nieplitz region
Hoopoes – breeding in Germany
In undulating, butterfly-like flight, a bird with broad, deeply fingered wings comes flying onto an old shed. It is a hoopoe (Upupa epops) that takes a large insect, it looks like a mole cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) to feed the young. On the second approach, the long, curved beak and the approximately 5 cm long, erectable… Continue reading Hoopoes – breeding in Germany
A Whinchat in the countryside
There are four different species of the brightly colored, small-thrush birds in Germany. The best known is probably the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) with its bright red breast. This masterful singer with his clear verses breeds mainly in gardens, forests and parks with a lot of undergrowth. In the winter months they are curious and… Continue reading A Whinchat in the countryside
Giant Otters in Manu
A tropical thunderstorm is just unloading; when the murmur of the rain fades, we continue on a muddy path through the forest. Then we go by boat on a curici, a lake that consists of a truncated oxbow lake. “Lobo,” Luis suddenly calls into the unreal silence. “Lobo de Rio”, wolf of the rivers, as… Continue reading Giant Otters in Manu
Saih al-Salam, paradise in the midst of semi-desert and acacia savannah in the Emirates
The first chains of Sandgrouse appear early in the morning. Still, it is remarkably cool. But very soon, the air will be heatened up to the highest degrees. Sandgrouses do not only arrive quenching their thirst on the extensive waters. Species such as the Arabian Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus erlangeri) and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata)… Continue reading Saih al-Salam, paradise in the midst of semi-desert and acacia savannah in the Emirates
Sickle-winged Nightjar in Arroyo el Palmar
The first evening in the Parque Nacional El Palmar just should bring a pair of sunset palm photos. Suddenly I see a nightjar on the road. A little further on, more can be seen in the pale light. The eyes shone in the headlights. One oft he nightjars is ready to accept a photo and… Continue reading Sickle-winged Nightjar in Arroyo el Palmar
Lumo Reserve; a paradise in eastern Africa
The breathtaking panoramic view over the golden-green savannah between Tsavo East and Tsavo West, the North-South Pare Mountains and the Taiga Hills will stay with us forever. But the small “gifts” right along the way are also a miracle. Thus you can soon see the first Little Bee-eaters (Merops pusillus cyanostictus). Here you can really… Continue reading Lumo Reserve; a paradise in eastern Africa
Whiskered terns and waterfowl at estuary on the Caspian Sea of southern Azerbaijan
The view of the shallow bay is just great. We are en route to explore the lagoons and coastal habitats between Liman, Narimanabad and Baliqcilar in southern Azerbaijan. The huge bay of Kizil Agach (another spelling: Qizilagach or Ghizil-Agaj) is the largest wetland in Transcaucasia. It is easily accessible from the causeway between Liman and… Continue reading Whiskered terns and waterfowl at estuary on the Caspian Sea of southern Azerbaijan