I had been very successful in the Bakossi Mountains with the Mount Kupe Bushshrike (Telophorus kupeensis) – also known as Serle’s Bushshrike. After an unsuccessful first day on an expedition in these Afrotropic mountains, my indispensable guides and me encountered a total of 7 individuals of the Mount Kupe Bushshrike until the end of the… Continue reading Mount Kupé Bushshrike – some aspects on equipment & logistics
Category: Nature Conservation
Swifts over Sanager River/ Cameroon
Swifts (Apodiformes) in the family Apodidae are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. There are 13 species occurring in Cameroon.… Continue reading Swifts over Sanager River/ Cameroon
Pochard: a bird population in decline
The fate of the Common Pochard is discussed intensively in the relevant forums. Scientific research suggests that the sex ratio of the populations of Common Pochard (Aythya ferina), a medium-sized diving duck, in Europe and North Africa has changed. This could play a role in the decline of the species in the Western Palearctic. Sex… Continue reading Pochard: a bird population in decline
Bird photography in the rainforests of Peru
As the name suggests high precipitation characterizes the rainforests. Photographing animals during the rain is a real challenge to people and material. But this particular weather situation gives many motifs an additional charm. An extensive downpour is always a great moment to spot birds in an extraordinary situation. But also the small representatives of the… Continue reading Bird photography in the rainforests of Peru
Newly discovered wintering location for Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Spoon-billed Sandpipers (Calidris pygmaea) are one of the big megas in birding space. This charismatic species is listed as Critically Endangered because it has already an extremely small population. Population distribution is limited for the breeding range from the Chukotsk peninsula south to Kamchatka. The bird migrates from north-eastern Russia down the western Pacific coast… Continue reading Newly discovered wintering location for Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Ringed Gull-billed Terns on the coast of the Northern Sea
In the only colony in North Western Europe, in Schleswig-Holstein on the Dithmarsch Elbe estuary in the Neufeld polder, Gull-billed Terns (Gelochelidon nilotica) had a good breeding success in 2014 and about 30 breeding pairs in the colony in Neufeld / Schleswig-Holstein and the one in Lower Saxony probably get roughly 40 young birds fledge.… Continue reading Ringed Gull-billed Terns on the coast of the Northern Sea
Dippers – photography along streams and rivers
Photographing White-throated Dippers (Cinclus cinclus) in the natural habitat normally means to shoot on a black bird with partially white underparts with nesting material in the beak for the nest building. These are the classic photos that you see of dippers. They fly preferably to and from exposed spots, as stones outstanding on the water.… Continue reading Dippers – photography along streams and rivers
Photo Project: Dancing Great Bustard in Germany
Dancing Great Bustard (Otis tarda) at dawn. That must be a great photo project. The courtship is an incredible spectacle. The male Great Bustard transforms himself into a large, white ball of feathers. To do so, he turns the brown, patterned flight feathers out so that the white underside and the white feathers of the… Continue reading Photo Project: Dancing Great Bustard in Germany
The Woodlark – a welcome sign for spring
Almost everyone probably knows the warbling of this tireless champions of the songs in the sky. It is such a welcome sign of spring, that we all must look up in the sky involuntarily and have a look after the singer. That’s not that simple. And how many of us have seen recently larks in… Continue reading The Woodlark – a welcome sign for spring
Small Buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus) for WP-portfolio
Early morning, 5:30 am. After a coffee in front of the small chalets, we will start for the first full day Malawi expedition. The typical east-african birds are our main interest. At 4:30 we have got up already. The starry sky promise a nice day. Great atmosphere. In the background the last lights of stars… Continue reading Small Buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus) for WP-portfolio
Desert Sparrows in Morocco
Morocco, one of the northernmost countries of Africa is a top tourist destination. Morocco is situated in the northwest corner of Africa and is basically an African country with a large Mediterranean region along the coast. Additionally Morocco might not sound like a birdwatcher’s paradise but, Morocco offers surprisingly good birding in various habitats. Morocco… Continue reading Desert Sparrows in Morocco
Weilbacher Kiesgrube, a birding paradise near Frankfurt
A sunny morning, clear sky, the air filled with songs of birds, a steppe-style open county area with excellent outlooks, riparian woods. This could be a morning in the Weilbacher Kiesgrube. The area is located near the town of Weilbach, which is only 20 km west of Frankfurt city and not far from Frankfurt Airport.… Continue reading Weilbacher Kiesgrube, a birding paradise near Frankfurt