2 Grey Partridges (Perdix perdix), male and female, let themselves be lured to the mowed meadow by the calls of a rival. They are very open. Suddenly, they haven’t been that open for a minute, a Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) comes flying low. The Grey Partridges immediately take off in a brilliant flight for cover.… Continue reading Grey Partridges under attack
Category: Rare Bird sightings
Specialities
Stephen’s Place: a paradise for Barbets in Bukit Fraser
On the edge of a green mountain forest, right in the heart of Malaysia, stands a large tree whose branches are laden with an abundance of ripe treasures of red fruits. An almost unlimited number of fruits dangle in the canopy between dense emerald green foliage. A lively spectacle unfolds here for a few days… Continue reading Stephen’s Place: a paradise for Barbets in Bukit Fraser
Hard Birding Taman Negara
Right at the entrance to the Taman Negara National Park in the middle of Malaysia you have the chance to experience an early bird show. So one morning I was standing with a group of bird watchers near the campsite between construction vehicles and looking into a fruiting tree. Undeterred by the hotel staff and… Continue reading Hard Birding Taman Negara
Hoopoes in the Kaiserstuhl
Almost everyone knows the Hoopoe (Upupa epops) with its unusual headdress and friendly face. But there are only a few places in Germany where you can observe it quite easily. The Kaiserstuhl in the south-western corner of Germany is one of these special places, with one of the highest population densities in Germany. But that… Continue reading Hoopoes in the Kaiserstuhl
Mecklenburg´s Switzerland: a true paradise for woodpeckers too
The high drum rolls gave the early morning a special sound. The imitation of the drum quickly brought the author to the observation tower. It was a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor). I was able to photograph him very nicely here. My journey to Mecklenburg Switzerland began well before dusk. The drive through the… Continue reading Mecklenburg´s Switzerland: a true paradise for woodpeckers too
Bluethroat in willow bush
The first Bluethroats (Luscinia svecica) were recorded in northern Germany. One location seemed to be a particularly reliable location. The journey wasn’t that far either. But first I stood with a few other observers and saw: Nothing! But after just 20 minutes of waiting, a colleague murmured from the left: “There it is.” The bird… Continue reading Bluethroat in willow bush
A Special at Green Mubazzarah: Leucism in Desert Lark
After a successful morning in first light and 2 hours afterwards in the Green Mubazzarah, at the foot of the Hajar Mountains, I’ve just come back from a photo tour of both the Plain Leaf-Warbler (Phylloscopus neglectus) and a pair of Hume’s Wheatears (Oenanthe alboniger). I walk over the thick pebbles that make the Wadi… Continue reading A Special at Green Mubazzarah: Leucism in Desert Lark
Vagrant Egyptian Nightjar on Fuerteventura
A Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius) was found on March 29, 2007 near La Lajita Beach on Fuerteventura. The Egyptian Nightjar was ringed and released the next day. After the onset of south-easterly winds and sandstorms from the Sahara, a Egyptian Nightjar was caught on the island of Fuerteventura at the end of March 2007, probably… Continue reading Vagrant Egyptian Nightjar on Fuerteventura
Andean Cock-of-the-rock at Tunquini Field Station from a camouflage tent
A beautiful day announces itself with a perfect starry sky. So I can really throw myself into the adventure. First I try my luck with the Nikon Nikkor AF-I 4.0/ 600 on the Nikon F 5 set up on the fruiting single tree on the slope where I couldn’t find anything yesterday. I’ve barely taken… Continue reading Andean Cock-of-the-rock at Tunquini Field Station from a camouflage tent
Stelvio National Park: bird diversity in the Alps
As the first light of dawn paints the sky in shades of pink and orange, a small group of intrepid bird watchers gather at the entrance to Stelvio National Park. Armed with binoculars, cameras and a shared passion for the winged inhabitants of this Alpine paradise, they embark on a journey into the heart of… Continue reading Stelvio National Park: bird diversity in the Alps
Wintering Short-eared Owls in Brandenburg
Very few people will see them in the northern German winter. A Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) flies over the moor in front of the dark edge of the forest with a typical rowing flap of wings. The sun has already set for half an hour. Fog rises from the moor. Soon the last glow of… Continue reading Wintering Short-eared Owls in Brandenburg
Good tips for a trip to the Kakamega Forest
If you are keen to hear the morning roar of the Guerezas (Colobus guereza), just one of seven resident monkey species in the heart of western Kenya, and see a Green Hylia (Hylia prasina) or a Yellowbill (Ceuthmochares aereus) in the semi-darkness of the forest, you should take your time for the Kakamega forest in… Continue reading Good tips for a trip to the Kakamega Forest