It applies to all species of the genus Chlidonias that they colonize nutrient-rich waters with rich bank vegetation, especially on lakes and slowly flowing rivers. They build their nests on floating plants and often form colonies during breeding season. Long stalks of rushes, ledges and cattails are used as building material. These are easy to… Continue reading Chlidonia’s terns in Germany
Tag: Black Tern
Great Snipe photography in Estonia
A creaky staccato. A Great Snipe (Gallinago media) shakes itself in extacy. Then the snipe jumps briefly in the air. This can last for many hours at the midnight mating court, a lek. Common Snipes (Gallinago gallinago) also perform their courtship with sounds. But these are very different from those of the Great Snipe. Loud,… Continue reading Great Snipe photography in Estonia
ID immature Chlidonia’s terns
The Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) occurs widely across the world in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. It is rare in Germany and only breeds in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt. Evidence of breeding was also recently reported in Brandenburg. In other parts of the world, however, this Chlidonia tern is the most common of the genus.… Continue reading ID immature Chlidonia’s terns
Vogelfotografie im Biebrza-Nationalpark im Frühjahr
Im Nordosten Polens, etwa 200 Kilometer nordöstlich von Warschau, erstreckt sich eine einmalige Sumpflandschaft, die von vielen deutschen Tierfotografen inzwischen nicht mehr vernachlässigt wird. Der Biebrza-Nationalpark liegt zwar eigentlich nicht gleich vor unserer Haustür, doch stellt er für etliche Arten die westlichste Verbreitungsgrenze dar. So kann man an der Biebrza nach wie vor viele in Europa… Continue reading Vogelfotografie im Biebrza-Nationalpark im Frühjahr
Bartmeisen am Blankensee/ Trebbin
Ein wunderschöner Spätsommertag kündigte sich mit einer sternenklaren Himmel an. Zeit noch mal dem Blankensee, im Einzugsgebiet der Flachlandflüsse Nuthe und Nieplitz südwestlich von Berlin gelegen, wieder mal einen Besuch abzustatten. Als die Morgensonne die ersten Sonnenstrahlen über den See schickte, war kurz ein schöner Vogel mit beigefarbenen Gefieder, hellgraublauen Kopf und einem auffälligen Bartstreifen… Continue reading Bartmeisen am Blankensee/ Trebbin
Caspian Seashore & Volga delta in May
Bird richness on the northern shore of the Caspian Sea is amazing. Caspian Sea is counted the largest inland body of water in the world. More than 100 rivers provide inflow to the Caspian, with the Volga River being the largest. Pristine floodplain forests, flooded grasslands to the horizon, eagles on almost every tree. A… Continue reading Caspian Seashore & Volga delta in May
Heavy influx of migrating White-winged Tern in Germany
Today saw a remarkable influx of White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus, in several parts of northern Germany. Observations were recorded from the Seeburger See (lake) near Goettingen (1 indiv.), from the Wedeler Marsch near Pinneberg (13 indiv.), from the Winsener Marsch near Winsen an der Luhe (2 indiv.), from the Sulzdorfer Wiek on the islands of… Continue reading Heavy influx of migrating White-winged Tern in Germany
Identifcation of flying Chlidonias Terns in breeding plumage
Looking at field guides like „ Collins Bird Guide“ from Peter Grant, Dan Zetterstrom, Lars Svenson and Killian Mullarney the ID look quite simple. But even in the breeding plumage Chlidonias – or Marsh – Terns can cause some headache identifying in the field. Then even the Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) can be confused with… Continue reading Identifcation of flying Chlidonias Terns in breeding plumage
Black Terns catching flies in the Danube Delta
I was almost titeling Black Tern flycatching… but then I found an interesting nice article in Wikipedia, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawking_(birds)) to the meaning of feeding strategies of birds involving catching flying insects in the air. Wikipedia says, that the term “flycatching” refers to a technique of sallying out from a perch to snatch an insect and then… Continue reading Black Terns catching flies in the Danube Delta
Top Birds at Romania´s Black Sea Coast
South of the Danube Delta is a wide stretch of a sandy shoreline with shallow lagoons. This is part of Romania´s Black Sea coast. May is Migration and early breeding time. Whereas the association of the east Romanian countryside is normally with the core Danube Delta with its speciality birds like Pelicans, Black-necked and Red-necked… Continue reading Top Birds at Romania´s Black Sea Coast
Bird Diversity in the Danube Delta
Bird Diversity in the delta of 2ndlargest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta is very high. Over 320 species of birds are found in the delta during the summer, of which 166 are breeding species. A group of bird-photographers decided to visit this site in May 2012 on a trip with Sakertours. Highlights of… Continue reading Bird Diversity in the Danube Delta