On sunday, 13th of October, I had the unique opportunity to observe an immature Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) in the Niederer Fläming region of Brandenburg, a truly exciting find for any birdwatcher. With its distinct features and behavior, this raptor should be unmistakable in good observation conditions. But identifying immature and femlae individuals can be… Continue reading An immature Pallid Harrier in the Niederer Fläming
Tag: Hen Harrier
Junge Steppenweihe im Niederen Fläming
An einem Sonntag Mitte Oktober hatte ich die einmalige Gelegenheit, eine junge – also diesjährige – Steppenweihe (Circus macrourus) im Niederen Fläming in Brandenburg zu beobachten. Eine Steppenweihe ist immer eine aufregende Sache für jeden Vogelbeobachter. Mit seinen markanten Merkmalen und seinem Verhalten sollte dieser Greifvogel bei guten Beobachtungsbedingungen unverkennbar sein. Aber die Unterscheidung junger… Continue reading Junge Steppenweihe im Niederen Fläming
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
Immature Pallid Harrier on migration in southern Brandenburg/ Germany
In April I was in the so-called Niederer Fläming (Lower Flaeming), a gently sloping landscape in southern Brandenburg. I had an incredible experience that I will not soon forget. I had the opportunity to observe a young Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus). A beautiful clear morning kept the Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) soaring and cheering over the… Continue reading Immature Pallid Harrier on migration in southern Brandenburg/ Germany
AZERBAIJAN – a birding trip in late migration time
INTRODUCTION The goal was to use 4 days off and a public holiday to go on another birding trip to a distant country after the corona pandemic had ended. This was also a reconnaissance trip to investigate birding destinations in western Asia. We didn’t want to linger long with stopovers at any airport. So the… Continue reading AZERBAIJAN – a birding trip in late migration time
Winter roost for Hen harriers in Brandenburg
A Northern or Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) is hovering in the early morning light in front of a forest belt. In the first morning light a female Hen Harrier had been siting on a broken Birch (Betula pubescens) in one of the many swamps in southern Brandenburg called „luch“. A luch is the northeast German… Continue reading Winter roost for Hen harriers in Brandenburg
Kornweihe (Circus cyaneus) im Flug
Eine wunderbare Flugaufnahme einer weiblichen Kornweihe ist mein persönliches Foto dieser Woche. In einer auffallenden Pose zeigt das Bild alle Oberseitenmerkmale dieses tollen und nicht immer leicht aufzuspürenden Greifvogels. Allein eine solche Beobachtung hätte diesen Tag zu einem besonderen Birder-Tag gemacht. Das Bild zeigt eine weibliche Kornweihe im zeitigen Frühjahr über einem Stoppelfeld im Morgenlicht… Continue reading Kornweihe (Circus cyaneus) im Flug
Birding around Berlin: Rough-legged buzzards on wintering grounds
Breeding in the tundra zone of northern Europe, As holarctic guest bird Rough-legged Buzzards (Buteo lagopus) are encountered in Central Europe especially in the winter months. Rough-legged buzzards leave their high northern breeding areas by the end of September / early October. In increasing numbers they migrate in the central European region especially the North… Continue reading Birding around Berlin: Rough-legged buzzards on wintering grounds
Kornweihen in Rastquartieren in Brandenburg
Als holarktischer Gastvogel sind Kornweihen (Circus cyaneus) in Mitteleuropa inzwischen vor allem im Winterhalbjahr anzutreffen. Kornweihen ziehen von Ende September/ Anfang Oktober bis März im Gebiet der norddeutsch/polnischen Tiefebene. Vorkommen in der Zeit von April/ Mai bis August sind eher selten, kommen aber auch schon mal vor. Im Juni 2013 konnte von bird-lens.com u.a. eine… Continue reading Kornweihen in Rastquartieren in Brandenburg
Griffon vulture in the Wonnegau in the middle of Germany
Currently, an unusual visitor from the south of Europe can be seen in an area of Rheinhessen between the cities of Gruenstadt, Worms and Ludwigshafen. The distance to Frankfurt am Main is only 100km in south-western direction. The bird is a Eurasian Griffon – or Griffon Vulture – (Gyps fulvus). The Vulture has been detected… Continue reading Griffon vulture in the Wonnegau in the middle of Germany
Birds of heath in Brandenburg
Brandenburg, one of the new federal states is much more influenced by continental climate than the western parts of the country like e.g. Frankfurt am Main. Moreover, this state is not very densely populated at the Polish border. A good reason to call some parts of the country a birds and birders paradise. Breeding pairs… Continue reading Birds of heath in Brandenburg