A rattling, gibbering call is thrown back from the high rocky walls in echoes. After 1 minute, the call is repeated. Carefully, I try to approach the noise source. Unexpectedly, a Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) appears between the boulders. After only two shots, the Ptarmigan is already disappeared. In the middle of the mighty mountain… Continue reading Ptarmigan in Tyrol
Tag: Northern Wheatear
Alpine birds in the Haut Chaumes / Vosges
The mountain meadows in the Vosges are very attractive in summer time. Beside birds of the alpine zone one sees some interesting plants like Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea), Mountain arnica (Arnica montana), Alpine Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla alpina), Mountain Pansy (Viola lutea). Northern Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe), Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensis) and Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) are certainly the… Continue reading Alpine birds in the Haut Chaumes / Vosges
Snow Bunting, a migrating passerine on Flores/ Azores
The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is one of the few migratory passerines to be found on a regular basis to visit the Azores archipelago in general and Flores in particular. Maybe only the Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) of the subspecies leucorhoa, the Greenland Wheatear is recorded as often on Flores, the westernmost island of the… Continue reading Snow Bunting, a migrating passerine on Flores/ Azores
Birdphotographie in the Picos De Europa
While the southern landscapes in Spain – like the Estremadura – are among the most popular photo destinations on the Iberian Peninsula, the mountains in the north, like the Picos De Europa, are largely unknown to many bird photographers. On my travels to Spain mountainous birds of the Hochgebirge had been too short. They were… Continue reading Birdphotographie in the Picos De Europa
Grey-cheeked Thrush as a vagrant in the WP
This medium-sized thrush with its brownish-grey upperparts and tail, its pale underparts with heavier spotting on the breast, a plain grey face with some light streaks but no eye-ring would be a real mega – if identified as such in the Western Palearctic. Grey-cheeked Thrushes (Catharus minimus) are rare vagrants to the WP, with only… Continue reading Grey-cheeked Thrush as a vagrant in the WP
Passerine vagrants on St. Paul – Pribilof Islands
As the plane gets closer to the barren island of St. Paul, the first impression is Brown und Olive-green. Later we see that there are not only brown and olive colors on the island. Metre-high waves of a dark blue sea are breaking against the rugged, rocky coast which is shimmering black. As we land,… Continue reading Passerine vagrants on St. Paul – Pribilof Islands
Pintail Snipe on a remote US-Island in the northern Pacific/ Alaska
Gambell, a small village on the north-western tip of the remote St. Lawrence Island is an outstanding outpost not only for North American Birders. A short trip with only a few days with High Lonesome yielded all sorts of good birds, both Asian and North American origin. During a 6-day trip guided by the tour… Continue reading Pintail Snipe on a remote US-Island in the northern Pacific/ Alaska
Siberian Rubythroat (Luscinia calliope) in May on the Pribilofs
Looking for Vagrants at Hutchinsons Hill, the northernmost tip of the island of St. Paul, resulted in a perfect male Siberian Rubythroat on the 24th of May 2016. A group of 10 birders travelled to the Pribilofs with High Lonesome and we had already exiting observations with great adventure with great leaders and excellent organization.… Continue reading Siberian Rubythroat (Luscinia calliope) in May on the Pribilofs
Eurasian Wryneck and other birds in Bulgaria
I am now back from a trip to Bulgaria for quite a while. As I wrote already in the Bee-eater-Blog, the main purpose was to photograph European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster). But as I mentioned in the recent blog, Bulgaria is full of wildlife which could be found relatively easy. As most of the mornings were… Continue reading Eurasian Wryneck and other birds in Bulgaria
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) on Norderney
Norderney, the most densely populated island in the german Wadden Sea is with good reason called a bird paradise. Terns, Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Redshank (Tringa tetanus) , Brent Geese (Branta bernicla), Greylag Geese (Anser anser)and many other birds of water are to be found there, as well as the rare Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea… Continue reading Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) on Norderney
Birding around Frankfurt Airport – Schwanheimer Duene
There are not too many foreign birdwatchers coming to the middle of Germany for just birding. But Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is the gateway to continental Europe. Many airlines use the Airport as a hub for connecting flights all over the world. If you have spare time between two flight and you are a birdwatcher, you… Continue reading Birding around Frankfurt Airport – Schwanheimer Duene
Fall migration at the Black Sea Coast/ Romania
Spectacular numbers of Pallid Harrier, Circus macrourus, and Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus, were the highlight of the first day. Having spent 3 days in May north of Constanta at Romania´s Black Sea coast, it was decided to try our luck with birds again in the area around the village of Vadu. The target was, to… Continue reading Fall migration at the Black Sea Coast/ Romania