On 10. August 2023 we noticed a dead nestling in the entrance of a nest of European Bee-eaters / Bienenfresser (Merops apiaster) in a colony in Frauenkirchen, Austria. We tried to remove it, but it …
Continue readingAutor: LK
Lengths of nest tunnels of European Bee-eater
In fall 2023 I measured 56 nest tunnels of European Bee-eater / Bienenfresser (Merops apiaster). 10 in Frauenkirchen, Austria and 46 on the Adriatic island of Susak, Croatia. All nests were found in loess cliffs …
Continue readingGiant Wrens nesting in a plastic bag
While watching a pair of Giant Wrens / Riesenzaunkönige (Campylorhynchus chiapensis) along a sandy track through banana plantations just south of Los Limones, Dep. San Marcos, Guatemala on 12 February 2023 with Ana Paula Oxom, …
Continue readingStrange sounds of a European Robin
A first-year European Robin / Rotkehlchen (Erithacus rubecula) caught during a standardized bird ringing operation at St. Martins Lodge, Frauenkirchen (Austria) gave strange, squeaking sounds while still in the net, while held in the cloth …
Continue readingRed Kite catches dragonfly in mid-air, then gets harassed by Kestrel
While watching this juvenile Red Kite / Rotmilan (Milvus milvus) in late fall, the bird suddenly performed a swift, aerial maneuver. I appreciated the move for the bird showing it’s underside nicely, but I didn’t …
Continue readingA very, very pale Shelduck
It’s not the first, whitish Common Shelduck / Brandgans (Tadorna tadorna) that I have come across at Seewinkel, Austria (but probably the only one I took some snapshots of). It seems that aberrantly colored individuals …
Continue readingA too pale Black-headed Gull
Photos of an aberrant, adult Common Black-headed Gull / Lachmöwe (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) from Seewinkel, Austria. The head pattern and bill colour might pose a potential ID pitfall in regard to Slender-billed Gull / Dünnschnabelmöwe (Chroicocephalus …
Continue readingCommon Pochard with one white cheek
Photos of a male Common Pochard / Tafelente (Aythya ferina) with asymmetric color aberration (one white cheek) from Lebring, Austria.
Continue readingShades of Pink and Yellow: „omissus“ Herring Gulls from the German Baltic coast
… yellow-legged individuals are present throughout the whole of Scandinavia. (…) We still do not have a solution as to why some argentatus have yellow legs and others not, but it may simply be diet-related. …
Continue readingHouse Martins nesting in woodpecker holes in styrofoam facade
In the breeding season 2022, House Martins / Mehlschwalben (Delichon urbicum) in a colony of roughly 80 natural nests started to occupy and build nests in three holes that a Green Woodpecker / Grünspecht (Picus …
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