Red-backed Shrike / Neuntöter (Lanius collurio) is a species that’s less often seen bathing or drinking compared to many other passerines in Central Europe. Here are two photos of a juvenile taking a bath on …
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Kestrels ground-nesting in a high-density situation
Within a colony-like breeding situation of five pairs, Common Kestrels were breeding on the ground in a wooden shack.
Continue readingCarrion Crow kills adult Reeve
While Carrion Crows / Aaskrähen (Corvus corone) – as picture-book generalists – are known to feed on a wide variety of things, this was the first time that I witnessed a crow preying on an …
Continue readingA male-like female Reed Bunting
Some female Common Reed Buntings / Rohrammern (Emberiza schoeniclus) approach the visual appearance of males. This is one such bird that initially caused some confusion. But its head is blackish-brown, not black as in males …
Continue readingPlumage variation in female Red-backed Shrikes
Females of Red-backed Shrike / Neuntöter (Lanius collurio) show some variety of plumage features. While the „typical“ female has a brown head and nape with a slight grey tinge and medium (reddish) brown ear coverts, …
Continue readingCommon Moorhens mating
When Common Moorhens / Teichhühner (Gallinula chloropus) mate, the female lies down on her tarsi and arches her neck, looking down to the ground. If the copulation happens in shallow water, this leads to the …
Continue readingOne fish is not enough to take a break
After this Osprey / Fischadler (Pandion haliaetus) had caught a medium-sized fish, it didn’t fly off to eat it. Instead, it repositioned over the water again and continued to hover. In the meantime, the fish …
Continue readingThe winner of the Eastern Marsh Harrier look-alike contest
The plumage of Western Marsh Harriers / Rohrweihen (Circus aeruginosus) can be amazingly variable thanks to different morphs, individual variation and depending on sex and age. Some variation in adult male Western Marsh Harriers: I …
Continue readingRedshank catching flying insects
Some photos of a special Common Redshank / Rotschenkel (Tringa totanus), catching flying insects by jumping in the air. This individual was ringed in September 2015 in Comacchio, Italy and returned to Seewinkel to breed …
Continue readingJack Snipes forage at night
I’ve not seen too many Jack Snipes / Zwergschnepfen (Lymnocryptes minimutus) in my life and I guess that most observers haven’t had a lot of sightings either. A main reason for this is the species‘ …
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