Red Kite, Milvus milvus, Rotmilan in Spessart

Fotografiert fuer die Aktion 'Wo ist Milan?'

Neuroctena anilis

Another not so great macro and just a record shot

Not much seems to be known about this fellow.

There's some Info I found in German and some in English

European garden spider, Gartenkreuzspinne, Araneus diadematus

Not a great macro, by any means.
Just adding to my species collection :-)

Spider of the year 2010, wow ;-)

More on wiki

On this fellow I am not sure, if it's a garden spider as well?

From Germany Nature

From Germany Nature

Trash is always an issue

From Germany

Sadly, I don't seem to get away from trash and morons who litter.
It seems that times have gone back to people just dumping their shit where they stand.
Some places start to look like the beaches in Kuwait.
And the trash cans we have at some places, are not getting emptied - for whichever reason.

From Germany

Not sure what kind of things I already got out of the river these past few weeks.
Some stuff got thrown back in by morons and I got it back out.
The red thing is in the bin for the third time now :-(
The other day I found the outer shell of a toaster. Sigh.

Youngsters like to party at this particular place and tend to leave their trash and broken bottles behind.
I am glad that at least here a few other people seem to be collecting and dumping some of the trash in the bin.

Last year there has been a big 'event' where they collected stuff out of the river. And there are also less plastic bottles around (the ones you get money back for when you return them in the shop). I guess there are some good signs.

I just wish so many wouldn't fall into that same mentality that I despised in Kuwait: Dump your trash where you are standing.

River Nette, Mayen, Germany

From Germany

One of my favorite places for a quick, relaxed nature visit.
Shady, not too many people and water for the dogs to cool off in. And in walking distance.
Quite a bit of nature and wildlife as well.
Two of the more prominent visitors is a Kingfisher (I didn't see him the first two months around, but now he's back), two Grey Wagtails (it should be white Wagtails being at home here, but funny enough, I see those away from the water - German translation of their name would hint that they are the ones living close to this kind of river).

There are also all kinds of Tits, Nuthatches in abundance (I think their youngsters just learned to tend for themselves), Swifts flying over and some House Martins to go, some spotted Woodpeckers and the occasional Green one, many families of Blackcaps, Robins, a few Bluethroats, Black Redstarts, of course Mallards, very few Song Thrushes, of course Wood Pigeons, Magpies, Jays, Rooks and Blackbirds. I've seen some breeding Starlings, but they might have moved on. Occasionally there are some Collared Doves. In the bushes you see flitting Wrens (I love the German name: Zaunkoenig - Fence King).
I haven't seen the Grey Heron and the Dipper in a while, maybe they come back one of these days.
I am sure there's a lot that I don't get to see and a lot I cannot name.
All the trees, plants, butterflies and Critters. Damselflies and occasionally a big Dragonfly. Various fish species and loads of different Grasshoppers who sometimes park themselves on you when you stand still (had a fat grey one on my foot yesterday).

From Birds Germany 2012

Robin, Rotkehlchen, Erithacus rubecula

Mayen, Rheinland-Pfalz
April 2012

Eating a worm (I think)

From Birds Germany 2012

Blackcap, Mönchsgrasmücke, Sylvia atricapilla

Singing male, April 2012

From Birds Germany 2012

From Birds Germany 2012

Green Woodpecker, Grünspecht, Picus viridis

Hello to whoever is still reading here ;-)
I am back in Germany since a while and simply enjoying nature.

Caught this woody last month and the in flight photo today.
(And no, I still have no longer lens ;-))


I love that long beak :-)

From Birds Germany 2012

From Birds Germany 2012

From Birds Germany 2012

Mission failed

Not that I really had a mission.

Went to the beach this morning to just have a stroll.
Took the 18-70mm lens, trying to give my back a break since there are no birds around yet
(migration still some time off).

Of course, besides the usual Gulls there was one this morning intriguing my interest.
I am 95% sure it was a Redshank. You can't see the red on the photos, but I could at the beach.

Well, I save you the trouble of posting the photo of the 4 UFOS flying by.
They were shorebirds, which, I dunno. No sounds have been made, silent UFOS.
Mpf........ :(

But at least we all had a bunch of fun ;)

From The kids

From The kids

Also a big thanks to you all for your well wishes.
Shoulder is much better, I just have to learn to watch it.

At Snail pace

From Hungary

That's pretty much the way I walk around since a week.
That nerve in my shoulder is def. inflamed and I don't think I should be at the computer at all.
But what else to do? Sit motionless in front of the TV?
I think not.

Yes, I was a good girl and did my exercise the past few days, but boy I wish there was a decent, trustworthy acupuncture place in this country.

Oh well. Tiger Balm will have to do.

Enough whining.


A wow for the day though. 
I think, I've finally found a way to show my Lifelist with a snapshot of the bird in the list.
Now, if it only would do the auto count as well... ;-)
(via google docs, could have figured that out earlier, couldn't I?)

How do you do your lists?

Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis, Steppenadler

Egypt 2009

Sewers at Sharm el Sheikh

From Birds Egypt 2009

Cropped version :)

From Birds Egypt 2009

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check World Bird Wednesday!

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Beach clean-up Doha, Kuwait, January 27th 2012

My 3rd time at Doha beach.
I went a bit exploring this time, further up the northern stretch, where I surprisingly got access to the, from the outside, fenced off salt marshes.
I think they should be a protected area (which they maybe are?) without car wrecks, cupboards and whatever huge and small trash littering it.
Doha beach itself looks better, thanks to our efforts. If only the residents and campers would take care a little more.
The stretch at Doha entertainment city looks devastating.
More trash than ever and the mangroves seem to be finally dead.
That stretch, K's path got no permission to clean (yes, you need permission to clean beaches). The folks from entertainment city declared they take care of it themselves.



Birdcount:

1 Curlew
1 Lesser spotted Eagle
5 Reef Egret
3 Crested Lark
1 Desert Wheatear
1 Ringed Plover
1 Graceful Prinia
a bunch of Waders and Gulls, too far out to be ID-ed
(Gulls were most likely Black-headed Gulls and some Caspian Gulls)
+ 180 Flamingos
3 Barn Swallows


1 dead Shelduck
3 dead Juv. Cormorant


I am trying to ID the plants and AbdrulRahman Al-Sirhan's page was of great help again.
I still have quite a few to go :(


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Past clean-ups (that I've been to - K's path has been out every weekend):

• Beach Clean-up Sulaibikhat 3, Kuwait, January 13th 2012


• Qaru island, Kuwait - Beach clean-up Dec 23rd 2011

• Um Al Maradin, Island beach clean-up, Dec 9th 2011

• Beach clean-up Sulaibikhat, July 23rd 2011

• Beach clean-up Maternity Hospital, July 8th 2011

• Beach clean-up Sulaibikhat (2), June 11th 2011

• Beach clean-up, Doha, Kuwait, May 28th 2011

• Beach clean-up, Sulaibikhat, Kuwait, May 13th 2011

• Beach clean-up, Doha, July 16th

Jahra Nature preserve

Birding trip part 3, January 10th 2012

From Kuwait 2012

The second stop on my birding day with Pekka Fagl was at the Jahra Nature preserve.

From Kuwait 2012

Another place you can only get in when you have a certain permit.

From Kuwait 2012

A good thing, because this keeps the hunters out - most times.

From Kuwait 2012

I am not sure I placed it on the correct location on Google maps. These places are hard to find on the map :(

From Kuwait 2012

We were greeted by an Isabelline Shrike

Isabelline Shrike, Isabellwürger, Lanius isabellinus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

and some Coot and Moorhenns, heard some Water Rail, but I didn't get to see one

Coot (Eurasian / Black / Common),  Bläßhuhn ( / Bläßralle / Bleßhuhn), Fulica atra

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Chiffchaff were there

Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, Zilpzalp

From Birds Kuwait 2012

and we played 'Hide and Seek' with a Graceful Prinia

Graceful Prinia, Streifenprinie, Prinia gracilis

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Graceful Prinia, Streifenprinie, Prinia gracilis

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Graceful Prinia, Streifenprinie, Prinia gracilis

From Birds Kuwait 2012

A Bluethroat made a brief appearance

Bluethroat, Blaukehlchen, Luscinia svecica

From Birds Kuwait 2012

and a Water Pipit posed next to the car door for me

Water Pipit , Bergpieper, Anthus spinoletta

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Some Norther Shoveler had a Stop-over

Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata, Löffelente

From Birds Kuwait 2012

and some Black Kite and Lesser Spotted Eagles were looking for an easy Lunch, mixed with some Pallid Swift and Barn Swallows

Lesser spotted Eagle, Aquila pomarina, Schreiadler

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Saw some plants / bushes in bloom, thanks to the recent rain, I guess.
Pekka told me the name, but I forgot :(

From Kuwait 2012

From Kuwait 2012

From Kuwait 2012

He pointed out a Desert Warbler to me, but I was too slow for a decent shot.
A Stonechat was more obliging

Stonechat (Common), Schwarzkehlchen, Saxicola torquata

From Birds Kuwait 2012

and next we were surprised by some Flamingos. Mostly youngsters, except for one adult

Greater Flamingo, Rosa Flamingo, Phenicopterus ruber

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Greater Flamingo, Rosa Flamingo, Phenicopterus ruber

From Birds Kuwait 2012

and some Black-headed Gulls heading for the coastline

Black-headed Gull, Lachmöwe, Larus ridibundus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

And a huge flock of Penduline Tits teased us by flying always in front of the bright noon sun.
I managed to get a few record shots of yet another Lifer for the day ;)

Penduline Tit, Beutelmeise, Remiz pendulinus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Penduline Tit, Beutelmeise, Remiz pendulinus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Penduline Tit, Beutelmeise, Remiz pendulinus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Penduline Tit, Beutelmeise, Remiz pendulinus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Penduline Tit, Beutelmeise, Remiz pendulinus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Penduline Tit, Beutelmeise, Remiz pendulinus

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Birdcount

8 Coot
3+ Moorhenn
3+ Water Rail (sound) (would be a Lifer, but I didn't get a photo)
3+ Graceful Prinia
2 Northern Shoveler (male)
2+ Isabelline Shrike
65 Black-headed Gulls
10+ Greater Flamingos (1 adult, rest Juveniles)
1 Bluethroat (male, N. European var. svecica)
3 Stonechat (2 male / 1 female)
2 Black Kite
1 Eagle
10+ Water Pipit
10+ White Wagtail
Chiffchaff (sound)
20+ Pallid Swift
8+ Barn Swallows
60+ Penduline Tit (Lifer)
1 Desert Warbler
1 Lesser spotted Eagle

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