#Germany - Hopping down some bunny trails

Just a quick update - a bit overdue:

Am currently hopping around in Germany, for approx. another month,
then hopefully (keep your fingers crossed, please!) New Hampshire.

Catch you all again on the bright side ;-)

From Germany

Siskin (Eurasian), Erlenzeisig, Carduelis spinus

Another surprise catch of a Lifer on a walk to a photo assignment. One has to keep eyes and ears open at all times :-)

More Info on Opus at Birdforum (Name translation thanks to Bavarianbirds)

From Birds Germany 2013

From Birds Germany 2013

Wren, Zaunkönig, Troglodytes troglodytes

From Birds Germany 2013

Had this little Wren posing for me, right in front of my lens.
Shots are still not clear, bir and me moving too much ;-)
I just love these little fellows.
In German their name means 'King of the fence' (Zaunkoenig).
I think they are :-)

More Info over at Birdforum on Opus (translation of bird names via Bavarianbirds)

From Birds Germany 2013

From Birds Germany 2013

From Birds Germany 2013

From Birds Germany 2013

From Birds Germany 2013

Peregrine Falcon, Wanderfalke, Falco peregrinus

A surprise Lifer, bagged in Koblenz yesterday morning :-)
Taken with an 18-200mm on full zoom, so excuse the not so great detail ;-)

More Info about the species at Opus on BirdForum

From Birds Germany 2013

From Birds Germany 2013

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

Yellowhammer, Goldammer, Emberiza citrinella

Germany 2011

From Birds Germany 2011

From Birds Germany 2011

Common Pochard, Tafelente, Aythya ferina

Seen in Germany (Laacher See, Rheinland-Pfalz) in Nov 2011.
Checking through the photos this Lifer caught me a bit by surprise.
I was shooting from quite a distance, hoping to get some IDs on the waterfowl.
Most I could tell were Coots, some Tufted Duck and some Great Crested Grebe. This guys just now caught my eye. I love surprises :-)

The one in the middle (all grey, brown head) is the male and the others are female.

From Birds Germany 2011

And here's a close crop of the male. Not good quality, but oh well,...

From Birds Germany 2011

Black Woodpecker, Schwarzspecht, Dryocopus martius

One of my first forest walks while back in Germany,

I saw this fellow in the trees.

Just got these brief few clicks – not the greatest shots, but hey, it’s a Lifer :)

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

Good-bye Germany

For now :-).


Have left Germany last Saturday and am back in Kuwait. Everyone is whining that it’s so cold here, even my dear husband.


I am happy that it’s not 55C and blazing hot, neither is it dusty right now. The sky is a crystal blue and the air fresh and crispy. Perfectly fine with me.

Will post some new shots another day.

For today, we’ll have some gloomy shots from German forests with a Marsh tit (a Lifer for me), a Nuthatch and a Jay (can you believe that I forgot the English names for the last two?! But Bavarian Birds‘ translation tool helped me out once again).

From Birds 2011 Germany

Great Crested Grebe, Haubentaucher, Podiceps cristatus

Seen in Maria Laach / Laacher See, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany 2011

From Birds Germany 2011

winter plumage

From Birds Germany 2011

winter plumage

From Birds Germany 2011

Tufted Duck, Reiherente, Aythya fuligula

Tufted Duck, Reiherente, Aythya fuligula

From Birds Germany 2011

Coot (left), Red crested Pochard Mallard Hybrid (middle), Tufted Duck, Reiherente, Aythya fuligula

From Birds Germany 2011

Mallard, Stockente, Anas platyrhynchos

I am fairly sure that I have many more Mallard photos. Just where they are is the good question :-)

Female Mallard, Plaidt, Gerrmany

From Birds Germany 2009

Female Mallard, Plaidt, Gerrmany

From Birds Germany 2009

Male Mallard, Mayen, Gerrmany

From Birds Germany 2011

Male Mallard, Hungary

From Birds Hungary 2009

Female & MaleMallard, Jahra, Kuwait - not a common sight

From Birds Kuwait 2010

Back in good ol’ Germany

Since last Friday I am back in Germany in my home town.

That’s one of the reasons why I didn’t pop by last week – sorry for that. I will catch up

From Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

Here’s just a quick glimpse from my refreshing eye candy. Not the greatest photos, I yet have to get used to gloomy conditions again (not that it’s that different from dust – photography wise). Bagged a Lifer on my second day – a Dipper. Never seen one before. Nice welcome gift ;-).

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Germany