Birds in Hungary Day 2. 14th May 2018.

Black necked Grebe.

I was out of bed and in the truck at 4:20 this morning for a short trip to the Great Salt marshes.

Had a floating hide to myself and it was just before sunrise so I was all set up when the sun came over the horizon.

Needed chest waders to get to the hide which was tethered to some posts driven into the ground.

All photos were taken from the “lying down” position in order to get the low vantage point for ducks and grebes as they hopefully went about their daily lives.

This did however play hell with my neck and shoulders, craning to look through a camera from the prone position... not ideal but it paid off handsomely!

Delighted to have got such great species as Red Necked Grebe, Black Necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Garganey, Pochard, Greylag Geese, Little Crake and several others.

Here are a few examples.....

Red Necked Grebe

Red Necked Grebe

 

Drake Garganey in flight

Birds on Day 1 in Hungary. 13th May 2018.

Grasshopper Warbler

I found this very approachable Grasshopper Warbler this morning whilst out in the grasslands of the Tizsla river in Hungary.

The birdlife here is incredible and it does make one feel a bit sad thinking that ours at home should be like this but isn't!

As I watched this bird and listened to it's "fishing reel" song I could also hear Bittern booming, cuckoo, hoopoe, turtle dove and quail all within close distance.

Hoping to post some more pics as the time and internet availability allows.

Yellow Wagtail

Hare, Wadebridge, North Cornwall May 2nd 2018.

I got lucky with this hare as it kept coming closer and closer until I couldn't get him all in the frame with the lens I had on the camera.

Always love watching hares and this time was no exception.

It was "drumming" its front legs which I understand may be some kind of cleaning routine but this didn't show on the still photos so I've attached a short video clip which was amazing quality but had degraded badly as it's been downsized for the web but you may get some idea of what I'm talking about.

Shelduck this evening in North Cornwall. Wed 2nd May 2018.

Had a flock of 42 Shelducks in a freshly tilled arable field this evening.

Every now and then some would leave the field and come to the water to bathe and also to wind up the Canada goose pair that think they own the pools!

So I was quite pleased with some of the photos that follow......

Cornish Choughs in West Cornwall. 30th April 2018.

Had at least 6 and probably more Cornish Choughs today in West Cornwall.

I spoke to the RSPB guy keeping an eye on them and he saw 12 yesterday!

I settled in down amongst the rocks after first checking with the guy that I was nowhere near any nest site.

Amazingly they flew in and started to feed very close to me and then the adult male (with the yellow and blue leg rings) landed and proceeded to feed the adult female just a few feet away.

So exciting to see our favourite Cornish birds looking so good!

 

A few more migrant birds resting up against a North wind.... 25th April 2018

Greenshank

There's still a few birds fighting their way North from Africa towards Europe and taking a welcome breather on the rocky shores of Lanzarote in the Canaries.

Today I've had a fantastic Greenshank, a Turnstone and several Whimbrel.

I reckon in a few days I'll catch up with them when we're back in Cornwall..... who knows that Greenshank may be going via the Camel estuary!

Greenshank

 

Whimbrel

 

Whimbrel

 

Turnstone

Sanderling on migration. 23rd April 2018

 A few shots of Sanderling as they pause to feed in the Canary Isles on their voyage North to their breeding grounds.

Sanderling following a single Turnstone.