A day out birdwatching (pic-heavy!)

[Turnstone]

1st May is a public holiday in Germany. The weather was good, but we decided not to go on our planned birdwatching-trip but wait for the next day. This was a good decision, almost no one else was in that area! The weather wasn't that good, but dry, and in the end almost perfect for taking pictures. We saw 49 different birds, including a cuckoo and an osprey (no pictures of these, sorry...) And no picture of the black-tailed godwits and lapwings chasing a weasel. But that was wonderful to watch!
Oh, I forgot to mention... most of the pictures were taken near the Dümmer Lake between Osnabrueck and Bremen!
No more words, enjoy the pictures!

(Can you spot it?!)

(All pictures as shot, just made them smaller to fit the forum)

 

[daveO]

Love that shot of the geese in the long grass!

What camera set up do you use?

 

[Niels]

Nice pics. What's up with that swan?

 

[salad]

Nice photos mate

I am down south in Bayern

 

[Toddy]

Lovely photos of a good day out

Wet enough to be here and great to see such a variety of birds.

Thank you for sharing

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Bowlander]

Nice pics. What's up with that swan?

Its got a neck ring on it, easier to read but a bit incongruous.

Great pics of the waders. The blackwit and ruff are my favourites. You did well to spot the Snipe, they were chipping and drumming like mad today.

I've never seen so many roe in one place before!

 

[Turnstone]

Thanks for all your comments! Sorry for the late answers, I was away camping for the weekend

Love that shot of the geese in the long grass!

What camera set up do you use?

I used my new Panasonic G5 with a 100-300 zoom lens. This lens is supposed to be bad at the long end, but I can't complain. Good enough for me Most pictures were taken out of the car, but not all. The birds are used to humans, a few years ago we were standing 4 meters away from a black-tailed godwit which seemed not worried at all!

There were so many deer that day, and I too have never seen so many in one place!

I will try to find out where and when that swan got that neckring. Maybe it comes from far away, who knows?

 

[Bowlander]

http://cr-birding.be/cr-MuteSwan.htm

This link lists contacts for the various swan marking projects.

 

[Turnstone]

http://cr-birding.be/cr-MuteSwan.htm

This link lists contacts for the various swan marking projects.

Thanks! It seems that this swan got his ring only a few kms away from where I saw it.

 

[Bowlander]

No problem. I think they are a fairly sedentary species.

 

[greensurfingbear]

My favourite one us the geese heads just stick up over the grass.

Great pics thanks for sharing


Orric