RED DEER DISPLAY - I

December 2008
During the last years i often went to a wonderful place called Wildenhainer Bruch
part of the heathland Dübener Heide (near Leipzig, Germany).

In autumn, from a watching point, you can hear Cranes Grus grus, Red Deers
Cervus elaphus or observe a White-tailed Haliaeetus albicilla without disturbing it.

This Autumn I only did this single recording:

GREIFSWALDER OIE – I

December 2008
During October I was at a bird ringing station on a small isle called
Greifswalder Oie. It is situated in Northeastern-Germany.

For me, this trip offered a complete new view on bird migration. At my hometown
Leipzig, bird movements seemingly only appears with large flocks of greater
birds like Cranes or Geese. At this isle i observed mainly songbirds. One of the
most frequent appearing birds on the island were Goldcrests Regulus regulus
– their high pitched calls were everywhere.

CORN BUNTING WITH YELLOWHAMMER SONG

August 2008
On Spring 2008 the ornithologist Reinhold Brennecke (Haldensleben,
Mid-Germany) told me about a Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra with
an aberrant song.
The bird would have a pure Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella like
and a mixed song. He observed it during the last three years.

A few days ago I´ve read a report about the a similar issue.

On early summer I visited the described place and had the luck to see
and listen the bird. Actually it was a Corn Bunting!

During our Singwarte Camp in June 2008 we went out to record the singer.
It sang two different kinds of songs, a Yellowhammer and a mixed
Yellowhammer-Corn Bunting song.
The mixed one started with Corn Bunting like short single sounds, followed
by a Yellowhammer part (typical first part double sounds in Yellowhammer
song). The song of our Corn Bunting ended with the typical short
Corn Bunting sounds.

BEE-EATERS AT GEISELTAL

July 2008
During the last weeks I went to an area called Geiseltal near Merseburg
(Mid-Germany). It was a brown coal pit till 1994. Now the area will be
transformed to an immense water landscape for all kinds of sports and
freetime activities.
Some animals which life in this kind of highly endangered habitat type today,
would disappear.

One of the fine species there is the European Bee-eater Merops apiaster.
There´s a large breeding colony and at the last times we saw up to sixty
birds…

DRÖMLING

July 2008
In the end of July 2008 I visited the Drömling, a great area of grass- and
marshland in the Altmark (Mid-Germany).

I have recorded Common Quails Coturnix coturnix singing there.

Four Barn Swallow´s Hirundo rustica were calling from the rooftops of my
mothers homestead (Tree Sparrow in background).

THE GOLDEN ORIOLE

July 2008
Sometimes I am birding at a park in Leipzig´s south called Park-Dölitz-Lößnig.
It´s a good spot for Golden Orioles Oriolus oriolus, here´s a recording of a
dispersing family.

MILVUS MIGRANS +

July 2008
Yesterday I have recorded a family of Black Kites Milvus migrans in Leipzig
(East-Germany) as something unexpected happened…

SINGWARTE - A NATURE SOUND
RECORDING CAMP

TURMSEGLER

July 2008
Now it´s summer - and there´s nothing like the sound of Common Swifts
Apus apus dashing by, close to my windows.

SYLVIA WARBLER WITH ATYPICAL SONGS - I

July 2008
Last year a birder from Leipzig pointed me at two warblers with atypical
songs. So we went out to make some sound recordings for documentation.
They were identified as Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Garden Warbler
Sylvia borin, optically.

WAITING FOR BOTAURUS STELLARIS

June 2008
Yesterday I was out to record the song of the Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris.
While waiting for the Bittern a Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus came closer
unnoticed and barked.
Nearby a Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos was singing.