Pyrrhula pyrrhulaPasseriformes Fringillidae This species is uncommon in my area. It was one my many challenges to photograph this beauty, although the male is much more colourful than the female. I had heard about a pair coming to a friend’s garden early in the morning. So I set my hide tent at 7H30 and lo […]
Tag: bird
Pangbourne sprays to kill oak processionary caterpillar ‘dangerous’
Wildlife in a Berkshire woodland was endangered by a “sledgehammer-to-crack-a-nut” approach to killing a toxic caterpillar, experts have said. Birds, bats and rare insects were affected by Forestry Commission aerial sprays to kill a moth larvae, Butterfly Conservation and Buglife claimed. It was unclear if oak processionary caterpillar larvae were even present in the Pangbourne […]
The European bee eater
Merops apiaster Coraciiformes – Meropidae They are back from their African winter quarters end of may in the South of France but mainly in Spain early in may. As Carrion crows, Black kites and some parrot species, they live as couples within a same colony and mate for life. It is awesome and inspiring to […]
The Little Bustard
Tetrax tetrax – Otidiformes – Otididae – It is the only species of this Tetrax genera and is very endangered on french territory. Also in decline in Spain although still in larger numbers, it lives in dry opened areas. The male does somewhat of a “flamenco dance” on a specific spot about 30 cm wide […]
Red kite showing off
Milvus milvus Accipitriformes – Acciptidae As I was taking ordinary pictures of this magnificent bird, he turned swiftly around and flapped his wings to impress another individual intended on perching on the same branch. Beginning of April 2013
Sunspots
There’s been a marked decline in the number of sunspots over the past decade or so. That’s what NASA scientists say, and I have no reason to doubt their research findings. Luckily, I haven’t observed any reduction in the terrestrial version of this phenomenon. Hardly a day has passed lately when I’ve not been blinded […]
The Lesser flamingo
Phoeniconaias minorPhoenicopteriformes – Phoenicopteridae It is the smallest species of flamingo; it lives in sub-Saharan Africa with another population in India. It mainly breeds at Lake Natron in northern Tanzania andfeeds primarily on a cyanobacteria or Spirulina, algae which grow only in very alkaline lakes and contains the photosynthetic pigments that give the birds their […]
Costa Rica Update
My second tour complete, so naturally, lots of editing waiting on the hard drives. Both of the 2013 tours were very successful, wonderful guests, amazing nature to see and photograph. This most recent trip was exceptional as we were able to stand in a farmers field and watch Quetzals with their nest. A tree line […]