Really red, Red Phalaropes

Red, Red Phalaropes have always been one of my most wanted birds. Having seen around 40 birds in Denmark and Greenland, none of them have been red. This year I had the chance to see the birds on their breeding grounds in Iceland. Arriving at their favorite pools, birds were found calling in the near vicinity. For the next twenty minutes a dream came true. 8-10 birds were noted in the area always being on the move only settling down for a minute or two before flying away chasing each other high in the air. I just placed myself at one of the larger pools and waited - the birds would come to me and luckily they did.

Unfortunately the weather was not all that great with clouds and very grey conditions but the pictures turned out ok, at least the id should be ok... 

10/6 Male Red Phalarope. Not quite as nice as his female counterpart, but still...

10/6 Male Red Phalarope. Often seen walking around on land.

10/6 Female Red Phalarope. It does not get much better!!

10/6 The pair doing their thing. I did not get any shots of flying birds but the all white underwing is really a nice feature.

10/6 Coming just a bit closer to check me out.

10/6 Easy to see who is in charge.

10/6 Red-necked Phalaropes are nice. But really, they can't compete with their bigger cousin.  

Red Phalaropes in breeding plumage are truely awesome birds and must rank among the best waders in the world.

RDN

Doi Lang 4/12-11

Doi Lang var næste destination på turen, og virkelig en lokalitet vi havde glædet os til. Turen derop var dog langt fra problemfri, hvilket primært kunne tilskrives vores elendige chauffør/guide. Han havde i hvert fald aldrig hørt om koblingspunktet! Vi pressede dog på, så vi til sidst fik vores minibus op ad den våde bjergvej. Doi Lang er ikke meget mere end en vej igennem de nordlige skove, men her er mange arter, som er svære andre steder i Thailand. På toppen ligger der en militærpost, og de stive vagter kan godt blive lidt nærgående. :-) Dette er også stedet, hvor fotografer fra hele verden samles, og skyder på alt levende. Vi havde planlagt to dage på lokaliteten, men vores guide nægtede at køre op dagen efter.

Spectacled Barwing er absolut en af de fedeste arter i Thailand. Arten er meget nem ved Doi Lang, da den kommer jævnligt ved fotografernes foderpladser.
Foto: SSL



Hot Spot for Fire-tailed Sunbird. Arten er svær at se, da den holder til i lave buske. Efter lidt tålmodighed fik vi dog arten fint at se. En af de få arter vi ikke har fotodokumenteret. 



Camp Foto Amok. For det meste havde de ingen anelse om, hvad de tog billeder af. 



Boyband medlem.

En lille nordthailansk perle. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher
Foto: RDN

Skoven er tæt og ufremkommelig. Så det er primært birding fra vejen.

Det her var engang en tre-sporet motorvej!  

Small Niltava.
Foto: SSL

Siberian Rubythroat. En absolut drømmeart for mig. Vi så arten mange steder i det nordlige Thailand, så den er relativ let her. Ikke så nem at tage billeder af :-)
Foto: RDN

Chestnut Bunting. Vi fandt en lille flok af denne fine værling. De var i fint selskab af flere individer af Common Rosefinch. Foto: RDN

Yellow Cheeked Tit. En heftig art som vi ikke så mange individer af. Samme sted kunne vi nyde turen eneste Fire-capped Tit, som vi desværre ikke fik billeder af.
Foto: RDN

Dark-backed Sibia er alm. i området.
Foto: SSL

Red-faced Liocichla. Eftertragtet med god grund. Vi så flere individer her og ved Doi Ang Kang.
Foto: RDN

Whiskered Yuhina. Vi var helt vilde med disse fugle. God art fra Doi Lang (kun set her).
 Foto: RDN

Orange-bellied Leafbird. Relativ alm. i det nordlige Thailand.
 Foto: RDN

På vejen op på toppen kommer man forbi disse marker. Det er et absolut "hotspot" for Jerdon's Bushchat, men vi så ikke skyggen af arten på lokaliteten. Det var desuden, det eneste sted vi så Grey-faced Buzzard.

White-headed Bulbul
Foto: RDN

Himalayan Bluetail, Male.
 Foto: RDN

Buff-throated Warbler på toppen af Doi Lang.
 Foto: SSL

Himalayan Bluetail, Female
Foto: SSL

Lidt længere nede af bjerget er vejen lidt større.

Flere små hytter. Her boede en familie på otte børn og to voksne. De havde på daglig basis udsigt til flere forskellige fluesnappere på klos hold. 

Motorvej

Motorvej

Norway 2012 part two.

The spring has been cold here in Norway. There is still quite some snow in the mountains. The highest lakes still have ice/snow covering parts of them slowing the breeding process of the scoters. Groups of Long-tailed Ducks and Red-throated Divers are still present on the larger lakes in the valley when they probably should be breeding somewhere in higher altitudes. Bird activity is fairly low with only Willow Warblers, Meadow Pipits and Cuckoo's still singing fairly frequently.

3/7 Bluethroat, Esandtjønna. The song activity is already fairly low. This is one of only three Bluethroats we have heard.

  

3/7 Bluethroat, Esandtjønna.

3/7 Bluethroat, Esandtjønna. Attractive bird!



3/7 Common Crane, Østby. We have seen about ten birds, all adult birds.




3/7 Golden Eagle, Finnsbrekka. Along with Merlin and Kestrel the only raptors we have seen.  



3/7 Golden Eagle, Finnsbrekka.

3/7 Willow Grouse, Esandtjønna. We have seen six birds.

RDN

Golden Eagle, Norway 2012

We have seen quite a few Golden Eagles during the first days here en Norway (5-6 individuals). At least two different pairs and some youngsters are roaming the mountains here. Today we saw this 3rd cy? and an adult bird.

2/7 3 CY? Golden Eagle, Mosjøen.

2/7 3 CY? Golden Eagle, Mosjøen.

2/7 3 CY? Golden Eagle, Mosjøen.

RDN

Norway 2012

Where do the Common Scoters breeding in Norway winter? In Iceland we have the perfect survey area with quite a lot of birds breeding near our base camp. In Norway it is quite the opposite. Birds are only found in low densities, they breed quite far away from our base camp and they breed on islands in lakes. Hopefully we will succeed in trying to determine their wintering grounds within the next couple of years.

28/6 According to SSL this species does not exist. I seem to see them every time I go north though.

30/6 Brambling. Common, but quite attractive in summer plumage.

1/7 Lapland Longspur, Gardkleppen. Three birds seen.

30/6 Common Sandpiper, Gammelvollsjøen.

30/6 Our project species. A scarce breeding bird in Norway. Will we ever catch one?!

1/7 A chance encounter. Seeing the characteristic foraging holes in roadside trees made us make a short stop. Young birds could be heard begging for food when we opened our doors. Some times you get lucky. A new world tick for me!!

1/7 Mountain Hare, Stugusjøen. Only seen in the early hours.

RDN