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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Thanks! There were a pair of Kestrels around the castle, but I took them for common. I think the Lesser had not yet arrived, at least not in numbers. I can imagine it gets very hot in summer. Now it was perfect, around 25-28 ° throughout.
  2. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Last note: Here a link to a local birding company in Albania. I took some inspiration from the itinerary of one of their tours: Birding in Southern Albania (Spring and Autumn) Before the trip, I had a short exchange with Mirjan, the guy leading the company. Very responsive. He also features...
  3. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    That was it. Hope you enjoyed it. I can only recommend to visit Albania: absolutely beautiful country, very friendly and easy going people, infrastructure is becoming quite good and very affordable. And good birding :) Here the full list of the trip (109 in total, pretty happy with that, given...
  4. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Unfortunately the paradise is quite threatened. Although nominally a protected area, there is an international airport in construction just north of the salines (some court cases pending). Also some large scale development are planned (by Jared Kushners company) near the lagoon and of the coast...
  5. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    But of course the main birding attraction near Vlora is the Narta lagoon, located in the wider Vjosa delta. It has a large lagoon, full of Greater Flamingos and large salines that were full of Black-winged Stilts and Avocets, and a nice set of waders including Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin...
  6. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Last stop was Vlora, a larger costal town halfway between Butrint/Ksamil and Durres. Not exactly beautiful, but still pleasant and interesting. We made one day trip to the Shushica valley. The Shushica is a tributary to the Vjosa river, equally pristine and the valley very scenic. No new birds...
  7. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Yes, would be great on bike I think, both touring or mountain biking.
  8. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Thanks! Yes, the countryside is very nice and unspoiled. The coastal cities we saw less so.The larger ones with many wild construction, and still a lot of wild waste dumps around.
  9. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Forgot a little excursion we did on some mountainous plateau near Gijokastra, where we found a stunning Common Rock Thrush and a few Woodlarks. Also pretty beautful landscapes, the peaks still had some snow.
  10. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Reptiles were also pretty interesting, although I still have to do some ID work (not an expert here). The ruins of Butrint had some ponds, full with European terrapin. Several times we encountered Hermann's Turtles. And plenty of European Green Lizards and other lizards. The only snake seen was...
  11. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    However, the main attraction of the area is Butrint. Butrint is both an archeological site (actually pretty interesting, although watching old stones is not usually my thing) and a national park. The park is an interesting mix of topographic formations and habitats: a large lagoon, marshy areas...
  12. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Next destination was the coast. We went to the southern tip of Albania, to the beach town Ksamil. Ksamil turned out to be a prime example of the chaotic and illegal building boom, pretty ugly town with plenty of demolished or unfinished buildings and even more apartment buildings with room for...
  13. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    After Gijrokastra, we made a stop in Permet, a pleasant little town. Nearby, there is a beautiful stream with a couple of hot mineral springs. Well rather lukewarm, but still nice to sit in. There is not entry fee or management, quite some people in the first basin near a scenic Ottoman bridge...
  14. dalat

    Wearing white and talking while birding?

    In Costa Rica I found that hummingbirds were quite attracted to the pink shirt of my daughter, so I'd recommend to wear bright pink ;) Seriously though, I think the color of clothing does not matter much, as has been said, birds will notice you regardless of the color. How you behave matters...
  15. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Some pics from the area.
  16. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    The gardens of Gijrokastra had many Nightingales singing around the clock. Cirl Buntings were also pretty common. Above the castle, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows were circling, as were Common and Alpine Swifts. At the edge of the town there was a beautiful small gorge with a historic bridge...
  17. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Next stop was Gijrokastra, a beautiful well preserved historic town with Ottoman architecture and an impressive castle. The road there followed the Vjosa river, one of the last wild flowing rivers in Europe and recently declared a national part. The river, at times widely meandering, and times...
  18. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    I forgot to add that mosquitos and gnats were pretty nasty in that area. No problem elsewhere during our trip.
  19. dalat

    Best bird guides by region...Asia

    I like the cover choice.
  20. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    The Divjaka-Karavasta lagoon is the main (only?) breading place of Dalmatian Pelicans in Albania, so this was the main target. But there was plenty more. The first quick walk to the beach was already very nice birding, as the best beach was located near a a shallow branch of the estuary. There...
  21. dalat

    Albania in April 2024

    Back from a two weeks trip to Albania. It was a family holiday, actually together with a friend's family, 4 kids between 8 and 12. So birding was certainly not at the center of the trip, but I have become good in tweaking the itinerary of family trips with sufficient stops in interesting places...
  22. dalat

    Should I buy ELs now or wait for more new product releases this year?

    The new version of the EL is the NL and already available since a few years.
  23. dalat

    Hello from upstate NY! Heading to Vietnam/Cambodia late November

    Check out the Vietnam forum, some more info there: Vietnam
  24. dalat

    Switzerland 2024

    Yeah, definitely my bogey bird. I have already considered putting my tent in some Jurassien forest and not leave until I got it. I think you are all right about the restrictive settings, the clique culture in Swiss birding, etc. Still, I rarely feel the availability of data is an actual...
  25. dalat

    Switzerland 2024

    Yes, you are right on some way. I also have yet to find someone who shows me where to find Hazel Grouse. Let's create our own social circle! ;)
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