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

2017 Western Palearctic Big Year (1 Viewer)

Nice last write up from Turkey:
http://www.bigyearwp.com

With a very reasonable conclusion at the end (while driving towards a Dalmatian Pelican spot in Turkey): "There are Dalmatians in Romania, too. So change plans to go there and twitch the Amur Falcon!!! Great guys!
 
These would be possible species in Romania if they decided to travel a little around

Lesser White-fronted Goose (maybe some stragglers)
Western Capercaillie (travelling needed)
Rock Partridge (travelling needed, could however be important to have)
Dalmatian Pelican
Eurasian Dotterel (travelling needed)
Red-footed Falcon
Eleonora's Falcon
Spotted Nutcracker (travelling needed)
River Warbler
Thrush Nightingale

And if they go to Italy these species could be targeted, though almost all would need some travelling and can still be targeted later. Bold ones don't need travelling from the Black Heron spot
Muscovy Duck
Northern Bobwhite
Western Capercaillie
Rock Ptarmigan
Rock Partridge
African Sacred Ibis
Eurasian Dotterel
Red-footed Falcon
Eleonora's Falcon
Spotted Nutcracker
Red-billed Leiothrix
Dartford Warbler
Moltoni's Warbler
Italian Sparrow
Citril Finch
 
A tour group with some german birders just went to western Kazakhstan and they found White-winged (easy) and Black Larks (more difficult) aswell as Demoiselle Cranes. However no gen ;) on birds like Long-tailed Shrike and Buntings
 
Maffong said:
A tour group with some german birders just went to western Kazakhstan and they found White-winged (easy) and Black Larks (more difficult) aswell as Demoiselle Cranes. However no gen ;) on birds like Long-tailed Shrike and Buntings
Click to expand...

A friend of mine is off to Kazakhstan tomorrow, hoping for 10 WP ticks (unspecified) If I get info from him while he's there, I'll try to transmit it onto here....
 
Red-headed bunting was observed by aforementioned German group in Kazakhstan, so this one's around. Now it would be interesting to know if Long-tailed Shrike's around too
 
Now Amur Falcon as #600 that would have been awesome. Let's hope they're not going to search for Swan Goose or Muscovy Duck next ;)
 
Jon Turner said:
Looks like Amur is a dip. Dalmatian Pelican is however sorted. No mention of what's next. This per Face-ache.
Click to expand...

Dalmatian pelican was no 599 :
http://www.bigyearwp.com/index.php/igoterra-ticks/

So very slowly approaching 600! Hopefully the Amur falcon isn't dipped completely yet... Edit: just read "Twitching Romania": so that was a real dip then. Hopefully they will go for Black-browed albatross and Black Heron now...
 
Last edited:
They've arrived in Rome and will go twitch Black Heron. They want to do a cleanup in Italy which I doubt will be possible or seems necessary. See below

Maffong said:
And if they go to Italy these species could be targeted, though almost all would need some travelling and can still be targeted later. Bold ones don't need travelling from the Black Heron spot
Muscovy Duck
Northern Bobwhite
Western Capercaillie
Rock Ptarmigan
Rock Partridge
African Sacred Ibis
Eurasian Dotterel
Eleonora's Falcon
Spotted Nutcracker
Red-billed Leiothrix
Dartford Warbler
Moltoni's Warbler
Italian Sparrow
Citril Finch
Click to expand...
 
They'll actually be trying for all of those (maybe except of Dotterel). This is actually quite intelligent, the Albatross is probably stationary and a quick twitch at the end of the week. They could get Arctic Tern, Common Grasshopper Warbler, River Warbler and Thrush Nightingale with it (which could all be done within a day) and thus would stand at about 618 species (minus dips). They have planned 14 days in July for southern european species, but could reduce that time to the following:
Portugal: Cory's Shearwater, Black-headed Weaver, Yellow-crowned Bishop
Mainland spain: White-rumped Swift, Iberian Chiffchaff, (Balearic Shearwater)
Mallorca: Balearic Shearwater, Balearic Warbler, Mediterranean Flycatcher
Corsica: California Quail, Corsican Nuthatch, Corsican Finch, Marmora's Warbler, (Mediterranean Flycatcher)

With good planning they can achieve this in under a week and would have another week for twitching in July (not the best month though...). Maybe they could squeeze in Azerbaijan? Additionally to Shikra they might want to try for Caspian Tit (and Black-headed Penduline Tit?!?!)
 

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