[dacoj3]

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....9&page=1&pp=25 and http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=77921 are the previous threads in this series that my friend Stuart Reeves started two and one years ago.

The idea is to take your binoculars with you for casual birding on those short leisure and business trips around Europe. But it is also fun to hear about the more serious days out at home and on holiday.

We have the WP totals, and country totals which lead to the cumulative total.

So take it easy, but take your bins with you when you go, and post your reports!

[dacoj3]

So to start off at home in Denmark. So this is more a snapshot of birding in Denmark in a mild winter... The total so far is 60:

Waxwing was the first species on 1/1, as I was making morning coffee. They are a scarce winter visitor, but this is a slightly better than average year for them. Definitely an auspicious start. We took our sandwiches to Tisvilde, the dune area on the north coast of the island. Coastal species included Common and Velvet Scoter but no Gannets, Kittiwakes or Little Auks. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker means I have essentially cleaned up on the woodpeckers. I've seen Lesser-spotted 3 times in the >20 years I've lived in Denmark and one Wryneck. And this is only about the 5th Green: apart from this solitary bird, which has been seen and heard sporadically over the last few years, there are none on this island. Common (Red) Crossbill was also notable, and Treecreeper was the third sp that I didn't see in DK in 2007 - the others were the two rarer woodpeckers. Day total was 42.

13/1 I landed after a week in Vietnam (there is a separate thread on that http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=105765) and needed an afternoon walk at the local patch, the Bognæs peninsular. Smew, Red-breasted Merganser and Goosander as well as our local breeding White-tailed Eagle pair. Saw almost as many species there that I did in a week in Vietnam.

Last Saturday (19/1) I bought a 70-300mm Nikkor lens in the January sales and wanted to test it so I drove up the fjord. Added a couple of species of which our local non-migratory White Storks at Østrup (Denmark's only breeding pair!) were the highlight.

Sunday (20/1) took us to Fårevejle and Lille Åmose which added Bean Goose, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer.

I've still not seen a Robin!

[dacoj3]

The real Euro bit starts next month with three trips planned to Sweden and one to the UK... But I know Stuart has already been to Denmark once.

[StuartReeves]

Blinking flip, I've had my thread hijacked! I confess I was planning to give it a miss this year not least because, with no potentially productive work trips on the horizon, there was a real risk the thread could start dull then get worse. I'm also not good at remembering which common birds I've seen on my travels, which means that the listing bit can be hit and miss at best. I can usually remember the interesting stuff though, and on that basis the story so far is:

Belgium (Brussels) : Ring-necked and Alexandrine Parakeets as per usual; Egyptian Goose and, a real bonus this one, Peregrine.
Denmark (Copenhagen) : Nothing of any consequence
France (Eurostar to Brussels) : See Denmark
UK: Little Egret over my house; Pom Skua and Shag offshore from work one day and a Tawny Owl from the car on the way home that same day; Single Brambling with a nice Yellowhammer/Chaffinch flock on the edge of the village last weekend.

[Jos Stratford]

Could I stretch Europe down to the equator this year Stuart?

Otherwise, it's been rather poxy so far - a few in the UK on my one day there and not a huge number more in Lithuania, though with very mild conditions, White-tailed Eagles were on the patch today, along with a Kingfisher, usually not a bird I stand a chance of in the winter.

PS isn't this thread copyrighted to Stuart?!

[StuartReeves]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

Could I stretch Europe down to the equator this year Stuart?

Otherwise, it's been rather poxy so far - a few in the UK on my one day there and not a huge number more in Lithunania, though with very mild conditions, White-tailed Eagles were on the patch today, along with a Kingfisher, usually not a bird I stand a chance of in the winter.

PS isn't this thread copyrighted to Stuart?!

I seem to remember that you've stretched Eastern Europe at least as far west as New York in the past so I don't see why stretching south to the equator should cause any problems. As long as all the birding is casual of course.

On the copyright issue, you'd better watch out in case David starts an Eastern Europe thread.

[Vectis Birder]

Originally Posted by StuartReeves

I seem to remember that you've stretched Eastern Europe at least as far west as New York in the past so I don't see why stretching south to the equator should cause any problems. As long as all the birding is casual of course.

On the copyright issue, you'd better watch out in case David starts an Eastern Europe thread.

Well I've stretched my local patch in southern England as far as South America in the past, so here's to elastic birding boundaries!

I'm hoping to get to France and the Netherlands this year, although my feet are beginning to itch again for long-haul travel.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by Vectis Birder

I'm hoping to get to France and the Netherlands this year, although my feet are beginning to itch again for long-haul travel.

I have decided to try and get beyond the borders of Lithuania once per month this year, so I'm a big fan of flexible borders

[dacoj3]

Well, seeing as Stuart didn't get his act together . Glad I'm forgiven - anyway we should be having our traditional trip to Skåne next Saturday, which will be my first trip within Europe this year.

I'm up at 99 spp in DK so far (as I doubt the province of the male Ferruginous Duck I've just seen in our local park), boosted by a not very causal trip to Jutland on 27/1 with Andreas Petersen where targets were Ross' Gull - a lifer for both of us - and Ring-necked Duck - a WP tick for me but not even DK for Andreas. Other nice birds were added to the year list included:

Great White Egret (unusual in winter), Bewick's Swan, Pink-footed Goose (both west Jutland specialties), Hen Harrier (at least 4), Marsh Harrier (very unusual in winter), Peregrine Falcon (two), Skylark (a harbinger of spring), finally a Robin, Stonechat (another West Jutland specialty), Mistle Thrush (mainly a passage migrant on Sjælland), Crested Tit (not on this island at all), Starling (scarce in winter over here), Carrion Crow (which is rare over here).

Last weekend I went to the north coast at Gilleleje where it was blowing a gale. Unfortunately in slightly the wrong directions since the Swedes got all the nice birds. But I did see Dipper (not one th coast), Kittiwake and Re-throated Diver. So still no Gannets or Auks.

Since then I've found Moorhen, Long-eared Owl and Short-toed Treecreeper, all locally.

[dacoj3]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

I have decided to try and get beyond the borders of Lithuania once per month this year, so I'm a big fan of flexible borders

So how about a snapshot of Lithuanian winter birdlife, Jos?

[StuartReeves]

Originally Posted by dacoj3

So how about a snapshot of Lithuanian winter birdlife, Jos?

Not so much a snapshot, more a long-running soap opera: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=26452

[dacoj3]

Originally Posted by dacoj3

Well, seeing as Stuart didn't get his act together . Glad I'm forgiven - anyway we should be having our traditional trip to Skåne next Saturday, which will be my first trip within Europe this year.

OK, 10 days ago and I am in Sweden for the second time, in Gothenburg. Real casual birding with about 10 spp seen from the train in the way up. Not added to the 65 spp we (Stuart, myself and 5 others) saw on the skaane trip on 16/2 where the interesting species were Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian (Horned) Grebe, Bittern, Long-tailed Duck, Red Kite (at least 50), White-tailed Eagle (8), Hen Harrier (3-4), Rough-legged Buzzard (only 1), Golden Eagle, Stock Dove, Eagle Owl (at the well-known site), Green Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Hume's Warbler, Hawfinch, Raven.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by dacoj3

So how about a snapshot of Lithuanian winter birdlife, Jos?

This snapshot is dedicated to Stuart, a species I believe he is rather fond of and the highlight of my winter on my land so far this winter.

[dacoj3]

Is wp, but is it eligible for eurolisting?

The meeting was in Mansoura on the east branch of the Nile, with a side meeting in Alexandria - which added 5 spp gull and cormorant as well as starling

2 lifers: Senegal Thick-knee, Graceful Warbler (Prinia); 5 wp ticks, Black-shouldered Kite, Laughing (Palm) Dove, Pied Kingfisher, White-breasted (throated) Kingfisher, Common Bulbul

also 5 spp heron, Spur-winged Plover, Long-eared Owl, Hoopoe, Crested Lark among the 36 spp.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by dacoj3

Is wp, but is it eligible for eurolisting?

I think it should be, but I might be a little biased - if I ever get round to it, I shall add mine up and add them to this thread ...and I might do a little wandering a tad beyond the technical ends of Europe

[Xenospiza]

Sadly, I forgot to note my few sightings in Bordeaux (which probably were Grey Heron, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Black-headed Gull, Common Starling, Carrion Crow).
My “casual” Dutch list is at 93 (3 visits, coinciding with the less than casual Pygmy Owl – the highlight of my winter too!), while the British is at 95. Exciting!

[StuartReeves]

Originally Posted by dacoj3

OK, 10 days ago and I am in Sweden for the second time, in Gothenburg. Real casual birding with about 10 spp seen from the train in the way up. Not added to the 65 spp we (Stuart, myself and 5 others) saw on the skaane trip on 16/2 where the interesting species were Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian (Horned) Grebe, Bittern, Long-tailed Duck, Red Kite (at least 50), White-tailed Eagle (8), Hen Harrier (3-4), Rough-legged Buzzard (only 1), Golden Eagle, Stock Dove, Eagle Owl (at the well-known site), Green Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Hume's Warbler, Hawfinch, Raven.

And a fine day it was too, despite missing Steppe Eagle. The photos taken by Patrick, one of our partners in crime on the day, give a good flavour of the trip: http://www.vilas.1go.dk/nature/Sveri...08/nature.html

[StuartReeves]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

This snapshot is dedicated to Stuart, a species I believe he is rather fond of and the highlight of my winter on my land so far this winter.

Yes I fondly look forward to the day when I finally get to see one. I believe David has a trip lined-up to go and find Tengmalm's Owl, my other big gap, so there is a real risk this could turn into Casual Euro-gripping.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by StuartReeves

I believe David has a trip lined-up to go and find Tengmalm's Owl, my other big gap, so there is a real risk this could turn into Casual Euro-gripping.

Went out looking for these last night, but it was raining - drove round the forest for an hour, stopping to listen every now and then. Seeing and hearing nothing, I gave up, so let the dog out to run ...bad timing,just as he went bounding out from the car, I noticed there was a Long-eared Owl on the post ahead! Of course not for long as one big dog went bouncing over!

[Derek Polley]

Czech list for Prague?
Three days in Prague with the non-birding relatives produced the following list. Most of these were seen in and around the River Vltava. Anything that wasn’t seen along the river I have noted. Considering it was a tourist trip I think it wasn’t a bad achievement although there were no real cripplers.
Black headed gull
Mute swan
Mallard
Chaffinch
Blackbird
Swallow – numbers increased as the week went on.
Starling
Moorhen
Rook
Jackdaw
White wagtail
Magpie
Great tit
Wood pigeon
Collared dove
House martin
Swift – just the one over Charles Bridge with swallows and martins.
Tufted duck
Common sandpiper
PS: I don’t tick feral pigeons!

Kestrel - One in flight near St Agnes’ Convent, spotted from the tour bus, a female perched on the gold cross on top of a church near Malostranska metro station, and a splendid male doing circuits of the Old Town Square and giving an aerial flying exhibition to the complete ignorance of about 3000 tourists below. He ended up sitting on the large shield on the right hand tower of the Church of our Lady before Tyn.

Peregrine falcon – I observed a pair over Prague Castle on Tuesday afternoon and on Wednesday another pair (or possibly the same pair) over the Petrin Hill observation tower. They were circling and soaring and were in view for over 5 minutes.

Petrin Hill also produced a pair of nuthatches, great tit , chaffinch, wren, blackbird, wood pigeon, collared dove, singing song thrush and a sadly unidentified phylloscopus warbler.

[Derek Polley]

Took me a while to find this thread!! Anyway I was in Europe in Vienna for three days and Bratislava for three as well. Again not great in the city but managed the following:
A = Austria
S = Slovakia

Cormorant A & S
Grey heron A & S
Little egret A
Mallard A & S
Mute swan A & S
Black headed gull A & S
Ls Bl Bk gull S
Hering gull A
Buzzard S
Kestrel A & S
Black kite S
White tailed eagle A - from the hydrofoil along the Danube river - a life first!!
Blackbird A
House sparrow A & S
House martin A & S
Starling S
Magpie S
Hooded crow A & S
Jackdaw S
Black redstart S
Great tit S