davebroadley
Well-known member
Cracking reports Jos, yet another place to visit.
David
David
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Eastern Europe ...Lithuania, a birder's tale. (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Jos Stratford
- Start date
lark o'dell
today the local patch tommrow the world
river warlber pigmy owl on your patch jos
i envy you so badly.
oh well thanks for a great read again jos
like the pics too
i envy you so badly.
oh well thanks for a great read again jos
like the pics too
A quiet day on the patch, undoubtedly not helped by the occasional drizzle and overcast skies. Nevertheless, the march of spring continues unabated – a flurry of wader arrivals today saw upward of 70 Greenshanks scattered across the pools, a fairly decent count for here, plus a good collection of multi-coloured Ruffs, all looking resplendent and ready to lek. With the waders seeming a bit on edge, I kept my eye to the sky, a distant White-tailed Eagle couldn't be their reason for distress, but not long after, the reason became all too apparent – a large female Peregrine was on the scene! None too abundant out here, I usually only see three or four each migration season, so a nice bird for the morning. Otherwise, stars of the day had to be more incoming migrants - a sole Black Tern, three Whinchats and close to a dozen Blue-headed Wagtails.
Strangest bird of the day, picked up at the far side of a very large lake was a pure, all white gull dappling around on the water …first impression shouted ‘Ivory Gull’! Now that would have made my day! A near impossibility, this would have been the first record for the country, so already I was suspecting it something not quite that! Though the distance made it hard to be totally sure, I was quite convinced it was a pure albino Black-headed Gull …then it got up and flew straight to the large Black-headed Gull colony! Landing quite near, it gave better views – a remarkable looking bird, but certainly a Black-headed! Ah well, I can only dream…
Strangest bird of the day, picked up at the far side of a very large lake was a pure, all white gull dappling around on the water …first impression shouted ‘Ivory Gull’! Now that would have made my day! A near impossibility, this would have been the first record for the country, so already I was suspecting it something not quite that! Though the distance made it hard to be totally sure, I was quite convinced it was a pure albino Black-headed Gull …then it got up and flew straight to the large Black-headed Gull colony! Landing quite near, it gave better views – a remarkable looking bird, but certainly a Black-headed! Ah well, I can only dream…
Last edited:
John o'Sullivan
Well-known member
saw a similar bird at the gout one year. likewise I though "Ivory Gull" however some part of me must have know that was a rubbish idea because I didn't get even slightly excited by the idea.
Also an an all white large gull offshore at the same place that I never saw closely but decided it was so white it couldn't be Glaucous/Iceland.
For those not of a Gwent/ Ex Gwent persuasion the Gout is in Gwent.
Also an an all white large gull offshore at the same place that I never saw closely but decided it was so white it couldn't be Glaucous/Iceland.
For those not of a Gwent/ Ex Gwent persuasion the Gout is in Gwent.
No apologies for posting more photos of these crackers. After seeing a single Pygmy Owl a week ago, I decided to head out into the forests to try my luck again ...and what did I find? Two birds! 
Otherwise, the day was one of incoming migrants and sunshine. Relaxing in the warmth of the afternoon, my land notched up a few nice little bits - Pied Flycatchers back at the nestboxes, a Golden Oriole winding up its melodies and, on the breeding front, a pair of Great Grey Shrikes looking like they might become the latest addition to the nesting species ...til now, they've only been winter visitors on my land, but this pair arrived two weeks back and seem set to stay
Also had a rather nice time with butterflies ...along with the rather many Brimstones and Small Tortoiseshells, I was chuffed indeed to find what I was later to discover was a Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell.
Otherwise, the day was one of incoming migrants and sunshine. Relaxing in the warmth of the afternoon, my land notched up a few nice little bits - Pied Flycatchers back at the nestboxes, a Golden Oriole winding up its melodies and, on the breeding front, a pair of Great Grey Shrikes looking like they might become the latest addition to the nesting species ...til now, they've only been winter visitors on my land, but this pair arrived two weeks back and seem set to stay
Also had a rather nice time with butterflies ...along with the rather many Brimstones and Small Tortoiseshells, I was chuffed indeed to find what I was later to discover was a Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell.
Attachments
Last edited:
What can i say that Kas hasn't already said.....nothing. They are absolutely b****y great. Jealous to hell of them but in awe of them at the same time
hannu said:
Ouch!
Mr McKee flies in...
Never leave a birder in your garden! A friend from days gone by, I picked Mike up at the airport and then, needing to do a couple of hours work, deposited him in my garden. Safe there I thought, he could wander round, watch the Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers in the nestboxes, photograph the Tree Sparrows perhaps. So what did he do? Strolled out through the back gate and gripped me off! I haven't seen a Red Squirrel near my garden for over a year, so he just popped out and saw two! Even photographed one of them! Not content with that, he then wandered down to the lake below my house and notched up a whole host of good birds - a Middle Spotted Woodpecker, two pairs of Penduline Tits (one at the nest), Blue-headed Wagtails and, something I have never seen within ten kilometres of my house, a Black Stork drifting over in company with White Stork. Hmmph!
Should have sent him back to the airport there and then! Instead we decided to take a night trip to the forests bordering my local patch. The noise experience of spring in the darkness is quite something - frog species of several types knock up one heck of a din! Over and above them, we hoped to find some birds. I guessed one or two migrants of the night should have arrived ...and so they had, all over the place the churring of Nightjars sounded the night away, Thrush Nightingales belted their best vocals and, kind of strange to hear in a pine forest, the booming of Bitterns echoed through the trees (vast marshes back the forests and the calls carry far). Target was Tengmalm's Owl, a species that had proved rather easier earlier in the spring ...this night was not to be though, just a single called, none to near and difficult to pinpoint. Onward through the night, a Brown Hare did a dash across the road, stopped to have a watch and there, poop oop oop sang a Spotted Crake! Quite a fortunate find, served as the finale to Mike's first evening.
Never leave a birder in your garden! A friend from days gone by, I picked Mike up at the airport and then, needing to do a couple of hours work, deposited him in my garden. Safe there I thought, he could wander round, watch the Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers in the nestboxes, photograph the Tree Sparrows perhaps. So what did he do? Strolled out through the back gate and gripped me off! I haven't seen a Red Squirrel near my garden for over a year, so he just popped out and saw two! Even photographed one of them! Not content with that, he then wandered down to the lake below my house and notched up a whole host of good birds - a Middle Spotted Woodpecker, two pairs of Penduline Tits (one at the nest), Blue-headed Wagtails and, something I have never seen within ten kilometres of my house, a Black Stork drifting over in company with White Stork. Hmmph!
Should have sent him back to the airport there and then! Instead we decided to take a night trip to the forests bordering my local patch. The noise experience of spring in the darkness is quite something - frog species of several types knock up one heck of a din! Over and above them, we hoped to find some birds. I guessed one or two migrants of the night should have arrived ...and so they had, all over the place the churring of Nightjars sounded the night away, Thrush Nightingales belted their best vocals and, kind of strange to hear in a pine forest, the booming of Bitterns echoed through the trees (vast marshes back the forests and the calls carry far). Target was Tengmalm's Owl, a species that had proved rather easier earlier in the spring ...this night was not to be though, just a single called, none to near and difficult to pinpoint. Onward through the night, a Brown Hare did a dash across the road, stopped to have a watch and there, poop oop oop sang a Spotted Crake! Quite a fortunate find, served as the finale to Mike's first evening.
Last edited:
After the night out and about, Mike and I didn't quite manage dawn! Anyhow, with the sun well and truly up, we staggered out and headed for the trusty local patch. Got there and almost immeditely were watching some choice birds - hawking the shallows of a lake, a good influx of terns and gulls brought 150 or so Black Terns, an even greater number of Little Gulls and, sparklers, seven White-winged Black Terns.
Just up the track, swerved to miss a toad, put the car through a bit of rough and bush, then kicked up a Hoopoe! With the day turning into a hot and sunny affair, hopes were high for incoming warblers and co, perhaps Barred Warblers. No luck there there, but plenty of Whitethroats in, Cuckoos too, not to forget a few dozen Thrush Nightingales serenading, Savi's Warblers reeling and Great Reed Warblers grating! Next was one of my favourite corners - a reedy pool with extensive marshy margins. Had a look for some Adders without success, but soon that was forgotten as we watched some real cracking Citrine Wagtails busing themselves and barely batting an eyelid as we sat amongst them. By the morning's end, we had located no less than five territorial males, plus accompaning females, along with a rather nice overhead White-tailed Eagle, even nicer Lesser Spotted Eagle and another Hoopoe, this time singing.
Quick bite to eat, then onto the next spot ...flood meadows that often harbour a good selection of waders. No exception there today - almost 200 Wood Sandpipers were paddling around, many just mere metres from the car. The car makes a great hide with the birds not in the least fussed by the two lenses sticking out from the windows - in splendid sunshine and pristine summer plumage, Wood Sandpipers are absolute stunners and it has to be said that quite a few photographs were taken then! Even more when the accompanying Marsh Sandpiper approached closer. A few multi-coloured Ruff, Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks also lingered, though the bigger numbers from the week before seemed to have moved on.
Finally, we moved on to search for our last target of the day - Hazel Grouse. Notched up a Great Grey Shrike, a couple of Crested Tits too, plus Willow Tits and a few more Pied Flycatchers ...but the grouse would just have to wait another day. A quick stop off in a village on the way back added a couple of extras for the day - an almost painfully long search, the quiet calling of a Long-eared Owl led us a right merry-go-round as we tried to locate the tree it was roosting in. Ended up finding it almost above our heads ...could have sworn it was miles away! A couple of Serins were rather easier, singing away on electric wires.
Next day was to be a real corker for Mike...
Just up the track, swerved to miss a toad, put the car through a bit of rough and bush, then kicked up a Hoopoe! With the day turning into a hot and sunny affair, hopes were high for incoming warblers and co, perhaps Barred Warblers. No luck there there, but plenty of Whitethroats in, Cuckoos too, not to forget a few dozen Thrush Nightingales serenading, Savi's Warblers reeling and Great Reed Warblers grating! Next was one of my favourite corners - a reedy pool with extensive marshy margins. Had a look for some Adders without success, but soon that was forgotten as we watched some real cracking Citrine Wagtails busing themselves and barely batting an eyelid as we sat amongst them. By the morning's end, we had located no less than five territorial males, plus accompaning females, along with a rather nice overhead White-tailed Eagle, even nicer Lesser Spotted Eagle and another Hoopoe, this time singing.
Quick bite to eat, then onto the next spot ...flood meadows that often harbour a good selection of waders. No exception there today - almost 200 Wood Sandpipers were paddling around, many just mere metres from the car. The car makes a great hide with the birds not in the least fussed by the two lenses sticking out from the windows - in splendid sunshine and pristine summer plumage, Wood Sandpipers are absolute stunners and it has to be said that quite a few photographs were taken then! Even more when the accompanying Marsh Sandpiper approached closer. A few multi-coloured Ruff, Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks also lingered, though the bigger numbers from the week before seemed to have moved on.
Finally, we moved on to search for our last target of the day - Hazel Grouse. Notched up a Great Grey Shrike, a couple of Crested Tits too, plus Willow Tits and a few more Pied Flycatchers ...but the grouse would just have to wait another day. A quick stop off in a village on the way back added a couple of extras for the day - an almost painfully long search, the quiet calling of a Long-eared Owl led us a right merry-go-round as we tried to locate the tree it was roosting in. Ended up finding it almost above our heads ...could have sworn it was miles away! A couple of Serins were rather easier, singing away on electric wires.
Next day was to be a real corker for Mike...
Last edited:
The lands to the north of Vilnius look every bit a replica of the ancient Caledonian forests of Speyside - extensive open pine, heath, small marshes, dotted lakes and birds such as Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher commonplace. It was into this we decided to spend our next day - though all too soon the illusions of Speyside would be shattered ...a Camberwell Beauty came flying past! This stunner of a butterfly is none too common, I usually see only a half dozen or so a year, so it was certainly a good start. Scottish comparisons were further left in tatters with our next sighting - we had come here for a reason, it was the home ground of the special I had been watching the week before ...and not very many minutes, we found it. On a fabulous sunny morning, Mike was watching his first Pygmy Owl, ever the cracker! A mega bird, she sat in a dense spruce for a while, then moved to an open branch and sat preening and having a good look round, not in the slightest bit concerned by the clicking of a camera just below! Small in size perhaps, but certainly not a reflection of power - we found a Mistle Thrush, bigger than the owl itself, amongst its prey remains!
With this, we decided to take an amble further along. Chatting away, we could have almost missed our next bird - there, suddenly, right in front of us, was a Black Woodpecker! Mind you, we wouldn't have missed it for long, the hulk of a bird started to demolish the rotten tree it had chosen ...wood chips and dust fell in clouds as the stump disintegrated under the assault. Then the bird spotted us and so began a game of peep-po - the bird hid behind the trunk, but couldn't resist to keep peeping out to look at us, its head one moment appearing one side, then the other! Its interest in this tree soon became apparent - a freshly dug nest hole was round the back! Bumped into the second Pygmy Owl a little later, then headed off for the morning tea stop. Picked up a singing Wryneck en route, always a nice bird to see.
After tea and apple pie, it was time for Mike to get to see my land. Though the feeders are quiet now (bar the faithful Nuthatches and Willow Tits, etc), the forest and meadows are looking at their best - fresh and green, nestboxes alive with Starlings, Pied Flycatchers and tits, plus a good selection of other birds elsewhere.
However, today was not for the birds, but butterflies. With the temperature up about 23 C, they had been a good emergence - a pause in the meadows turned into a lengthy break, there were butterflies everywhere! Amongst the most common, first generation Map Butterflies settled on every available stalk, so it seemed! Also plenty of Brimstones, dozens of Peacocks and dainty Wood Whites, a few frustratingly fast Holly Blues and, adding to the tally, several Commas, Small Tortoiseshells and Green-veined Whites! Star of the show though was yet to come - jst as we were photographing the Map Butterflies, a stunning Swallowtail came gliding in, shortly followed by another! Very co-operative, they kept settling and, after a bit of running round, we finally got some decent pictures - even managed to get some flight shots! Just then, I spotted another 'new' butterfly and off we went to photo that one too - I had initially thought it to be a Large Tortoiseshell, but having looked at the pictures, I realised it was a Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell, a new butterfly for me. Saw a second not long after. Just as we were about to leave, in came a third Swallowtail and the last sight of them was all three chasing each other about! Across the land, plenty more butterflies and no less than two more Swallowtails! Overhead a Lesser Spotted Eagle mewed.
Ah, the butterfly season is well under way...
With this, we decided to take an amble further along. Chatting away, we could have almost missed our next bird - there, suddenly, right in front of us, was a Black Woodpecker! Mind you, we wouldn't have missed it for long, the hulk of a bird started to demolish the rotten tree it had chosen ...wood chips and dust fell in clouds as the stump disintegrated under the assault. Then the bird spotted us and so began a game of peep-po - the bird hid behind the trunk, but couldn't resist to keep peeping out to look at us, its head one moment appearing one side, then the other! Its interest in this tree soon became apparent - a freshly dug nest hole was round the back! Bumped into the second Pygmy Owl a little later, then headed off for the morning tea stop. Picked up a singing Wryneck en route, always a nice bird to see.
After tea and apple pie, it was time for Mike to get to see my land. Though the feeders are quiet now (bar the faithful Nuthatches and Willow Tits, etc), the forest and meadows are looking at their best - fresh and green, nestboxes alive with Starlings, Pied Flycatchers and tits, plus a good selection of other birds elsewhere.
However, today was not for the birds, but butterflies. With the temperature up about 23 C, they had been a good emergence - a pause in the meadows turned into a lengthy break, there were butterflies everywhere! Amongst the most common, first generation Map Butterflies settled on every available stalk, so it seemed! Also plenty of Brimstones, dozens of Peacocks and dainty Wood Whites, a few frustratingly fast Holly Blues and, adding to the tally, several Commas, Small Tortoiseshells and Green-veined Whites! Star of the show though was yet to come - jst as we were photographing the Map Butterflies, a stunning Swallowtail came gliding in, shortly followed by another! Very co-operative, they kept settling and, after a bit of running round, we finally got some decent pictures - even managed to get some flight shots! Just then, I spotted another 'new' butterfly and off we went to photo that one too - I had initially thought it to be a Large Tortoiseshell, but having looked at the pictures, I realised it was a Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell, a new butterfly for me. Saw a second not long after. Just as we were about to leave, in came a third Swallowtail and the last sight of them was all three chasing each other about! Across the land, plenty more butterflies and no less than two more Swallowtails! Overhead a Lesser Spotted Eagle mewed.
Ah, the butterfly season is well under way...
Attachments
Last edited:
ohhhh! mmmm. Jos what a wonderful report. :clap:
Thanks. :t:
Thanks. :t:
Looks like some Eurobirding on the cards for me
Looking forward to a trip to Finland, but still a few things to tie up for Mike. After the success with the Pigmy Owls, the next couple of days were back to the local patch - we had hoped to bump into a Hazel Grouse, but we did better ...we found a very obliging pair that showed each time we went down their little track! Little blighters always managed to duck into the vegetation if a camera appeared though! Even more obliging, and more surprising, was a female Black Grouse - fairly uncommon on the fish ponds, this one had chosen to hang out on a small grassy track in between two recently burnt out reedbeds! We did pretty good for raptors - not only a couple of Hobbies and a pair of Montagu's Harrier, but also a late movement of White-tailed Eagles ...no less than eight recorded, six in a single flock! Added to this, three Lesser Spotted Eagles, a good array of Marsh Harriers and Buzzards, plus a lot of Cranes and a good few Wood Sandpipers lingering on, and all in all, it was not a bad footing to finish the trip for Mike.
For me though, butterflies are beginning to steal the show - saw yet more Swallowtails, including a female egg-laying, plus a couple of Queen of Spain Fritillaries. Better still, as they were new for me (still a relative novice in the butterfly field), encountered two Green Hairstreaks - one allowing good photographs. The other one new was a result of me showing signs of going senile! Took my pride and joy, the old battered Mazda, plus my new car, then decided to leave one - immediately realised I had lost the radio front piece, went back to look for it and eventually found it in the grass and at the same time found a Grizzled Skipper! Then busied myself getting pictures and went away happy, til I realised I had then left my binoculars behind! Found them too, but no more new butterflies!
Butterfly pictures to come, but one of the Cranes.
For me though, butterflies are beginning to steal the show - saw yet more Swallowtails, including a female egg-laying, plus a couple of Queen of Spain Fritillaries. Better still, as they were new for me (still a relative novice in the butterfly field), encountered two Green Hairstreaks - one allowing good photographs. The other one new was a result of me showing signs of going senile! Took my pride and joy, the old battered Mazda, plus my new car, then decided to leave one - immediately realised I had lost the radio front piece, went back to look for it and eventually found it in the grass and at the same time found a Grizzled Skipper!
Then busied myself getting pictures and went away happy, til I realised I had then left my binoculars behind! Found them too, but no more new butterflies!Butterfly pictures to come, but one of the Cranes.
Attachments
Last edited:
Similar threads
