Deb Burhinus
Used to be well known! 😎
Well, you know, would love to invite you, but self isolation and all that
That’s fine, you could stay in town :king:
-
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Birding in 2020, Coronavirus et al, an East European View (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jos Stratford
- Start date
That’s fine, you could stay in town :king:
28 March. Springtime Highs!
Well it isn't set to last, but an impressive 17 C this day, glorious sun from morning till evening! Rare indeed is it that I can wear a tee-shirt in March in Lithuania.
So ignoring the continuing rise in C-19 cases across the country, this was a day to celebrate - after a few nice birds in the frosty early hours (Snipe and Green Sandpiper in aerial displays, White Storks bill clapping on a nest, Bitterns and Cranes highly vocal), this day truly marked the grand opening of the butterfly season! A short stroll from my cabin, one super fresh Small Tortoiseshell kicked things off, then a corker of a Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell added considerable spice.
By midday, with the temperature at that pleasing 17 C, it was butterflies galore. Brimstones most abundant, but also several Commas, a Peacock, two more Yellow-legged Tortoiseshells and, piece de la resistance, three very smart Camberwell Beauties. A predictable species in the very early spring, but never a bad day with a Beauty patrolling a forest edge!
Unfortunately not on my land, but rather on a stroll through some neighbouring open pine forest. I also bumped into a male Capercallie - only the fourth I have seen in Lithuania.
So there we go, spring done and dusted - forecast is snow in the next days!
Well it isn't set to last, but an impressive 17 C this day, glorious sun from morning till evening! Rare indeed is it that I can wear a tee-shirt in March in Lithuania.
So ignoring the continuing rise in C-19 cases across the country, this was a day to celebrate - after a few nice birds in the frosty early hours (Snipe and Green Sandpiper in aerial displays, White Storks bill clapping on a nest, Bitterns and Cranes highly vocal), this day truly marked the grand opening of the butterfly season! A short stroll from my cabin, one super fresh Small Tortoiseshell kicked things off, then a corker of a Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell added considerable spice.
By midday, with the temperature at that pleasing 17 C, it was butterflies galore. Brimstones most abundant, but also several Commas, a Peacock, two more Yellow-legged Tortoiseshells and, piece de la resistance, three very smart Camberwell Beauties. A predictable species in the very early spring, but never a bad day with a Beauty patrolling a forest edge!
Unfortunately not on my land, but rather on a stroll through some neighbouring open pine forest. I also bumped into a male Capercallie - only the fourth I have seen in Lithuania.
So there we go, spring done and dusted - forecast is snow in the next days!
NOW I'm envious! We have managed to dip on Caper in three different countries: Sweden, Scotland and Spain. :-C
Nice to see- these were a regular for me on spring trips to Kazakhstan.
rosbifs
PutAin STOP
The Caper used to be a 'staple' in Finland with some big males. Even found a nest with a sitting female - completely by accident as my uncle almost stood on her! She didn't move or blink. We did because we didn't want an angry male - although as I understand it they don 't have much to do with the nesting process.
I say 'used to be' because the last two visits in May and June (actually and January although didn't look) I haven't seen any. The loggers seem to have moved into the area and cleared a lot of the older stuff, trees, out around the summer cottage. Two visits ago just saw Hazlehen...
Used to, regularly, clock Black Grouse, Hazlehen, Caper and on one occasion Willow Grouse moulting out of the white - was April. Sometimes very close if not in the grounds of the summer cottage.
Seth Miller
Well-known member
Wow, loving this thread! Keep it up!
I'm in a city of 17 million people for the forseeable future and not enjoying being stuck in amongst the buildings...
Have gotten thirty species in the last 5 days which is pretty good for here
I'm in a city of 17 million people for the forseeable future and not enjoying being stuck in amongst the buildings...
Have gotten thirty species in the last 5 days which is pretty good for here
Many thanks all, not envying the stuck in a ciry of 17 million! Keep safe, hope this thread brings a little relief.
29 March. Down, Up and New.
Well, at least the forecasts were right - yesterday's 17 C and sun crashed to 2 C and snow, Corona cases rose from 345 a couple of days back to 460 today, seven dead.
Up in my little haven, a little sparkle to cheer the day! Upon a seasonal flood pool, mingling with a bunch of Teal and Mallard, a new species for my land - a pair of dandy Pintail. Species number 181 for my land. And just to make it even nicer, a backdrop of one pair of Whooper Swans and one pair of Wigeon (6th record for my land). Woodlarks still on territory, a second pair appearing at another patch of good habitat, plus also a trickle of incoming migrants, Redwings et al.
Apart from that, a day of home improvements - avian and mine. Several new nestboxes for the birds, a verandah on the cabin for me. And real mod cons, converted a bee hive to house a generator that I bought some days back - power to charge my laptop, almost civilized now
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Stage Two. Steady as it Goes, April 2020.
As March made way for April, and the land readied itself for the soon to come mass movements of spring birds, so the Coronavirus continued its steady climb in Lithuania - at month's start, cases were rising by steady 40 or 50 a day, the total sitting at 600, deaths eight.
In comparison to elsewhere, Lithuania has got off pretty light so far - closed borders, closed schools, general shutdown of non-food shops, ban of gatherings of more than two persons, must maintain 2 metre spacing, remote working now the norm, penalties of 1500 euro for violation of new regulations. Government is trying to introduce a new 'big brother' bill to force telecom providers to provide geo-locations of anybody with a mobile phone. However, no full lockdown, freedom to move about and still only a moderate number of Coronavirus cases. Moreover, no shortages of anything, it is still possible to buy whatever you want - large 'food' supermarkets sell everything from clothes to garden furniture, and for everything else retailers in the country offer fast free delivery or pick up.
But things are not normal, most folk are not going out. And I will continue to reside in my Labanoras, cabin life really quite pleasant.
1 April. Snow Shock.
Quite 'pleasant' in the cabin, woke to a blizzard outside, none too warm inside! A Raven cronking, Great Spotted Woodpecker on the adjacent feeders, Marsh Tits and Great Tits too. Dragged myself out of bed and took a short brisk walk - snow going sideways, strong wing and darn chilly! And for my efforts, a pair of Goldeneye circling over, the newly arrived White Storks hunkered down on their nest, not looking too happy it has to be said. And that was about it, retired to my cabin for much of the rest of the day. Fortunately, however, there was also quite an upswing of action at the adjacent feeders - not only migrant Chaffinches and a Greenfinch, but a rather smart Reed Bunting. A summer visitor to Lithuania, Reed Buntings have begun to breed in my opened-out flood forest in recent years, but it the first time I have had one at my feeders, so pretty good day all in all.
As March made way for April, and the land readied itself for the soon to come mass movements of spring birds, so the Coronavirus continued its steady climb in Lithuania - at month's start, cases were rising by steady 40 or 50 a day, the total sitting at 600, deaths eight.
In comparison to elsewhere, Lithuania has got off pretty light so far - closed borders, closed schools, general shutdown of non-food shops, ban of gatherings of more than two persons, must maintain 2 metre spacing, remote working now the norm, penalties of 1500 euro for violation of new regulations. Government is trying to introduce a new 'big brother' bill to force telecom providers to provide geo-locations of anybody with a mobile phone. However, no full lockdown, freedom to move about and still only a moderate number of Coronavirus cases. Moreover, no shortages of anything, it is still possible to buy whatever you want - large 'food' supermarkets sell everything from clothes to garden furniture, and for everything else retailers in the country offer fast free delivery or pick up.
But things are not normal, most folk are not going out. And I will continue to reside in my Labanoras, cabin life really quite pleasant.
1 April. Snow Shock.
Quite 'pleasant' in the cabin, woke to a blizzard outside, none too warm inside! A Raven cronking, Great Spotted Woodpecker on the adjacent feeders, Marsh Tits and Great Tits too. Dragged myself out of bed and took a short brisk walk - snow going sideways, strong wing and darn chilly! And for my efforts, a pair of Goldeneye circling over, the newly arrived White Storks hunkered down on their nest, not looking too happy it has to be said. And that was about it, retired to my cabin for much of the rest of the day. Fortunately, however, there was also quite an upswing of action at the adjacent feeders - not only migrant Chaffinches and a Greenfinch, but a rather smart Reed Bunting. A summer visitor to Lithuania, Reed Buntings have begun to breed in my opened-out flood forest in recent years, but it the first time I have had one at my feeders, so pretty good day all in all.
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Why is it that Woodpeckers don't use feeders in this country? I have seen them often elsewhere, but while I can hear and sometimes see them around they never ever come to the feeders. Good shot btw, and a Reed Bunting too!
They certainly like them here, Middle Spot and Great Spot on the feeders this morning. I get eight woodpecker species here (if including Wryneck), and six of the species use the feeders, five regularly so.
:eek!: 8?
let me see:
- green?
- great spot
- middle spot
- black
- Wryneck
- white backed?
- Three-toed?
and?
and which ones use the feeders?
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
These on the feeders:
1. Black Woodpecker, common in my flood forest, very rare on the feeders.
2. Grey-headed Woodpecker, frequently on the feeders in winter
3. White-backed Woodpecker, common on the feeders in winter
4. Great Spotted Woodpecker, very common all year on the feeders
5. Middle Spotted Woodpecker, common on the feeders, mostly winter
6. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, occasional on the feeders (common some winters, absent some winters)
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Fantastic! You must go deaf from all the drumming in early spring!
Carol Rushton
Well-known member
This is such an uplifting thread to read. Thank you, so much, Jos.
Take care.
Best regards, Carol
Take care.
Best regards, Carol
Even more so when the frog chorus gets going
If this link works, spring sounds:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/s5DgE6xpUCS9FBMD8
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