Zsombor Károlyi's Photo Blog: februari 2012

2012-02-24

Downtown

From downtown Västerås.

Pintail - Stjärtand – Nyílfarkú réce (Anas acuta)

Hooded Crow - Kråka - Dolmányos varjú (Corvus corone)

I don't normally do black-and-white, but Lightroom is screwing with me, so this was the best alternative. It's an intresting area, but I don't really want to dive into it yet.

Magpie - Skata - Szarka (Pica pica)

2012-02-19

Yesterday's pics

A few pictures from yesterday:

Spotted Nutcracker - Nötkråka - Fenyőszajkó (Nucifraga caryocatactes)

Willow Tit - Talltita – Kormosfejű cinege (Poecile montana)

Blackcap - Svarthätta – Barátposzáta (Sylvia atricapilla)

2012-02-15

My neighbor has got a lot of Siskins and Redpolls on his bird feeder. They like sitting in our hawthorn tree, that also has a nestbox on it. A pair of Blue Tits are beginning to move in to the nestbox.

Siskin - Grönsiska - Csíz (Carduelis spinus)

Blue Tit – Blåmes – Kék cinege (Cyanistes caeruleus)

"Honey, where did you put the milk?"

Blue Tit – Blåmes – Kék cinege (Cyanistes caeruleus)

There is a clear hierarchy on the bird feeder.

Male Siskin is dominant against other Siskins, except other adult males. Two adult males are okay with each other.

Siskin - Grönsiska - Csíz (Carduelis spinus)

...but even he has to watch out for the Redpoll, who is slightly bigger and, appearantly, stronger. Almost always, the Siskin has to get back..

Redpoll - Gråsiska - Zsezse (Carduelis flammea)

Siskin - Grönsiska - Csíz (Carduelis spinus)

Sometimes the danges comes from beneath you...

Redpoll - Gråsiska - Zsezse (Carduelis flammea)

Siskin - Grönsiska - Csíz (Carduelis spinus)

I like this picture the most:

Redpoll - Gråsiska - Zsezse (Carduelis flammea)

Siskin - Grönsiska - Csíz (Carduelis spinus)

Two males of Siskin can appearantly eat on the same feeder. And even more, they can work together if there is a Tree Sparrow coming in! The Tree Sparrow usually drives away the male Siskin, but that's too hard when there are two Siskins. The poor sparrow only has one second to get a piece of peanut and then get away.

Tree Sparrow - Pilfink – Mezei veréb (Passer montanus)

Siskin - Grönsiska - Csíz (Carduelis spinus)

They are cute birds, these Tree Sparrows...

Tree Sparrow - Pilfink – Mezei veréb (Passer montanus)

Eagle Hide

Last Sunday I had the chance to photograph eagles from an eagle hide with two friends. This was the first time that I got to try a photo hide. Usually, I just walk around trying to find birds, I don't hide from them. Maybe I should start hiding more...
We spent 9.5 hours inside the hide, but it only felt like 3 or 4 hours. There were a lot of activity around the hide, and we had no problem with the cold eighter. One Golden Eagle and at least four White-tailed Eagles were seen. Jay and Northern Goshawk showed up for a few seconds. A really awesome, unforgetable day.

Visit Daniel Green's website if you want to try the hide or if you are looking for the coolest of Swedish birds.

Golden Eagle - Kungsörn - Szirti sas (Aquila chrysaetos)

White-tailed Eagle - Havsörn - Réti sas (Haliaetus albicilla)

Raven - Korp - Holló (Corvus corax)

White-tailed Eagle - Havsörn - Réti sas (Haliaetus albicilla)

2012-02-11

An old friend

Almost exactly three years ago, I saw my first Blackcap. It is a common species in spring and in summer, but a rare sight in winter. It is of course because their diet, that mainly conatins insects. This means that in winter, they all are supposed to be in southern Europe or northern Africa, where most of the Blackcaps are spending the winter.
But for some reason, a few migrants choose not to leave. Robin, Starling, Wren, Blackcap, these are some of the species that are supposed to migrate, but some individuals stayed here in middle Sweden. They are mostly alone, but some are found in pairs.
Today, almost exactly three years after my first Blackcap, I saw an other wintering male. Funny thing is, it was sitting in the very same bush :)
It is fed with pieces of banana, which it seems to like. I hope it stays and survives, so I can try taking some better pictures. This was taken trough a window.

Today's bird: