Zsombor Károlyi's Photo Blog

2011-09-17

Hjälstaviken

Today I went to Hjälstaviken, a bay of Mälaren between Enköping and Uppsala. It is a very good place if you want to see up to 10 000 geese at the same time (7 different species). The "best" species is the Lesser White-fronted Goose (an incredible number of almost 70 individuals!), but they were very far away from the birding-tower, too far to photograph.

Barnacle Goose – Vitkindad gås - Apácalúd (Branta leucopsis)

Bean Goose - Sädgås – Vetési lúd (Anser fabalis)

Barnacle Goose – Vitkindad gås - Apácalúd (Branta leucopsis)

Greylag Goose – Grågås – Nyári lúd (Anser anser)

Barnacle Goose – Vitkindad gås - Apácalúd (Branta leucopsis)

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

Starling - Stare - Seregély (Sturnus vulgaris)

Nortern Wheatear - Stenskvätta - Hantmadár (Oenanthe oenanthe)

2011-09-14

I wanted to see a Pallid Harrier today. I have never seen it before, and it's kind of a rare bird around here... But there was an adult male seen just outside Västerås yesterday and the day before that.

The weather was bad, but If the Harrier had been there, it would have been worth it. Unfortunately it was not...

Some other birds anyways:

Peregrine Falcon - Pilgrimsfalk – Vándorsólyom (Falco peregrinus)

The Peregrine was still in town. The other pictures were taken around Tillberga.

Crane – Trana - Daru (grus grus)

Kestrel - Tornfalk - Vörös vércse (Falco tinnunculus)

Roe Deer - Rådjur - Európai őz (Capreolus capreolus)

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Here are some pictures from the past week. They're taken around Västerås.

Lapwing - Tofsvipa - Bíbic (Vanellus vanellus)

Marsh Harrier - Brun kärrhök - Barna rétihéja (Circus aeruginosus)

Kestrel - Tornfalk - Vörös vércse (Falco tinnunculus)

Collared Dove - Turkduva – Balkáni gerle (Streptopelia decaocto)

The Moon

Herring Gull - Gråtrut - Ezüstsirály (Larus argentatus)

Peregrine Falcon - Pilgrimsfalk – Vándorsólyom (Falco peregrinus)

Hen Harrier – Blå kärrhök – Kékes rétihéja (Circus cyaneus)

Peregrine Falcon - Pilgrimsfalk – Vándorsólyom (Falco peregrinus)

Collared Dove - Turkduva – Balkáni gerle (Streptopelia decaocto)

Kestrel - Tornfalk - Vörös vércse (Falco tinnunculus)

2011-09-06

Precious Bluethroats

I was about to write a lot this time, but I forgot all the things i wanted to write about.... but anyways, I saw at least 6 Bluethroats in the afternoon. I managed to get very close this time, mainly becouse I was standing between them and the strong afternoon sun.

Bluethroat – Blåhake – Kékbegy (Luscinia svecica)

There are two special things about the second picture:
1. It was sitting very close, the picture is barely cropped!
2. I had to use manual focus, becouse the bird was sitting so deep in the vegetation. This is the first time I had to use manual focus since I visited the Great Gray Owl (but I used a tripod that time) in May.

2011-09-04

Dump Sunday

This morning I went to the Västerås dump. Still some Bluethroats around, they will be here till the end of September, hopefully :)
Also: Woodlark (!), Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Yellow Wagtail (mostly young), Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Skylark, Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, lots of Ravens and some Dunnocks and Linnets.
I went there again in the afternoon. Much better light and much less mosquitoes in the afternoon!