Celebrating a woodpecker

Going through old neglected folders on the PC, having a clean up, and coming across things I had long forgotten about. For example, I came upon this this photo from Argentina, taken just after we (Simon, Yoav and Gerard) had seen our first Magellanic Woodpeckers, one of the world's most stunning picids and our main target on that trip.

A Gold Crest

Bird names often fail to make sense, but here you have a species that is very well named, the Goldcrest! (Photo taken in October 2014, Hungary, Gerard Gorman).

Well that was a lot of cranes... and owls

Just finished another trip, with 1000s and1000s of Cranes seen in eastern Hungary. And, of course, lots of other birds, too, including dozens of Long-eared Owls, here is one... 

Next birding trip !

Getting ready for another birding week in eastern Hungary. Main targets will include Great Bustards, Saker, Imperial Eagle and other raptors, geese arriving for the winter, the sight and sound of 1000s of Common Cranes and in the forests, up to 8 species of woodpecker. Autumn is a great birding time

Cranes, owls, raptors, bustards and this chap

Just finished another great birding trip in Hungary. Highlights included roosts of Long-eared Owls, birds of prey like Saker, Red-footed Falcon, 4 Goshawks soaring together and White-tailed and Imperial Eagles, Great Bustards and 1000s of Common Cranes. Of course, we also saw many common birds which are arguably not as exciting and are often 'neglected', like this Crested Lark. I got this one in a motorway parking area.