First Autumn Tour Done !

Just finished my first tour of the autumn season in Hungary - with a great gang from Liverpool. Highlights included good views of Imperial and White-tailed Eagles, Hen and Marsh Harriers, Saker, Great Grey Shrikes, Hawfinches, Little Crake, Pygmy Cormorants, Common Cranes, Great Bustards, Long-eared Owls in 2 roosts and all 8 woodpecker species seen ! Here is one of the owls we saw, looking at use !

Autumn season begins

The autumn birding tour season begins proper tomorrow and Probirder will be off with a group from the UK in search of raptors, wildfowl, woodpeckers and more in Hungary... watch this space!

Manuscript in !

It is done. Well, at least my Woodpeckers of the World manuscript is at the publisher, on the editor's desk. Now THAT was a lot of work ! But not over, as there will be maps to check, photos to caption and proofs to read through. I expect it will be out, in book form, in about 6 months.    

Why don't drivers take more care ?

This was one of my local Great Spotted Woodpeckers... no more comment needed ...

MIGRATION HOTSPOTS

Check out, and buy, this new book by Tim Harris ! Published by Helm and the RSPB, MIGRATION HOTSPOTS is full of great photos and has an accurate and informative text on the best places for passage birds around the world.

Another trip done, and a trash bird !

Really, I have lost count now of the number of birding and wildlife tours I have led. Got back yesterday after taking a group of mixed interest folks - birds, butterflies, moths, plants - around eastern Hungary. A great trip... we saw over 50 species of day-flying butterflies, many great birds including 4 Imperial Eagles, Saker, and 8 species of woodpecker. And here, in this photo, one of my highlights... a cheeky young House Sparrow. Well, I thought it was time to give the under-rated a mention in this blog.  

My woodpecker manuscript...

Handed in my manuscript for Woodpeckers of the World ! Now for editing, making maps, sourcing photos, writing captions... still lots to do. Book should be out in 2014.