Smallest Bird in the World

Probirder is back from sunny Cuba! One of our main targets was the smallest bird in the world... the Bee Hummingbird Mellisuga helenae and here is a photo of a male.

Now Probirder goes west... again

Up next, Probirder goes to Cuba. A wonderful Caribbean birding destination with over 25 endemics and many other fantastic birds. Here is one of the birds only found on the island, Zapata Sparrow. After this trip, it will be back to Central and Eastern Europe and the beginning of the spring season here. Hasta la vista!

Probirder goes east... again

When it is winter in Europe, exotic destinations are often tempting. I have just returned from the Philippines where, despite some rainy days and airline issues, a nice selection of birds, many of them endemics, warmed me up. Here is one, the Coleto (Sarcops calvus), a member of the starling family.

First trip out this year

Managed to get out for a day around the Kiskunság, south of Budapest. It was cold, sub-zero, snowy, but some great birds were around. Saker, Hen Harrier, Eastern Imperial and White-tailed Eagles, Rough-legged Buzzard, Great Grey Shrike, lots of Greater White-fronted Geese, Syrian Woodpecker, and 5 Long-eared Owls. It is always worth going out.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It has been a great year for Probirder! Many thanks to everyone who helped make that happen. Here is a Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius in Budapest, Hungary, to finish the year. Gerard Gorman. 

Black-shanked Douc - Vietnam

Just returned from Vietnam. Besides the birds, which were our main targets, we were fortunate to observe several rare primates, too. Here is one, a Black-shanked Douc Langur in the Cat Tien NP, in the south of Vietnam.

Cranes at dusk

So we have just finished our final tour of this year that focused on the wonderful Common Cranes (Grus grus) in Hungary. It is hard to say how many we actually saw, but over 100,000 were estimated to be in the region! Certainly, we watched and heard many 1000s at dusk each evening. Join us next autumn perhaps to witness this birding highlight?