Estonia...

Next up... Estonia ! Yes, after recent trips to Spain and Austria, not to mention Uganda, I am now off to this bird-rich 'Baltic State'. Main targets for my group ? Well, the likes of Greater Spotted Eagle, Hazel Grouse, Great Snipe, Citrine Wagtail and Thrush Nightingale. Not to mention thousands of wildfowl moving north along the coast. Watch this space!

Austria - More Woodpeckers

As I have already blogged, my Austrian Alps woodpecker weekend was wonderful. As further proof, my friend and fellow picid enthusiast Thomas Hochebner just sent me this shot of a female White-backed (bottom) and female Eurasian Three-toed (top) in the same tree. I later got recordings of both of these birds.

Alpine Woodpecker Weekend

Well, what a great weekend that was! Spent three days in the eastern Alps of Austria and, with the expert local help of my friends Thomas and Gerhard, explored some wonderful habitats and saw all kinds of species. My highlight was seeing and getting photos of up to 10, yes ten, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpeckers. At one point we had a Three-toed in the same tree as a White-backed Woodpecker! Here is a snap of a female Three-toed.

Dupont's Lark

Out before dawn this morning here in the steppes of Navarra, Spain, to try for Dupont's Lark. They were singing in the dark and proved hard to see but then, at around 8am, we got one. Brilliantly!  

Northern Spanish Raptors

What a great raptor area northern Spain is ! Yesterday on route to the Pyrennes in Navarra Region, we saw dozens of Red and Black Kites, several Common Buzzard, a light-phase Booted Eagle, Common Kestrels, a few Egyptian Vultures and 100s of Griffon Vultures, soaring, flying, perched. And we hardly left the main road!

Storks mean Spring

Yes, spring IS here... White Storks on their nest