Winter birding in Bonn usually seems to be quite bleak, however I can’t actually complain with the Wallcreeper that spent a number of weeks simply exterior town. Now that this chook has seemingly moved on, I needed to discover different species to distract me, however happily that was not too onerous. Including to a submit in January on birding in Bonn in winter, I’ve had the prospect to get out on a couple of extra birding walks right here and there within the metropolis on weekends. Fortuitously, I didn’t solely see the usual species, however was additionally rewarded with much less common species. Most notably, a gaggle of 5 Better Scaups was current in one of many massive ponds within the Rheinaue city park, the place they have been current for some time. They have been scattered amongst massive numbers of Tufted Geese and notably Frequent Pochard, making a lively group of diving geese that was enjoyable to observe. That is solely my third sighting of the species, and the second time I’ve seen males, which I’ve to say do look far more enticing with the greenish sheen to the pinnacle that units them aside from their tufted cousins.
The primary time I noticed this species was on the London Wetland Centre. One other birder didn’t consider me after I advised him in regards to the scaup as we did not relocate the chook, however he acquired his revenge by recognizing a Nice Bittern, which was the chook for which I visited the wetland within the first place. I missed the bittern in flip, and nonetheless have by no means seen one to today. Maybe the scaups are unhealthy luck for me, however I’m positive I’ll get my bittern in the future.
They may not have been fully unhealthy luck although, as one other particular species within the type of Frequent Crane entertained me over the previous few weeks. Whereas this species will be seen commonly as they move overhead throughout passage in late autumn and early spring, I’ve by no means seen such massive numbers of cranes when one night flocks of many hundred people stored passing overhead for at the very least half an hour. It’s normally stated that they fly in a V-formation, however clearly the cranes themselves take this to be extra of a tough guideline than a strict rule, as they have been flying in all kinds of formations. Not that I thoughts – in actual fact the remodeling and evolving shapes of their flight formations have been nice enjoyable to observe, a bit like clouds altering form from the air currents (though in fact means cooler since they’re birds, duh!).
On a number of extra days smaller teams flew overhead as nicely, with their atmospheric trumpeting calls interrupting the chaotic sounds of town. It’s encouraging that these birds migrate so early within the yr, contributing to the daybreak refrain in lastly marking a close to finish to winter. I’m very a lot trying ahead to the arrival of migrating passerines so as to add their track repertoires to the thrushes, Eurasian Robins, and Frequent Chaffinches who’re already in full swing with their songs within the morning.
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