Buzzard-time

Last week I spend another few hours in the hide. Still the same birds visiting but I saw a great Common Buzzard (Buizerd) - show. Four different birds were around the hide at the same time. First a young Buzzard came over to eat from the prey, being chased away by an adult one after a short fight. The younger one stayed close to the hide while the older one started eating. Two other birds were also around, shouting all the time and trying to chase away the older one. The older one had no fear and just kept eating. Now it's just waiting for the winter and cold to come. The last couple of weeks it's way to warm for the time of the year, about 10°C above the normal average temperature. Normally cold will bring more and different kind of birds to the hide ... .

 Common Buzzard

 Common Buzzard

 Common Buzzard

 Chaffinch

 Crested tit

 Nuthatch

 Great tit

Sparrowhawk

This week I spend 1 morning and 1 afternoon in my hide. Winter isn't coming yet but I had some nice species. Regular visitors are still there (Blue tit, Great tit, Crested tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Nuthatch, Short-toed treecreeper, Wren, Common Buzzard, ...) and 2 new species. I had the honour to have a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Sperwer) at the hide. First he came out of nothing and tried to catch one of the smaller birds at the feeders. He missed and flew away, coming back after 15 seconds to sit on a branch nearby for a short moment. I was able to make a few shots before he flew off again. A Coal tit (Zwarte mees) was also visiting (very short) for the first time. In the morning I saw 3 Roe deer (Ree) walking in the distance. Regarding the Common buzzards (Buizerd), at least 3 different birds were visiting that afternoon. More photos of the Sparrowhawk on my website here.

 male Sparrowhawk

male Sparrowhawk

 record shot Coal tit

 Short-toed treecreeper

Common buzzard

Black woodpecker

Last week only 2 hours in my hide gave me 2 new species. I was already wondering why there were no Great spotted woodpeckers (Grote bonte specht) visiting the feeders. Now finally they found the hide and the Great spotted woodpecker is a regular visitor. A more remarkable visitor last week was a male Black woodpecker (Zwarte specht). I heard he was looking for food on the trees around the hide all the time. Once I saw him a brief moment on a tree within reach and I took some shots. Not the shots I dreamed about but it's proof he was there. I hope the Black woodpecker will become a regular visitor ! Besides the woodpeckers all the normal visitors are still coming over. Every time I go to the hide new visitors are showing. I hope to be able to spend more time at the hide in the future... .

 Great spotted woodpecker

Great spotted woodpecker

 record shot Black woodpecker

  record shot Black woodpecker

European robin