False predictions

I started the morning with the usual greeting to my roommate who was just getting home as I was leaving. Todays plan was to bike to Vedbaek for Gulls but that quickly changed when my bike broke down forcing me to walk back where I wandered around the Deer park once again. Perhaps I should be thankful my bike broke down because I found 3 new birds for Denmark today!

I began with a search for the Pygmy Owl that has been seen throughout the week. It called at 7:30am and was quickly joined by another one! I'm pretty confident that there were two individuals but I can't rule out the possibility that someone was playing a recording - seems to be more accepted here than in Canada.
We weren't able to see the owls though so I moved on for a sea watch. Along the way I found a White-throated Dipper next to the ocean (this photo was actually taken earlier this week):

Amazingly before even beginning to scan the ocean I had a Loon in the distance flying right for me! I had been losing hope that I'd ever see one in Denmark after many failed searches! It was a Red-throated Loon and flew quite close to shore allowing satisfying looks. And less than 10 minutes later I had another one on the water - it eventually also flew South. My 200th bird in Europe!

On my way home I stopped by the Owl spot to see if anyone else had found it yet. I was surprised to see over 20 people in the area and thought that they must have it. Unfortunately no one had heard or seen it since the early morning. There were a lot of photographers sitting around not really knowing what to do!

Venturing on I came across a Marsh Tit. A species I should have seen by now in Denmark but simply haven't...
And then a Goshawk flew in and began to preen across a small pond even allowing me to take a few photos with my camera through the scope:

A beautiful adult male!

So, just one day after my predictions of what the next 8 birds will be I've already got two wrong with the loon being the only correct one!

Another one from earlier this week - a dipper doing what it does best:

8 to go!

Recently I set a new goal of seeing 150 birds in Denmark before I leave. I was at 132 at the time and thought that it was attainable but still would need a bit of work.

So when I started writing this post it was titled "18 to go!"

Now just over a week later it's down to 8... so surely that's a good sign that it'll be successful.

So here are the next 9 birds I expect I will see:


Hen Harrier (Lifer)

Waxwing

Long-tailed Duck
Mediterranean Gull

Rock Pipit (Lifer)
Scaup
RT Loon
Grey Wagtail

There are many species I could feasibly see but I think those ones are the most likely.
Here's a few more that I wouldn't be surprised if I see or that I really do want to see (i.e. if it shows up somewhere I will pursue it!)

Goshawk - I should really have this one by now as others have seen them in my patch! I just can't seem to connect...

Crossbills

Water Pipit (Lifer)

Black-throated Diver/Loon - Been desperate for one on my seawatches but they simply don't materialize!
Caspian Gull (Lifer)
Little Gull
Purple Sandpiper

Short-eared Owl

Eurasian Woodcock (lifer) - I'd be surprised if I do find one

Jack Snipe (lifer)

Black Woodpecker (lifer)

Long-tailed Tit
Bullfinch (Lifer)
Snow Bunting

Well... the more I think about it the more realistic birds I can think of...

Anyway, it's fun to make lists like this and compare them to what you actually find/see! It gives you an indication of how well you can predict migration as well as your ability to predict where and when a species can be found.


In other news:

Check out this Duck that was flying past the speed limit (old article).

And a cool BBC video - I'm happy the guy didn't kill the Vulture. I feel as though most people would kill the bird in that situation!

And How Woodpeckers Avoid Head Injury

Views from Coll de Pal

The last (or one of the last) installments from Spain!
You may remember Coll de Pal is where I saw the Lammergeiers but they weren't the only cool thing I saw up there on the mountain tops!

This is my view from the hawk watch spot:

On the way up I diverted my route to get a closer look at this guy:

 After a quick search on Wikipedia I believe it's a Pyrenean Chamois...

The drive up the mountain was mostly through deciduous forests. With the setting sun and golden  leaves everything was glowing:

An early morning rise to see the sunrise was well worth it:

More mountains:

 Mountains everywhere!

I thought this picture was cool with the big sloping mountains in the foreground with more in the distance:

A typical view:

 From the very top!

And that's one reason why I love birds! I would certainly not have been there if it weren't for the birds.