German-Dutch Woodlands & Venekoten, Germany, 16/08/1990

Cloudy, mild.

Birds seen at meadowlands: Chaffinch and large numbers of Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin all feeding and congregating for migration. Stonechat seen on fence posts and diving into grass for food. Also Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon seen.
Birds seen at various wooded areas were Jay, Great Tit and Wren.
Just before riding to the lake a flying Cormorant was seen over Baggersee and a Grey Heron was heard squawking.
On Venekoten: Coot, Great Crested Grebe and Mallard were seen.
On lakeside trees a group of birds included Blue Tit, White Wagtail and Tree Pipit (feeding young).
On a path to Baggersee another feeding party included Chiff Chaff, Nuthatch as well as blue and great tits and a crested tit was heard also possibly goldcrest.
On the way home other birds included Robin, Magpie and Blackbird.

22 species including 0 new species.

Elmpt Woodlands, Germany, 08/08/1990

Overcast, warm.

Many young Blackbirds seen in trees and many scrabbling in undergrowth. Short-Toed Treecreeper seen high amongst branches of trees. Robin, Wren, Willow Tit, Marsh Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Nuthatch all seen feeding in trees along path way.
Willow Tit and Marsh Tit were distinguished from appearance and call notes. Willow Tits 'larger head' appearance and 'loose' feathers on head and more extensive black crown on chest, also a distinctive zi-zurr-zurr-zurr. Contrasts with smaller appearing Marsh Tit with glossy crown and different call-notes; more 'strident'.
Song Thrush and Blue Tit seen also near other trees.
Swallow, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Magpie, White Wagtail and Woodpigeon were seen in surrounding fields; most were seen in cow-field.
Blackcap with a possible garden warbler seen thick brambles next to road.

19 species, 0 new species.

Wegberg - Elmpt, Germany, 22/07/1990

Cool, bright, sunny.

Wegberg: White Wagtail, Robin, Woodpigeon, House Martin, Swift, Blackbird, Sparrowhawk (which had something in its claws and was seen later soaring with a nearby Buzzard; long tail, short wings), Buzzard: which was very vocal. Mistle Thrush.
A number of tits feeding in the trees were identified as: Long-Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Crested Tit also Short-Toed Treecreeper were seen on tree trunks as was Great Spotted Woodpecker which tapped for food on trunks and branches. Chaffinch and Nuthatch (also on tree branches searching for food).

On the trip home: Kestrel and Carrion Crow.

18 species, 0 new species.

Bruggen Camp Woods & Niederkrutchen, Germany, 14/06/1990

Overcast.

Crow, Swift, Black Redstart, White Wagtail, Kestrel, Woodpigeon; all seen on the 31 squadron site.
Song Thrush, Tree Pipit, Chiff Chaff, Robin, Coot, Dunnock, Willow Warbler, Starling; seen around woods on camp and open-common-type areas.

Niederkrutchen: Lapwing, Mallard, Moorhen seen in extensive reeds. Also a possible Yellow or Grey Wagtail seen flying up river and a Muskrat was seen in a pool on the opposite side of the road to its damn-like nest.

Elmpt Woodlands, Germany, 31/05/1990

Bright, sunny.

Many birds seen feeding young birds: Great Spotted Woodpecker seen at nest hole feeding quite mature young birds which appeared fully feathered and almost ready to fly.
Others seen were: Blue Tit, Great Tit and Marsh Tit, Blackbird and Nuthatch; all had two or three youngsters in tow as adults searched frantically for food for begging young.
Other birds seen were: Chaffinch, Jay, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackcap, Carrion Crow, Swift. Also seen were Short-Toed Treecreeper which is a bird I haven't seen in these woods for some-time if at all; they also had youngsters.

14 species including 0 new species.

Elmpt Woodlands, Germany, 30/05/1990

Bright and sunny.

Usual woodland birds: Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Marsh Tit, Blackbird, Dunnock, Blackcap, Chiff Chaff, Woodpigeon. Two very noisy Great Spotted Woodpecker were heard and whilst watching the birds at close quarters the cause of the agitation became apparent. A Weasel cam past at about 1 yard, so close that I could have touched it. It had a mouse or vole clamped in its jaws and eventually scampered off into the undergrowth as I continued to watch the woodpeckers.

Later on whilst I watched a hole in a tree for any activity I noticed a Bank Vole scampering through the undergrowth. Whilst I cycled near farmlands I saw: Collared Dove, Swallow and Starling.

The song of what I believed to be a garden warbler made me stop and see if I could see the actual bird. However after a while of listening and a few sightings I concluded that I had seen only blackcaps.

14 species including 0 new species, with no binoculars.

Bruggen Camp Woods, Germany, 26/05/1990

Bright and sunny.

At 31 sqn. site: Swift, Carrion Crow, a nesting pair of Kestrels who left a lot of pellets, droppings and animal intestines around the immediate area of nest.
White Wagtail, Linnet and Redstart which was nesting in a hole in the wall of a building, which was a new bird, identified by black neck, orange underparts, including tail, pale forehead and grey upperparts.

Seen at rally-car site: Coal Tit, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Wood Warbler.
Seen at camp pond: Mallard, Coot, Grey Heron, Buzzard and Blackcap and Willow Warbler seen in vegetation around pond.
Whilst following Cuckoos song two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen and later on the cuckoo was also seen.
Other birds seen else on camp were: Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Jay and Magpie.

26 species seen including 1 new species.

Local Forest Western-Central Germany, 01/04/1990

Bright, sunny, warm.

Birds on local patch of woodland all birds heard in song: Blackbird, Robin, Chiff Chaff, Song Thrush, Wren, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Nuthatch and Woodpigeon.
Skylark and Carrion Crow on nearby fields.

Birds seen at other woods near Venekoten including birds on other lakes in area: Jay, Teal, Mallard, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Lapwing, Coot, Great Crested Grebe and Buzzard.

20 species including 0 new species.

Xanten - Rees - Bienen, Germany, 14/01/1990

Cold, dull, misty.

Birds seen on oxbough lake at rendez-vous point were Coot, Greylag Goose, Shoveler, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great-Crested Grebe, Grey Heron and Great Tit and Bullfinch (in trees nearby).

Birds seen on drive between areas were Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Common Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Pheasant, Kestrel, Carrion Crow and Gooseander (on lake).
At other lakes birds seen were Teal, Pochard, Shelduck, White-Fronted Geese, Cormorant and Great Black-Backed Gull.
Whilst on canal-side walk birds seen were large number of Lapwing, also Goldeneye, Water Pipit (new), Buzzard, Bewick's Swan.

Also on field trip whilst observing large numbers of White-Fronted Geese in fields possible Pink-Footed Geese and Bean Geese may also have been seen, however due to short length of time for observation birds could not be definitely identified as so were presumed to be juvenile white-fronts.

Also of interest was a very unusual pale-phase Buzzard which was first thought to be an osprey, because of an unusual colour it was thought to [be] juvenile as it lacked eye-stripe of adult ospreys. The bird also seemed to have a crest, however after a discussion in which the bird was scared into flight by a dog the flight positively as a Buzzard.

29 species including 1 new species.

Venokoten and Area, Elmpter Woodlands, Germany, 02/01/1989

Cold, bright.

Whilst cycling to Venekoten a feeding party in nearby woods produced: Great Tit, Robin, Blackbird (not in party) as Woodpigeon and Jay, Chaffinch, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch.
Near Venekoten lake: Coot, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe.

In trees around lakeside in another feeding party, Siskin and Long-Tailed Tit also included. Other birds seen whilst cycling included Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mute Swan (seen through trees on lakes).

Near a small 'dyke' a flash of metallic blue flying upstream identified first Kingfisher for a long time. Wren also seen in brambles near river-side.
Whilst watching another feeding party a Sparrowhawk flew overhead spooking birds.
At another feeding party Goldcrest was spotted.
At another area of lakes along-side Venekoten called Baggersee about a dozen Grey Heron were seen (also flocks of Mallard).
A pair of Greylag Geese were also spotted.
A small mottled bird skulking in reeds around lakes was stalked to identify Dunnock.
A duck amongst a few Coots was not easily identifiable and fieldnotes were needed. After reference to books the duck with grey bill, white forehead, white chest, grey back and brown flanks identified a female or immature Pochard.

Bullfinch and other feeding parties seen whilst returning home.
Finally a treecreeper was first heard then seen and after rusty flanks and vent seen and reference to distribution was identified as Short-Toed Treecreeper a new bird.

29 species including 1 new species.

Bruggen Camp and Niederkruchten, Germany, 29/12/1988

Dull, misty.

The woodlands on camp were virtually 'dead' with hardly any life, let alone birds seen, only Bullfinch, Long-Tailed Tit, Crested Tit, Chaffinch seen near car.

Niederkruchten was much better with Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin and Wren seen quickly. A large feeding party of birds was found and Long-Tailed Tits, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Treecreeper*, Nuthatch, Willow Tit and a Great Spotted Woodpecker also seen.
*Although bird named as Treecreeper the bird seen could equally have been a Short-Toed Treecreeper which would probably be more likely in Central Europe.

15 species including 0 new species.

Krickenbecker Seen, Hinsbeck near Venlo, Germany, 27/11/1988

Bright, cold.

Buzzard, Pheasant, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Jay, Wren, Robin, Siskin (feeding groups), Willow Tit, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe (winter plumage), Mallard (large numbers), Bullfinch, Fieldfare, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Moorhen.

17 species, 0 new species.

Lauterbrunnen to Elmpt, Germany, 06/11/1988

Mostly fair and bright.

Blackbird, Fieldfare, Great Tit and Blue Tit seen on campsite. Dipper seen on river whilst driving to Interlaken.
Carrion Crow seen on farm fields.
Magpie flew over motorwway.
Grey Heron flew over motorway and in a fog patch about half a dozen Herons sat in a farm field.
Unsurprisingly Buzzards seem although not as many, but a least a dozen.
Rooks seen at motorway side, as were Woodpigeon, Starling, Kestrel and Lapwing, in fields also. Chaffinch also seen at rest point.

15 species seen including 0 new species.

NOTE: 5-11-88 produced a Sparrowhawk at Grindelwald.

Elmpt to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, 30/10/1988

Holiday to Switzerland 1 of 9.

Mostly fair and quite bright.

Amazing number of Buzzards seen on car journey totalling 32.
10 Kestrels also seen and became less common further south.
Two large birds of prey mobbing and fighting between themselves first appeared to be a Buzzard and Osprey. After reference in books the pale bird was more likely to be a pale phase Buzzard, upping the total to 33 seen.
Lapwing and Starling on arable fields.
Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow in small numbers.
Great Tit at stop. Sparrowhawk chasing other small birds across motorway.
Black Headed Gull in small numbers also same with Woodpigeon.
Great Spotted Woodpecker undulating across motorway.
Grey Heron also seen flying across motorway.

Total species = 13 including 0 new species.

Venokoten and Area, Germany, 01/05/1988

Hot and sunny.

All songbirds in full song on this lovely day.
Yellowhammer, Blackcap 'tack tack', Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin, Chiff Chaff, Nuthatch (appeared from nest-hole with seemingly some remaining down feathers, possibly a fledgling), Mistle Thrush, Great Crested Grebe (one pair nesting on lakeside), Buzzard, Mallard, Coot, Grey Heron, Jay, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Wren, White Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler (identified by clear musical song, after some time, first this year).
Long-Tailed Tit, Tree Sparrow, Mute Swan, Black Headed Gull, Skylark.

28 species including 0 new species.

German-Dutch Woodlands, Germany, 03/01/1988

Sunny periods, showers and windy.

Crossbill, Mallard, Coot, Mute Swans, Black-Headed Gull, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Siskin, Bullfinch, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Magpie, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Buzzard, Wren, Jay.

German-Dutch Woodlands, Germany, 01/01/1988

Sunny periods and windy.

Crossbill, Mallard, Coot, Mute Swan, Black-Headed Gull, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon.