24 August 06

Fall Migration

We’ll be hitting Sweden at a good time. I’m not sure how many birds I’ll be able to identify without my Leica Duovids, which have gone off to be repaired (cracked right eyepice), but I’m taking a small pair of Minoltas that work just fine.

I’m hoping for common choughs outside the Alcázar in Segovia, plus perhaps a black redstart. Maybe long-tailed tits in El Pardo plus green woodpecker and hoopoe. And who knows what on the train to Segovia. The ever-elusive capercaillie will probably not need binoculars, however good or bad.

Travelling with hand-luggage only means severely restricting the number of books that come along, particularly bird books. I picke dup the Pocket Naturalist card of Birds of Britain today. No good for hoopoes or common choughs but some kind of reference for birds we might see on our travels.

Posted by at 09:46 PM in Nature and Place | Link |
  1. I do hope the Swallows will still be here, it´s so beautifull to watch them sweeping over the lake in the late evening, when it´s still and and the mist is rising, and then just when you think all the birds are finish for the day, the cranes call out in the dusk as if to say good night all. I have a couple bird books, in fact your room is beginning to look like a library with subjects on birds, London and tales of Spain…. Welcome here.
    — Jennifer    24. August 2006, 23:40    Link
  2. Jennifer: Thanks. We’re very excited. I’m thinking it might be just a touch late for the swallows, but let’s hope not!
    — Pica    25. August 2006, 06:43    Link
  3. Sue and I stayed in an Old rectory (now a B&B) in Northumberland. The owners were keen bird watchers and listed all the species we might be able to see on our visit. I’m no expert but there were robyns and tits and to my delight a Great Spotted Woodpecker. We even drove out onto a quite country road to try to find a barn owl that inhabited that particular spot. Unfortunately we didn’t see it. One of the farm owners told us that owls will choose when they wish to be seen….there must be some truth in that. The birdsong in England was truly beautiful.
    — Jenny    25. August 2006, 16:29    Link
  4. I’m having palpitations just reading this, you know.

    Good birding!
    — Ron Sullivan    25. August 2006, 21:51    Link

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