Dandelion

Linked with the Weekend in Black and White.

Thrush vs Lizard

A short but dramatic fight between a thrush and a common lizard. The thrush tried to catch the lizard and was surprised by their aggressive behavior. After a while the bird gave up the fight and the lizard escaped without losing his tail. The photos have a low quality; I made it during a fence and a bush.

Lizard is on the right, hidden in the gras.

Linked with Wild Bird Wednesday.

The Water Snowflake Nymphoides indica in Black and White

Linked with the Weekend in Black and White.

Birds of the swamps near Debre Zeyit in Ethiopia

Some birds from another trip around Debre Zeyit in Ethiopia. In the North of the village is a large swamp area famous for birdwatching. During winter time is a resting place for cranes. Unfortunately, I came too late for them.

The swamplands near Debre Zeyit.

There were numerous waders and other birds. The photos are just a small impression of those I got with my camera.

Black-headed Heron

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark

Eastern Chanting Goshawk.

Far away and shy, a large flock of Grey-headed Gulls.

A Marsh Sandpiper?

A Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) und a Ruff.

African Sacred Ibis.

Spotted Redshanks and Marsh Sandpipers.

Black-winged Stilt and another piper.

Yellow-billed Egrets.

 Linked with Wild Bird Wednesday.

A Greenhouse Family

This greenhouse is for cultivating succulent plants in the botanical garden in Halle in Germany. Inside I found breeding blackbirds using the airshafts to move in and out of the house. It is a comfortable place, free of predators and with air condition. 

The female.

The male.

The nest.

And the greenhouse.

 Linked with Our World Tuesday. 

Doves in the evening sun

Linked with Skywatch Friday.

Displaying Great Bustards at the Belziger Landschaftwiesen/Germany

I had a morning trip to the Belziger Landschaftwiesen, a nature protection site in Brandenburg in Germany. A good place to see Great Bustards and I were lucky to see them displaying. In the South of the village Freithal is an observation tower that provides a good view over the area.

The area of the Belziger Landschaftswiesen.

Great bustards are the largest birds in central Europe and the male adults are possibly the heaviest living flying animals. They were almost extinct with 80 to 90 animals in the middle of the 90ths and have now about 200 individuals in Germany. The Belziger Landschaftswiesen has a population of approximately 70 individuals. From the observation point was a good view to a dozen of displaying males and several females. The displaying behavior of the bustards is a spectacular show with the males transforming into white bunches.

A displaying male and a female.

preparing displaying

A displaying male.

and another one

Besides bustards still occur many other birds in the area. Some other birds during the trip were a red kite, larks and goldfinches.

Red Kite.

Red Kite.

Goldfinch.

Shared with Wild Bird Wednesday.

Great Crested Grebe with Fish

A Great Crested Grebe with freshly caught breakfast.

This small common rudd escaped a grebe or a cormorant and was hurt on the side.

Shared with Our World Tuesday.

Coypus in Halle(Saale)/Germany

Coypus (Myocastor coypus) are an invasive species in Germany. As tropical animals they are restricted to few places with warmer climate. These photos are made in Halle (Salle) in Saxony-Anhalt where they are very common along the Saale River. 

Linked with Viewing Nature with Eileen.