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The return of the Old Man

10,000 Birds

Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills goes on to give greater detail of the former nesting sites in Europe: it could once be found “in southern Germany and Austria, in the valleys of the upper Rhine and Danube Rivers, and in the Alps of Switzerland, Italy and Germany, and perhaps in Hungary and Greece”.

Morocco 226
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Whooper Swans at Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido

10,000 Birds

On the one hand, they are very easy to see in Germany, swimming in public parks or teaching pensioners how to eat bread. Another location factor is highlands versus lowlands – Whooper Swans breeding in Icelandic lowlands had a much higher breeding success than the highland birds ( source ).

China 215
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The Collins Bird Guide, 3rd edition

10,000 Birds

The 1st edition from 1999 was a complete revolution in just about everything, but predominantly the quality and realism of illustrations, showing what a field guide could be and seriously raising the threshold for other publishers. That made everyone happy (with the possible exception of other publishers).

Europe 255
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Birding a monastery: Zhaga, Western Sichuan

10,000 Birds

In the non-breeding season, Common Merganser all look pretty much like females. Not a bad look though – more attractive than the male breeding plumage, I think. Upon learning about my background, he asked me whether we have Yaks in Germany. Carrion Crows like to think of themselves as very modern birds.

Birds 213
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Birding Yibin, Sichuan

10,000 Birds

Yibin is a typical smallish Chinese city (which in China means slightly above 850,000 people in the metro area, which would make it the fifth-biggest city in Germany but does not get it into the top 100 in China). But then, would a lady pheasant be pleased to be described as “large”? What a weird world.

Italy 189
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Germany’s Great Bustards and how to see them

10,000 Birds

I am not entirely sure whether most birders outside Germany know or realize that Germany still has a decent population of one of Europe’s most attractive and desired bird species: the Great Bustard Otis tarda. Now that I might have wetted your appetite, here’s where and how to find them in Germany: 1.

Germany 101
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Birding Singapore

10,000 Birds

The Asian Koel is a cuckoo species and thus freed from the obligation to raise its own chicks (though the birds like to refer to themselves as brood parasites, which sounds a bit less obviously selfish). Please keep that in mind if you ever think that Germany’s only contributions to the world are highways and world wars.

Singapore 222