Mikepércs: Shrike

Photographing the bee-eaters I discovered another place nearby where there are other birds too, like red-backed shrikes and stonechats. Today I'm having a try on this place. 

The male shrike is just coming:

There are youngs as well but this time they stay away.

Mikepércs: Bearded Reedlings

Last time I placed my hide in a corner of the pond where the remainder water still attracts a few birds. Today I tried the new place.

The birds are really active already early in the morning at the edge of the reed: sedge warblers, great reed warbler, bearded reedlings, young wagtails and bluethroats are searching for food. On the chest of the young bluethroats the blue spot is visible already. I'm focusing on the bearded reedlings which use the reeds like good gymnasts:

Bearded Reedling (male)

Bearded Reedling (female)

Bearded Reedling (male)

A few young black-winged stilts, wood- and common sandpipers appear as well for a short time.
At last someone uses the new landing place:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Bearded Reedling (male)

Young White Wagtail

Even a red-backed shrike lands with muddy feet:

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Later I notice a pond turtle walking out on the dried branch:

European Pond Turtle

It's having a short rest before it splashes back into the cool water.
Then a long pause comes, so I decide to leave.

Mikepércs: Waiting For Stonechats

Many stonechats can be seen near the village, and as I don't have nice shots of them yet, I decided to change this situation. About a week ago I found a quiet place where I could photograph them. I placed a

simple hide there and observed them using the landing branch in front of the hide. There were also red-backed shrikes and tree sparrows nearby. This morning I got into my new place with a lot of curiousity. 

Soon a few young tree sparrows landed in front of the hide:

Young Tree Sparrow

Young Tree Sparrows

Young Tree Sparrows

Young Tree Sparrows

They didn't stay long, but in a short time the shrikes appeared nearby, the female landed on the branch:

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Later the stonechats appeared but they didn't come close, they used frequently a small bush about 150 feet from the hide. So I decided to settle near that bush next time.

Mikepércs: On The Meadow

Nowadays I saw many times a pipit on top of mulleins in the meadow. As the shrike scenes are over now, I thought I should try to catch the pipit. I had to move my hide only about 20-30 meters in the meadow. 

The tryout time has come today. In front of me a still blooming mullein and a branch covered with lichen. Soon after I had got into the hide a stonechat family appeared around the hide. They stayed nearby for quite a long time, but none of them landed in front of me. After that sparrows crowded on top of the hide. They left then reappeared loudly many times. Suddenly something landed on top of the mullein: a shrike. Anyway, I wanted to record this bird for long on top of a mullein, now I succeeded:

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Soon after the shrike had gone bee-eaters appeared with their specific fluty voice. While alighting several times on the landing branch, I tried to catch them:

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

They were flying nearby long. The lights however were getting too strong, the pipit being nowhere, so I left the place.

Mikepércs: Shrikes VI.

I decided to have another try with the shrikes today morning in hopes of catching good scenes and maybe the hoopoes would appear again.

I had to wait long indeed for the shrikes.

This young bird could hung on the branch a bit hard:

Young red-backed shrike

Red-backed shrike (female)

This shrike appeared with a moth in it's beak:

Young red-backed shrike

I tried to make flight shots as well:

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

A bee-eater alighted on the branch again:

Bee-eater

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

Big bite:

Young red-backed shrike

The shrike used it's foot to eat this green rose chafer ...:

Young red-backed shrike

... which proved to be a hard nut to crack as it had dropped the beetle ...:

Young red-backed shrike

... and didn't even go after it.

Young red-backed shrike

Preening:

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

Mikepércs: Shrikes V.

Today the first visitors were hoopoes. Two hoopoes landed nearby and started to probe the sandy soil with their long beaks. Stealthily I hoped they would alight on my branch in front of the hide but they didn't do this favour for me. One of them just picked a bit the crust of the branch. Unfortunately they couldn't be well photographed because of the grass. They left soon anyway.

Shortly the young shrikes appeared:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Then came the surprise: a bee-eater settled on the branch with it's prey:

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

It didn't stay long, perhaps it was afraid of the shrikes, as I observed there was a kind of rivalry between the bee-eaters and the shrikes for a nice perching place. Close to the hide a couple of bee-eaters digged their nest tunnel in the horizontal soil, however there is a sand wall hereabout.
Shortly the shrikes have returned:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Even a hare appeared nearby coming quite close:

European Hare

The male shrike alighted as well from time to time as usual, ...:

Red-backed Shrike (male)

... but it were the youngs who settled on it most often:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

When there were two of them on the branch at the same time quarrels took place often between them:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

The youngs often hunted themselves, they picked up different kind of insects in the grass which they ate frequently on the branch:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

This bird took the small twig for a worm perhaps:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike (male)

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Sometimes they alighted on the long stemmed plants as well:

Young Red-backed Shrike

I wouldn't have thought that they use their foot to eat their prey at times:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrikes

Young Red-backed Shrike

Conflict:

Young Red-backed Shrikes

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike