Mikepércs: Trying With The Stonechats

This morning I'm making an attempt with the stonechats on the meadow nearby.

They are active but don't come close enough. Yet one of them is landing in front of me for a short time:

Stonechat (male)

Then I'm wating for them for a while, but without success.
On my way home I take a few shots of these shaggy manes (if I'm correct), they have been growing on the cows' dung:

Shaggy Mane

Mikepércs: In The Meadow

I started for yellow wagtail watching at dawn today. Only the youngs landed this time, but at least by the first rays of the rising sun:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Later a stonechat appeared as well in front of me:

Stonechat (female)

The young yellow wagtails spent a lot of time on top of my hide too.
After the beautiful morning lights I made some wild flower shots too:

Viper's Bugloss

On my way home two saker falcons appeared above the meadow, I saw them for the first time.

Mikepércs: Instead Of Bee-eaters: Hoopoe

I planned a bee-eater photography for this afternoon. Unfortunately they didn't land in front of me. They used the trees nearby for perching. Instead the bee-eaters a young stonechat perched on the new landing branch:

Stonechat (female)

Then sparrows appeared in the grass hunting for insects. I hoped at least one of them would settle on the branch, but I had no luck with them either. I didn't trust in the hoopoes wich were quite active nearby, they were probing the sandy soil, many times quite close to my hide. I was about to pack and leave after such a long unsuccessful waiting when one of the hoopoes appeared suddebly on the landing branch:

Hoopoe

It made me very happy as this was the first useful photo of them. I could hardly believe it!

Mikepércs: The Little Stonechat

I counted especially on stonechats in the meadow this morning. While I was doing a quick preparation in front of the hide, for my greatest surprise 3 young stonechats took off from the thick grass. They seemed to spend the night right there. It's good if they like this place, but it's a pity I made them leave.
I didn't have to wait long for the appearence of the first bird, it was one of the youngs:

Young Stonechat

However after a few exposures it was gone. Later the female landed as well, but after a few moments it flew away too without being photographed. They are very cautious. After that nothing came, so I had to be satisfied with a single photo this time.

Mikepércs: Bee-eaters

I've managed today to take photos of the bee-eaters at last. Early in the afternoon, when I arrived, they were quite active and after I had got into the hide, the birds reappeared slowly, but didn't land on the branch in front of me for a long time. Then the first bird landed at last:

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

I managed to catch the landing moment as well a few times:

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

I could catch a couple too, one of the birds gave a present to the other, ...:

Bee-eater

... and I hoped something would happen between them, but they turned away from each other (perhaps the present wasn't delicious enough):

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Disposal of the stabbing insects:

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Bee-eater

Meanwhile I could see hoopoes nearby, they landed on the hide and on the ground to search for food, but not on the landing branch I'm afraid. However this stonechat did it:

Stonechat (female)

Mikepércs: Stonechat Again

A week ago I noticed a small hawthorn bush that was frequently used be the stonechats for landing and I placed my hide close to it a few days ago. I wanted to visit the place this morning to see what's happning there.
However when I got up at dawn a light rain began to fall. This was not planned :( Fortunately it stopped soon. This time I managed to get to the hide before sunrise, but the male stonechat was already sitting on a tree nearby. I'm sure, it's going to watch me getting into the hide and won't come here today - I thought. However after a short time it came closer and all of a sudden I saw it on top of the bush in front of me:

Stonechat (male)

I took a few shots of it, this time in silent mode in live view so that I make less noise:

Stonechat (male)

Stonechat (male)

After a few seconds it flew away and didn't come back again, except when it settled on top of my hide. I couldn't stay long this time either. But I got it at least.

Mikepércs: Stonechat

I made a try on a new place again, I expected yellow wagtail on top of a stick where I had observed a few times this bird preening or just sitting there. But I've seen already stonechats and shrikes as well nearby. I got there at around 5 in the morning, when the sun appeared on the horizon. I pushed myself inside my simple and uncomfortable hide quickly and waited. Soon a small bird landed on top of the hide but I couldn't tell what kind of a bird it was. However it appeared soon on the stick in front of me. The sun lighted the brest of the stonechat beautifully:

Stonechat (female)

After two shots it flew off. Later it landed on my hide again, but not in front of me any more.

Mikepércs: Only one chat

Yesterday afternoon I tried to take photos of the bee-eaters, for the first time this year. They settled only two times in front of my hide but just for a single moment. I didn't manage to take a good shot of them. Don't worry, I thought. Tomorrow at dawn I would go out again. 

And today morning they haven't settled at all. A couple of stone chats showed some activity nearby. And once the male settled in front of my hide:

Stone Chat (male)

I hope next time I will have better luck with the bee-eaters as well.

Mikepércs: Stonechats and Warblers Instead of Bearded Reedlings

Today I took the hide with me and visited the place where I saw the bearded reedlings last time. I hoped we would meet again. They thought differently but I met other birds. A reed bunting settled on a reed but unfortunately other reeds in front of the bird were ruining the picture. Then stonechats appeared and started to watch the hide with curiousity:

Stonechat (female)

Meanwhile a young willow warbler appeared as well:

Young Willow Warbler

Then the stonechats settled again on reeds in front of the hide:

Stonechat (female)

Stonechat (male)

Stonechat (male)

Stonechat (female)

In the end the young willow warbler reappeared:

Young Willow Warbler