Debrecen: The Story Of The Yellow Wagtail And The Tree Sparrow

Male yellow wagtail

Male yellow wagtail and tree sparrow

Male yellow wagtail and tree sparrow

Mikepércs: Water Rails

Another try at the pond.
Not long after I get into the hide, young water rails are coming out of the little "reed-mace forest" nearby. However it is too dark for photography. But I can see young wagtails, sedge warblers, marsh warblers and bluethroats as well. At the first lights I can hardly get a sharp image of the moving birds, but later I manage to catch them when they stop for a moment.
An adult, ...:

Water Rail

... and a young bird:

Young Water Rail

Then by the first rays of the sun a spotted crake appears suddenly in front of the hide:

Spotted Crake

Unfortunately it doesn't stay there long, it rushes back in the vegetation.
A young yellow wagtail lands as well:

Young Yellow Wagtail

A few wood sandpipers are present too, one of them finds a really big prey:

Wood Sandpiper

In the end two black-winged stilts are landing, here's one of them:

Black-winged Stilt

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: Rabbit In The Reed

This morning I started to the pond again.

I placed some living plants on the spot before getting into the hide. The usual birds are the first visitors: young bluethroat, bearded reedlings, but the tree sparrows have become also regular nearby. The yellow wagtails appear by the first sunbeams:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Then comes a surprise: a common reed bunting is landing too:

Common Reed Bunting (female)

Common Reed Bunting (female)

But the real surprise comes after: a hopping hare appears at the reed on the opposite side:

European Hare

It must have heard the exposures as it changes up and stops only when reaching the vegetation which overgrew the dried pondbed:

European Hare

Soon a pheasant cock appears on the other side walking towards the bushy vegetation as well. But even a hoopoe lands on the dried soil.
Later a young starling appears hunting for small insects:

Young Starling

Young Starling

Mikepércs: Flowers And Wagtails

I decided to improve my wagtail shots with some flowers today. Getting to the pond I set the plants in the right place before getting into the hide.

Soon arrives a semi bald white wagtail:

White Wagtail

Then a young one lands just on the right place:

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Some exercise comes after:

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

"What does this flower taste like?":

Young White Wagtail

This bird wants to get rid of the mud stuck to its legs:

Young White Wagtail

"Oops!":

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Then a small flock of young starlings is landing nearby, one of the birds settles right on the brach in front of me:

Young Starling

A yellow wagtail lands for some preening as well:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Mikepércs: Fly Hunters

I visited the pond again this morning.

As soon as it's getting light the young yellow wagtails appear, but the bearded reedlings are also nearby as I can hear their sounds. They are communicating with each other almost continuously. Then the sun is rising up so I can take photos:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Sometimes the wagtails' close attention is caught by the small flies that appear nearby:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

"I step off":

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Soon the coots get out from the reed, the chicks have grown a lot during a week's time:

Young Coot

The wagtails are using with pleasure the dried branch placed in front of my hide:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

The flies are more and more active and the young birds are taking advantage of this:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

"It's itching badly!":

Young Yellow Wagtail

Another prey:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Attack:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

There are so many flies that the birds almost have to stretch their necks only to catch one:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Usually the young wagtails flock together in small groups, but conflicts between the members occur regularly, they hardly tolerate each other when getting close:

Young Yellow Wagtails

"Oops! It's stuck to my beak!":

Young Yellow Wagtail

These birds can produce great scenes, so I'm going to focus on them again next time.