Mikepércs: Bearded Reedlings And Bluethroats

The surface of the pondbed doesn't glitter anymore of water which can be favourable for the photos... If there's anything to shoot at.
The water rails make their usual round at the edge of the reed. A small flock of bearded reedlings lands on the wet ground nearby where they are picking something. It's difficult to photograph them because of the reed, but sometimes they come out to the open area:

Bearded Reedling (male)

A few bluethroats are also nearby, one of them finds something for itself in front of me:

Bluethroat

It's moving quickly, so I can't follow it properly, I only suppose that it has swallowed the big mouthful:

Bluethroat

Bluethroat

Bluethroat

Alike the bearded reedlings it turns up severeal times nearby:

Bluethroat

Mikepércs: Wasp Spider

I visited the meadow nearby this morning looking for macro themes. There were not many arthropods, but I could select from many wasp spider cobwebs:

Wasp Spider

Mikepércs: Only A Water Rail

In contrast to the title, not only one water rail turned up today in front of my hide, but it's true that there are few birds as there is nearly only mud in the pond bed. In the early hours 3-4 young water rails make a hunt on the area. However a wood sandpiper, a great egret and a Temminck's stint appeared too. Only the surroundings is not very good for photography with this amount of mud, so I show only one water rail shot this time:

Young Water Rail

Făgăraș Mountains: Where One Should Return To

As part of a six day jurney to Transylvania this morning we drive up from our quarters at the beginning of the Transfăgărășean road to the Bâlea lake at 2034 m. From there we set off towards the Capra lake on the hiking trail. Slowly clouds start to flow from the valley towards the peak and we can't see anything soon except the stones around us. We know that we should go upwards and after half an hour we reach the Capra saddle. Meanwhile the clouds start to disappear and the 2507 m high Buteanu peak becomes visible behind the mist:

The Buteanu Peak

On the other side of the saddle near the Capra lake we see this landscape:

The Capra lake

At the outflow of the lake another small shallow lake has formed:

Getting back to the Bâlea lake the sky has cleared up:

The Bâlea lake

There are beautiful places here which I'd like to record so I have to return here and of course I want to climb the peak as well which was cancelled this time.

Mikepércs: Water Shrinkage

I was at the pond two weeks ago, so I waited today's actions curiously. The water has shrunk a lot, so the first thing I did was moving the hide on.
The stilts are here but as far as I can see only one family stayed here.The youngs appear soon, all four of them are here. They have grown a lot, they are almost as big as their parents. And they can even fly. Sometimes they come very close to the hide which act is not rewarded by the parents. On one occasion they bundle off one of the youngs.
There's not much light when a great white egret appears at one side of the hide. However the stilt parents start to molest it so the egret walks away soon. After some time a grey heron lands, of course the stilts don't leave it in peace either, so it takes off soon as well.
The youngs keep coming very close to the hide, perhaps finding more delicious food there:

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

The young wagtails appear near the hide as well as a young starling. Moreover, a ruff lands for a short time with a run-down plumage:

Ruff (male)

Preening:

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

The little ringed plovers are still on the area as well. The great white egret appears again: just next to the hide. This huge bird is really towering above me lying in the hide! I try to change the lens as I have no chance with the tele lens, it's so close. But in the next moment it takes off, it might have observed some movement behind the glass...
However it appears again after a short time a little further, ...:

Great White Egret

... not staying for long this time either.

Mikepércs: The Stilt Chicks Have Grown A Lot!

I can expect the little stilts this morning as well and a higher water level as it has rained quite a lot these days.
The young stilts are pecking on the usual place, but they have grown a lot during a week's time! However they still like to dig their heads into the parents' plumage.
The stilts that have hatched closer start to appear one after the other and are coming closer:

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Sure enough they are not the fluffy hatchlings that they used to be a week ago, they have already developed some pin feathers on their wings. I could have got more from the fluffies ... the hide was not on the right place in fact ...
The most important is that all of the four chicks are alive.

For my greatest pleasure some fog start to appear above the water:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

The youngs are moving a lot more than last time, they return regularly to the front of the hide:

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Mikepércs: A Little Closer To The Chicks

The stilt family is at the same place too at dawn: near the nest where the chicks have been hatched.
One of the parents is always "at hand" so the youngs can warm up themselves any time:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

After a seven minute snooze:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

They don't come closer this time either for long. Then suddenly they set off along the bank and I can photograph them through the side window:

Young Black-winged Stilt

It's unbelievable that they are scarcely two weeks old and yet they know near everything a bird has to know: they independently come and go ...:

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

... feed ...:

Young Black-winged Stilt

... and preen themselves ...:

Young Black-winged Stilt

... and they would even fly ...:

Young Black-winged Stilt

... if they had flight feathers on their tiny wings :)

Young Black-winged Stilt

Yawn:

Young Black-winged Stilt

Then they disappear in the reed under supervision of their father and don't return while I'm there so I can only photograph the adults:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt