French Alps

November 1, 2018March 19, 2019 www.Visual-Nature.deAlps, curvirostra, France, Glaucidium passerinum, Loxia, Night, Pygmy Owl, Sunrise, Sunset, Vanoise, Vercors

Another short trip – this time to France. I met a friend and college, Julien R., to record and discuss Crossbills. We visited different places in the French Alps. The days started long before sunrise and we hiked through the mountains during the early morning. Here are some impressions:

Julien recording crossbills in the forest

As we hoped, we found very interesting crossbills. When I show you the photos, they look like every other Red Crossbill. You need to hear the voice of these birds to be able to recognize them. As this is the topic of my PhD, it was really fascinating to meet some of these special birds of the southern Alps, which I heard on my computer many times but not in reality.

Female Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

Now some more photos from the trip:

Opening in the forest, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Alpine meadows changing colour in autumn, National Park Vanoise, French Alps

Erosion ditches in the slope, National Park Vanoise, French Alps

The last sunray in the valley, French Alps

Crossbills in the Snow

March 5, 2017March 5, 2017 www.Visual-Nature.deater, Black Forest, Common Crossbill, curvirostra, Fichtenkreuzschnabel, Loxia, Parus, Periparus, Schwarzwald, Tannenmeise

There are quite a lot Common Crossbills in the Black Forest in southern Germany this year. I spent some time in the field, trying to get sound recordings of them for my PhD.

rm_170103_mg_2054 — Common Crossbill – Fichtenkreuzschnabel – Loxia curvirostra. Singing male

These little creatures are breeding right at the moment between all the wind, ice and snow. They are doing this, as their typical food ressource – seeds of Norway Spruce – is soon easily accessible. When it gets a little bit warmer, cones open and then food is wating for the Crossbills.

rm_170208_mg_4564 — Male Common Crossbill sitting likely above its nest

I tried to photograph them next to a road, where they regularly licked salt from. Wating was shortened by a nice Coal Tit.

rm_170103_mg_1881 — Coal Tit – Tannenmeise – Periparus ater

Finally the Crossbills approached – not exactly where I hoped them to perch – but I was pleased with the outcome.

rm_170103_mg_1980 — Common Crossbill – Fichtenkreuzschnabel – Loxia curvirostra

rm_170102_mg_1798 — Common Crossbills, licking salt on a road

Research trip through Great Britain & Ireland

September 24, 2016October 4, 2016 www.Visual-Nature.deBracken, coast, Cornwall, Crossbill, curvirostra, England, Fellow Deer, Forest, Fulmar, Great Britain, Loxia

Wow – the summer is over and I haven’t written anything. Well, it has been a busy time. I am on a research trip in Great Britain and Ireland – trying to record the calls of Common Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra) for my PhD.