Winter in the mountains

February 19, 2019March 19, 2019 www.Visual-Nature.deAlpendohle, Alpenkrähe, Alpine Chough, Alps, Bartgeier, Lammergeier, Matterhorn, nivalis, Plectrophenax, Red-billed Chough, Schneefink, Snow, White-winged Snowfinch, Winter

After some very hot days here in February, we have to ask: is this winter already over? It would be a pity!

Here some photos from Switerland I took few weeks ago.

Adult Lammergeier patroulling the mountain slopes

Adult Lammergeier in front of the Matterhorn

Photographing with friends

April 10, 2017October 5, 2017 www.Visual-Nature.deAlpenbraunelle, Alpendohle, Alpine Accentor, Bartgeier, Black Forest, Chough, Falco, Lammergeier, Mauerläufer, muraria, Nebel, nivalis, Peregrine, peregrinus, Plectrophenax, Prunella collaris, Schnee, Schneefink, Schneesperling, Schwarzwald, Snow, Swiss, Switzerland, Tichodroma, Wallcreeper, Wanderfalke, White-winged Snowfinch, Winter

Some weeks ago, close friends visited Freiburg. Together we (Thorsten Bittner, Christian Höfs, Jan Sohler, Lukas Thiess, Joachim Wimmer) visited different sites in Germany and Switzerland. Our first trips with a part of the group (some of the group claimed they would have to work) were in southern Germany. We tried to find a crazy Caipercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the Black Forest – as almost all of my attempts with this individual without sucess. Nevertheless we were in good mood…

Snowy Black Forest

Searching in the misty silence for the Caipercaillie.

The following day, we were looking for a wintering Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria). This colourful bird from the Alps spends the winter in lower areas in mines and rock faces. The Wallcreeper didn’t want to appear at first, but a pair of Peregrine (Falco peregrinus), copulating right in front of us was a splendid encounter.

Finally the ‘toast of the wall’ appeared: a Wallcreeper! Frantic as they are, but it made a real show for us.

Although it is very colourful, it is hard to detect in the distance

Wallcreepers search for food in rock fissures

Always moving, it is hard to photograph

Wallcreeper presenting itself in all its splendour

The weekend we spent in Switzerland. There is a site, the ‘Gemmipass’ well known to bird watchers and photographers as it is possible to watch Lammergeier there very close. I wanted to visit this site since probably five years – but there was always something that stopped me from realization of the trip. Well, this time it worked thanks to Joachim. Weather was perfect for our plans and the vultures were very active.

The site is also famous for its tame Ravens, Alpine Choughs, Alpine Accentors and White-winged Snowfinchs:

Alpine Chough

Raven landing

Alpine Accentor – Alpenbraunelle – Prunella collaris

Fly by of an Alpine Accentor – Alpenbraunelle – Prunella collaris

Alpine Accentor – Alpenbraunelle – Prunella collaris

White-winged Snowfinch – Schneefink – Plectrophenax nivalis

Photographing is not that difficult – me with some Alpine Choughs

Sunrise

And a last photo:

That’s what it’s all about: photographing among friends in a great scenery

BWE: Scottish Highlands in winter

March 22, 2015March 22, 2015 www.Visual-Nature.deAbernethy, Cairngorms, Caledonian, Duck, Forest, Forest Park, Glenmore, Highlands, Lagopus, Moorschneehuhn, National Park, Pine, Red Grouse, Schottisches, scotica, Scotland, Stars, Winter, Wood

I promised to show some photos from the Highlands in a post before.

So, here they are.

Red Grouse - Schottisches Moorschneehuhn - Lagopus lagopus scoticus

Beautiful Wild Europe (BWE) – The project

January 1, 2015March 18, 2015 www.Visual-Nature.deAlpen, Alpenbock, Alps, Beautiful Europe, Berge, Bialewiz, Biebrza, BWE, Deutschland, Durmitor, Europe, Finland, Forest, Frühling, Gentian, Germany, Herbst, Highlands, Ibex, Kiefernschwärmer, Krähenscharbe, Longicorn Beetle, Meer, Montenegro, Moth, Mountains, National Park, Nationalpark, Neuwerk, Norway, Norwegen, Pine Grosbeak, Poland, Polen, Ptarmigan, Red Fox, Schneehuhn, Schottland, Scotland, Sea, Shag, Shepherd, Slovakei, Slovakia, Slovenia, Slowenien, Sommer, Spain, Spanien, Summer, Tatra, Turkey, Wadden Sea, Wald, Wattenmeer, Winter

Thailand, USA, Australia, New Zealand… some typical holiday destinations for many people. It is hip to go there, to be able to talk with the others who have been there. Reasons to visit these countries are often the amazing landscape and nature. At the same time, few people are aware of the beautiful wilderness in Europe, of the breathtaking landscapes, of the very special animals and the beautiful flowers.

For this reason, I thought about a project for a long time: I want to show this beauty, to make people aware, that it is not really necessary to travel always that far. To show that the beautiful places are right in front of our door or not far away. And to show, what we lost already and what we will loose, if we proceed in our way of life.

Within the scope of this project, I will present different areas in Europe, special animals or plants or just special places. I already started with some posts – and I will proceed.

Maybe, you get inspired by these places and next time, it is not Vietnam but the Balkan you travel to!

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