It´s springtime. Since I read the book “The Sound Approach to birding
- a guide to understanding birdsound”, for me, spring is the most exciting season
of the year. Studying the development of bird songs (and calls?) is my favorite
activity now.
One of the first arrivals at the new year is the Song Trush Turdus philomelos.
Generally it´s crystallised song seems simple, but it´s plastic song is longer,
has lesser gaps between the verses and is full of imitations.
Song trush Turdus philomelos, plastic song, March 23th, 2010
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With the first Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla, my waiting for spring has an end.
It´s fluting song sounds through the hole park next to my my flat. In this
recording you can hear the more quiet plastic song with lesser break-outs
(this break-out tells us that this bird is no other sylvia-warbler) and longer
verses as in the crystallised song.
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, plastic song April 2nd, 2010
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Sometimes a Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros sings at my windowsill.
This is one of my favorite birdsongs around there. The second part of it´s song,
for me, is one of the most amazing sounds made by an european bird.
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros, song, April 4th, 2010
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500m away from my flat, Long-Tailed Tits Aegithalus caudatus are breeding every year.
Unfortunately either they start to breed too early in the year and the eggs get
destroyed by the returning frost in april or predators devour the eggs or juveniles.
In this recording you can hear two Jays Garrulus glandarius who try to get
the eggs out of the hidden nest. The two brave “parents” try to defend it.
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalus caudatus vs. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius, April 4th, 2010
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Spingtime is not only springtime for peaceful people. 30km away from my
hometown Leipzig, there´s a wide sandpit with a lot of rare animals, plants
and “micro-habitats”. This wonderful area is attractive for motocross-bikers too.
Attend to the Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago getting flushed by a stupid
quad-biker.
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus, call, April 4th, 2010
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© Pic by
Marcus Held
At the end of March my companion Marcus and I looked for amphibians,
particularly for Moor Frogs Rana arvalis and European Toads Bufo bufo.
I hoped to get a few recordings in a quiet a surrounding – but our mission failed.
The destination was a nature reserve in the north of Leipzig (Sachsen, East-Germany)
called “Papitzer Lachen” (Papitz`s Puddles). There are a few puddles surrounded
by meadows, small bushes and tree rows.
To our surprise there were a lot of European Fire-bellied Toads Bombina bombina
in full activity. But there were a lot of people too! Their dogs flushing birds
and so on… In addition there were heavy noise from the motorway 2km away.
© Pic by Marcus Held
pair of European Toads Bufo bufo, March 25th, 2010
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© Pic by Marcus Held
European Fire-bellied Toads Bombina bombina and European Toads Bufo bufo, March 25th, 2010, pure
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European Fire-bellied Toads
Bombina bombina and European Toads
Bufo bufo, March 25th, 2010, filtered
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