Local ornithology

While out walking yesterday, I met Pan Przemysław, an ornithologist who'd driven across town to Jeziorki, because word was out that there were some interesting birds, hitherto unseen, on the ponds. So I returned today with my Nikon Coolpix P900 with its 2000mm-equivalent lens. He was right.

Below: a pair of greylag geese (gęgawy). According to Wikipedia, only 1,500 pairs nest in Poland, mainly in western parts. So a rarity around here. They look like they're eyeing up the neighbourhood with a view to moving in. Wonder what he's saying to her... "Those rushes over there look promising... let's hope the swans haven't got there first..."

Now... onto the diving ducks. This (below) is a female common pochard (głowienka zwyczajna)... Seconds later, this one was completely submerged, something mallards can't do.

Below, left: this is the male common pochard (canvasback in North America). To its right, the most common denizen of the ponds right now, a black-headed gull (mewa śmieszka); black tail-band indicating a young adult.

This (thanks A.) is a black-necked grebe (perkoz zausznik) in breeding plumage. Like the pochard, the grebe is a diver, and disappears entirely under water to surface a couple of metres away.

The swans are with us, no doubt busy with nest-making; there are a great many black-headed gulls, mallard ducks (kaczka krzyżówka); and as I mentioned yesterday, swifts (jerzyki) can be seen zooming across the surface of the water (below).

Across the tracks I could hear skylarks, flying too high to be seen. Local birds I didn't see today include the lapwing (czajka), the marsh harrier (błotniak stawowy) and the grey heron (czapla siwa).

A hello to Jeziorki's regulars... A juvenile swan swims up to me on the off-chance that I've got some food (he's in luck - I have some wholegrain bread left from lunch).

And a pair of mallards - drake and duck - making their way out of the main southern pond to cross ul. Dumki to the southernmost and smallest of the ponds.

Apropos of Ornithology - give Charlie Parker a listen: this classic belongs to the ages.



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