Berlin beauties

I returned to Berlin last weekend and a trip there is simply not complete without me visiting the Moorlinse Buch.  Since last year's visit got me my one and only Large Chequered Skipper, I was keen to see if I could find it again but the weather was terrible for butterfly activity; overcast with strong winds and the occasional light shower.  I still headed to the spot I found it last year, to no avail, but was content seeing several birds we don't get in Brussels such as the breeding Red-necked Grebes, Red-backed Shrike, my first-in-Germany Corn Bunting singing, and a Tree Sparrow family with some ever-so-cute fledglings.  The area is bordered to both the west and north by other nature reserves, so I decided to continue from the western one (where I found last year's lifer) to the northern one, which I'd never explored.  Just when I'd given up hope on lightning striking twice, a small skipper darted across the track and landed in the the grass and I instantly knew what it was.

Exhilarated by this discovery, I continued through the rain, trusting the forecast that it would clear by mid afternoon, to an area I'd noticed had just two previous reports of another lifer butterfly for me.  This one seemed even rarer and, with very few butterflies on the wing, I really didn't expect anything but nothing ventured nothing gained.  Unbelievably, as soon as I got to an area I thought looked like good habitat, I spotted another small brown butterfly in flight and had a feeling it was what I was looking for.  It co-operatively perched for just a few minutes before disappearing again, allowing me to get several pictures of my first Chestnut Heath!  

B(erl)ingo!

I was back in Berlin again last weekend so just had to make another visit to my favourite birding spot, Moorlinse Buch.  The breeding Red-necked Grebes were not visible on the main lake but I did find this juvenile, complete with red neck, on an adjacent marshy pond.  I never realised they acquired their denominative colouration at such an early age.

I had, however, done a bit of butterfly research beforehand and noticed that one of my most wanted butterflies had been recorded a few times at another reserve just a short walk away.  I thus set out to explore the new area, not really expecting to have any luck but, as soon as I got there, I noticed my first Large Chequered Skipper feeding on flowers alongside the path!

It was the only one I saw, despite walking around for another two hours, so I could hardly believe my tiny bit of research had actually worked and got me this beautifully-patterned, rare butterfly which is probably extinct in Belgium.

Moorlinse grebery

Last weekend saw me back in Berlin for another city trip and a much anticipated third visit to what has quickly become one of my favourite places to birdwatch.  My two previous visits in October and May produced a whole range of species from Tundra Bean Geese and Cranes to breeding Red-necked Grebes, Marsh Harrier and Nightingales, so I was eager to see what else might be there in June.  Reed Buntings were particularly confiding with this male singing and preening right next to the observation platform.

New species for my budding Moorlinse Buch list included a singing Icterine Warbler it took me a good 15 minutes to locate, Honey Buzzard and two heard-only Great Reed Warblers but, once again, the grebes were the stars of the show.  I saw several pairs of Red-necked Grebes feeding young but these were easily outnumbered by Great Crested Grebes and their offspring, with quite a few Little Grebes also present.  I don't think I've ever seen such a concentration of young/breeding grebes in such a small area.  I decided to take my time and also explore the nearby Karower Teiche, where singing Golden Orioles, two Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and a family of Redstarts completed the day's list, which totalled an amazing 70 species. 
I can't wait to go back again!

Berlin breeders

Last weekend, I returned to the wonderful Moorlinse Buch in Berlin, which I discovered only last October. The only geese around were Greylags but the winter visitors had been replaced by plenty of breeding Red-necked Grebes.  Some of the nests were ridiculously close to the shore, and the above picture was taken with my mobile phone!  There were lots of singing Nightingales too, with a hunting Marsh Harrier, displaying Goldeneyes, migrating Swallows and a single, male Garganey.  In some scrubby woodland nearby, I got great looks at a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and found both Common Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher, whilst a marshy area surrounded by reeds was full of calling Blue-headed Wagtails and at least six Wood Sandpipers.  This is fast becoming one of my favourite city birding sites and is well worth a full morning if you are ever in Berlin. 

Berlin beans

I was back in Berlin for another city trip last weekend but made a visit to Moorlinse Buch, north-east of the city, at the recommendation of a fellow birder.  At first, and despite being on the outskirts of the city, almost on the border with Brandenburg, it seemed like any old city park with just a few Greylag Geese, Coots and grebes present.  There was a lot of songbird migration, however, with a constant stream of Chaffinches, accompanied by numerous Siskins, at least one Brambling, a Woodlark and even two Bearded Tits.  It soon became clear, though, that it wasn't only songbirds which were on the move, as a flight of 180 Greylags arrived a little after 9am.

The 09:05 flight from Scandinavia!

More and more mixed groups of geese continued to arrive all morning so that, by the time I left a couple of hours later, the 30-strong flock of Greylags had grown to around 600, together with 60+ Tundra Bean Geese and 20-30 White-fronted Geese.  The Bean Geese were especially nice to watch since I rarely get to see them well in Belgium, with one bird in particular having me in fits of laughter as its attempts at preening its tail feathers ended up with it spinning round and round on the water like a dog chasing its tail!

A passing Crane even came to check out all the commotion of the arriving geese before deciding that was not the kind of company it wanted to keep and flying on.

City birding

Over the weekend, I was in Berlin for a city trip.  Originally, I wasn't planning to do any birding but, once I heard about a suburban lake with resident Red-necked Grebes, I couldn't resist taking my binoculars along since I very rarely get to see this species in breeding plumage.  Sure enough, as soon as I arrived at the Schäfersee, right next to a U-Bahn station, I could hear some very loud calls, a bit like a Water Rail with a megaphone, echoing around the circular lake as the three pairs proclaimed their territories.  I realised I'd never actually heard Red-necked Grebes displaying before, with a pair of displaying Kingfishers as an added, unexpected bonus in this urban setting.  I also tried another city park where some Waxwings had been reported but only managed to find Redwings, my first Fieldfare of the year, and a pair of Hawfinches.  On the second day, I visited Treptower Park along the River Spree, mainly with the intention of seeing Goosander, another species I'd not connected with so far this year.  I found a pair straight away but the woodland provided a wonderful surprise when I located this female Black Woodpecker excavating a nesthole.  I'd first heard the distinctive call and headed towards the source, only for the sound to repeat itself much closer.  Frantically looking around at all the likely trees, I just couldn't locate the bird until I noticed wood chippings raining down on me and realised she was right above me!

The male also came in after a while, as if to inspect her work.

Locating a Black Woodpecker nesthole is a birder's Holy Grail and I've never been able to find one in Brussels.  Overall, though, I was very impressed with just how birdy Berlin is, with a seemingly healthy House Sparrow population and plenty of both Greenfinches and Goldfinches, even in the built-up areas.