It has been a while since my last post, result of becoming busier with PhD study and not having enough time to bird often (and even with time to bird, no time to post here). But when the temperatures rose suddenly 10°C Friday, March 17, I knew I had to get out in the field this weekend, so I went to one of my favorite hotspots near Dresden, with a decent range of habitat diversity: Moritzburg. The weather was sunny with a high of around 21°C (~70°F)
A walk around the western Schlossteich (Palace Pond) revealed several Tufted Ducks, 1 Common Pochard, First of year (FOY)White Wagtail, interestingly 4 Egyptian Geese among the scattered pairs of Greylags, and the most stunning to me: the Great Crested Grebes (FOY) in stunning alternate (breeding) plumage, and enacting courtship displays and chasing across the water's surface. There were 2 grebes still in mostly basic plumage. The only Green Woodpecker of the day laughed in the distance, and Chaffinches and Greenfinches were singing their hearts out everywhere. Along the trail through mixed woods to the western lakes (Higher and Lower Altenteich), we came across a single chattering Winter Wren, followed by Nuthatches, Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, a single each of Coal Tit and Jay, a flyover Raven, and several Short-toed Treecreepers. Main misses of the woods (and the day) were Crested Tit and Firecrest. Arriving at the Unterer Altenteich Lake first, we quickly noticed and enjoyed the 3 pairs of Common Goldeneyes, along a few extra (bachelor?) drakes. The males' heads shone brilliantly iridescent green in the sun. Also present near this lake were 20-30 Coot (FOY), ´more Great Crested Grebes, a single adult White-tailed Eagle, 3-4 Goldcrests and 2 Chiffchaffs (FOY). Then came a shrill, spine-tingling call...a Black Woodpecker (FOY)! This was the first time I have even heard this species at this location. We managed to follow the repeated kliii-eh calls until we spotted it, and I had the greatest view yet of this magnificent bird. The moment ended all too soon, as it broke away from the tree and escaped into the deep woods.
Latter outside the woods and near the Schloss looking out over the East Schlossteich, no Mediterranean gull spotted among the hundreds of Black-headed Gulls, but we picked up Goosander (2 drakes, 1 hen), and a magnificent Red Kite (FOY). Ended the morning with a respectable 45 species.
