UKC

I got to see this beauty yesterday, hunting over the reeds at a nature reserve just north of Berlin. It was a great day altogether, very cold but sunny; I also saw a Little Ringed Plover, two Lapwings (rare around here), a pair of Stonechats, and various other firsts for the year including 5 Wood Warblers and dozens of Swallows and House Martins; they´re back! Another highlight was actually seeing a Savi´s Warbler for the first time when it left its hiding place and flew across the track in front of me; they´re usually invisible deep in the reeds, doing their bass version of a Grasshopper Warbler.

I also got the tip from another birder that there are three breeding pairs of Hoopoes at a big heath just a bit further north, so that´s where I´ll be heading to try to get a birthday present for myself next Sunday; I´ve never seen one before.

Haven’t seen or heard a Wood Warbler for some time so very jealous. There appears to be real decline in numbers, very sad.

Nice adult male MH there, always lovely to see.

Wood Warbler is in decline in the UK, I doubt there are many places where you get to see 5. Wonder if they're in decline in Germany.

Hoopoes, you'd think from pictures that with their plumage they'd stand out like a sore thumb, but in their "natural" environment of dusty scrub they're surprisingly camouflaged.

Having said that, they're apparently pretty easy to spot on their increasing number of visits to the UK, but maybe that's because they're poking about on bright green lawns.

Excellent list there.

Last year watched a M Harrier being kept busy looking after two females and their offspring. Fascinating to see their flying displays, them hunting, and the food passes to the female are quite spectacular.

I just had a look - 23% decline in Europe in the last 10 years, and a massive 76% in the UK from 1995 - 2020. As you say, very sad.

Nice. Got a great view of a marsh harrier food pass on Saturday.  And saw my first house martin last week. Heard first grasshopper warblers on my Sunday dog walk.