Little ringed Plovers - they are finally back from their winter location :-)

Since the little ringed plovers are back from their wintering home, I visited the river shore of the Danube for some bird and wildlife photography. At the spot where we often take pictures of birds there was a group of teenagers playing loud music from a BoomBox and they were pretty loud. We considered leaving this place immediately after we got there, but fortunately we didn't. The birds still came to the river shore to look for food in the shallow water and at the gravel bar.

We laid down on the ground and waited patiently for the birds to get a bit closer to us and they did so this was a pretty successful afternoon, and I was able to take a lot of pictures of the little ringed plover as well as other birds that could be found at the river shore.

Little ringed plover at the rivers shore. Picture: Florian Glechner.

We also visited a second location where we know that a lot of birds are attracted to the shallow water and the sandbanks. It is an old Gravel pit that filled up with water. So during spring and summer you can watch several waterbirds visiting and even breeding there.

I recently bought a new spotting scope, so I am not only taking pictures of birds but also watch them a lot. Eventhough I have a 600mm lens on a Crop Camera I still can get way closer to the birds with the spotting scope, but it is only for watching not for photography. Because in several occasions the birds are way too far away for taking a nice picture, but I thought it still will be interesting to watch them. I will need to test the spotting scope for some time and probably write a review here on Hive when I feel that I tested it long enough.

A female and a male little ringed Plover. Picture: Florian Glechner.

Little ringed Plovers are pretty cute birds. Picture: Florian Glechner.

When they walk down the gravel bar they always pay attention to you. Picture: Florian Glechner.

Nice Little ringed plover at sunset. Picture: Florian Glechner.