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windfalcon In reply to Wolfheart1214 [2016-06-11 17:04:01 +0000 UTC]

Yes! I am going to be there for a couple weeks in August I'm excited.

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Wolfheart1214 In reply to windfalcon [2016-06-11 17:58:51 +0000 UTC]

So will you look out for birds to watch?

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windfalcon In reply to Wolfheart1214 [2016-06-11 18:51:46 +0000 UTC]

Of course! It's something I do automatically

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Wolfheart1214 In reply to windfalcon [2016-06-11 19:54:15 +0000 UTC]

That is great! I always do it, when I´m outside, too. If you like singing birds, our parks are full of them. I especially like blackbirds, they may not have outstanding looks, but a very beautiful song. If you are patient enough (well, you should be, if you are watching birds  ) you may also watch bluetits, black redtails and robins. 
If you are more into birds of prey like I am, than it is very easy to watch some common buzzards soaring over the fields, and if you are lucky, you may see a red kite too - a very impressive bird, for sure. Personally, I would especially recommend to look for jackdaws and common kestrels. When you find the right location (mostly old walls, towers, castles etc.) they are easy to observe and sometimes very amusing. Perhaps, you´ll even find some feathers. Most birds in Germany moult around June-Juli, but if you are lucky and look closely, you´ll find some in August too.
Well, of course that are just some recommendations, but possibly you´ll find them helpful. 
I wish you a very great stay and exciting holidays here in Germany!  

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windfalcon In reply to Wolfheart1214 [2016-06-15 14:53:30 +0000 UTC]

I saw a kite of some sort when I visited my friend near Augsburg about 10 years ago. I can't remember at the time, but it was either a red or a black kite (I can't remember if it had a heavily forked tail). I did hear it calling overhead, which was definitely a kite cry

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Wolfheart1214 In reply to windfalcon [2016-06-15 17:47:29 +0000 UTC]

Yes, they have a very high-pitched voice, even higher than a buzzard. It is an very remarkable experience to watch a kite. Some years ago, I was laying on a trampoline, when suddendly a kite flew over the meadow, only about ten meters above my head. I was so excited, I will never forget this moment. Now I go birdwatching nearly every day. At the moment, I watch the young kestrels peeking out their aery. They are really cute, when they try to finally go outside, but then retreat again.  I am looking forward to their first flying lesson.   And when the older birds start to moult, I will look for new pretty kestrel feathers to extend my collection. Do you also collect bird feathers? And wich birds do you observe in America? Would be interesting to know.

By the way, it is really nice to finally meet someone who is as interested in ornithology as me - or even more, I would say.   I am sometimes kind of lonely with my hobby.

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windfalcon In reply to Wolfheart1214 [2016-06-22 23:07:48 +0000 UTC]

Unfortunately due to U.S. feather laws, most wild bird feathers are illegal to own!  Even if I find them on the ground, naturally molted, I'm not allowed to pick them up.  However, we have plenty of birds to observe - there are many raptors and vultures that are commonly seen, such as red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures and black vultures.  Occasionally I will see Cooper's Hawks and Sharp Shinned Hawks (similar to your Eurasian Sparrowhawk), and bald eagles near the river.  I've seen peregrine falcons a handful of times, and American Kestrels.

And of course, lots and lots of different songbirds.

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Wolfheart1214 In reply to windfalcon [2016-06-23 12:40:36 +0000 UTC]

Yes, those laws are pretty annoying. I think, we have them too, but nearly noone knows about them - only foresters, hunters and passionate birdwatchers. So it is very unlikely, that one will get sued by carrying around a single moulted feahter. You only have to be careful with certian species, like buzzards and owls. I got my owl feathers from a wild bird station, so that´s fine. The feathers are kind of my "wage" for helping out at the wild bird station. I am looking forward to visit the station again this summer, it´s great to help and work with the birds. You are doing it too, right? 
Sounds like there is living an enormous number of bird species in the U.S. - and a lot of other animals for sure. Maybe one day I am able to observe them and go on a great trip like you. Speaking of that, I am not quite sure if there are some in the region you will visit, but if - I would recommend you to take a walk in on of our deciduous forests. They may be not as impressive as giant mountains and huge waterfalls (the greatest waterfall of Germany is in the black forest, by the way, so it´s worth visiting) but greenwood is to my mind, to most beautiful landscape in Germany. It is very light, so you are able to watch a lot of animals, for example squirrels, woodpeckers, crows woodmice, deer... Also, the light green leaves, whispering in a soft breeze above your head are very relaxing. 
Sorry for writing that much, but sometimes, I can´t hold it back. I simply love wildlife, the forest and all the tiny wonders in our environment.

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