European stonechat perching on a shrub

The European Stonecaht is one of the more seldom birds in middle Europe, but there is a pretty big population in eastern Europe so it is not threatened. During spring time and bird migration it can be found in Austria and this is the time when I took some pictures of it in the grassland of eastern Austria. The bird was perching on a branch and I could get pretty close before it flew away. I really like taking pictures at the grassland near the Lake Neusiedler in Austria because there are a lot of different species there and you can really find some rarities. But sadly the water is getting fewer and fewer there recently.

Stonechat perching on top of a shrub. Picture: Florian Glechner.

I really like the spring time when the birds show off their beauty to impress the other gender, because during this time it is way easier to get some really nice pictures of birds and it is also possible to get a lot closer to them without providing a feeder or a place for the to drink. And several species don't visit a feeder either. Now during summer it is quite a bit more difficult to get close to birds. But still a long lens in combination with a Crop Camera like mine helps a lot to get a little closer to the birds before they feel the urge to flee.

European Stonechat. Picture: Florian Glechner.

Jumping off and flying away because probably I got too close. Picture: Florian Glechner.