Category Archives: Austria

GermanLitMonth: Die Inkommensurablen

Posted on November 23, 2023 by admin

And my fourth #GermanLitMonth book, my second for Austria, makes a nice pair with Schachinger’s Echtzeitalter: Die Inkommensurablen, by Raphaela Edelbauer. It again takes place in Vienna, and is viewed through the eyes of an outsider teenager, but this time … Continue reading →

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GermanLitMonth: Echtzeitalter

Posted on November 10, 2023 by admin

I’ve finished my first book for #GermanLitMonth: Echtzeitalter, by Tonio Schachinger. Deutscher Buchpreis-winner this year, it’s a Bildungsroman following a teen gamer at a Viennese school very similar to the one Schachinger went to, where he encounters first a Snape-like … Continue reading →

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Yellowhammer

Posted on December 25, 2020 by admin

Y is for Yellowhammer. Wikipedia provides us with another gem: “The pine bunting and yellowhammer are so closely related that each responds to the other’s song. The male yellowhammer’s song is more attractive to females, and is one reason for … Continue reading →

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Corvid Collection

Posted on March 9, 2017 by admin

We tend to focus on the big, scary, and generally impressive raptors, but this part of the world also has some splendid corvid species to enjoy. Perhaps the most common here are the rooks. Their bare beaks remind me a … Continue reading →

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Beauty and the Beast

Posted on September 2, 2016 by admin

One river, two countries, and some contrasting wildlife this week. In Slovakia, this little fellow lives by the Danube: Upstream, in Austria’s Donau-Auen national park, we met: In Slovak, wild boar is “diviak”, which seems to mean literally “wild thing”. … Continue reading →

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Eyes

Posted on August 29, 2016 by admin

Eyes which have caught mine recently; starting with some Austrian insects: Storks’ naturally high position is extremely suitable for glaring: Oxford geese showed an interesting variety of colours: While one wouldn’t want to upset the Headington kite:

Posted in Austria, Nature, Oxford, Slovakia | 3 Comments

Black kite and …

Posted on June 14, 2016 by admin

I finished work early today, so I took the opportunity to spend some time on the Morava river. As did this black kite, who also found his dinner there: From the same spot last week, I saw a couple of … Continue reading →

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Osprey and chicks

Posted on May 17, 2016 by admin

I took a break from watching the osprey chicks emerging on the webcams from Scotland, to spend some time at our own birding hotspot: the Morava river. Imagine my surprise when I saw this fellow flapping upstream towards me: It’s … Continue reading →

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Spring Sightings

Posted on April 24, 2016 by admin

Summer is gradually winning out over winter here, though today the storks looked like they wished they were back in Kenya. They’re still incubating, plus whitewashing the sides of their nest: That sparrow needs to be careful. Their near neighbours … Continue reading →

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Austrian Birds

Posted on April 3, 2016 by admin

Our Easter trip to Graz turned up a few birds that were new to us. Blackcap: Despite the odd appearance, I suspect that this happy little chap is a mallard underneath: The river provided goosanders: And, very excitingly, a dipper, … Continue reading →

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