Birds - one of the most awaited harbringers of spring. Bird watchers are all with their heads in the clouds. They are on the look for geese, storks, cranes or swallows to name just some of the more representative winged spring guests. As winters in Poland tend to become lighter and warmer every year, the showy cranes and emblematic storks often decide to stay in the country. I have my personal harbringer of spring which shows up in my garden every spring. The black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius). This red-hooded black bird the size of a rook is the biggest of woodpeckers living in Poland. As most of the woodpeckers it feeds on insects and their larvae by penetrating the bark and making holes in the trunks of both dead and living trees. Sometimes it makes a lot of noise by hammering into trees with its hard beak which is also part of the process of marking its territory. The bird can cling to and walk up the trunk thanks to its large clawed toes and stiff tail feathers which act like a prop. The male has a large red cap on its head ranging from the front to the back of the head while the female can be recognized by a much smaller red spot on the back. ATTENTION: All the photos published below and on this website are private property. If you intend to use them for any other than private purpose, please contact me using contact form (section Contact), or purchase the photos in full resolution without logos on my profile on Shutterstock. Male black woodpecker feeding on a dead birch tree Female woodpecker feeding on a blooming maple tree
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Spring in Poland is the best time of the year to make observations of owls. It is breeding season for owls - they become significantly more active at night and it is easy to hear their screams in parks and forests or, if you are lucky, even see them. I was lucky enough to identify the presence of two owls on trees this year and even make some photos of them. These were my first free-living owls I have seen in my life. Juvenile tawny owl or brown owl (Strix aluco). April 23, 2018. Otrębusy, Poland Female tawny owl or brown owl (Strix aluco). April 22, 2018. Otrębusy, Poland RECOMMENDED A film about owls of Poland illustrated with photos by the Polish nature photographer Artur Tabor Beginning of April. Spring in full bloom. The sailing season has just begun and more and more boats dare to face the capricious sea. The sun is just about to rise over the Baltic Sea. The symbol of the Polish freedom. Today is going to be a sunshiny day for sailors! Coming soon!
The biggest advantage of being a globtrotter is that upon return to your motherland you start to perceive things in totally different categories! When I saw kangaroos in Australia for the first time, they immediately reminded me of the Polish deer. From that time on when I meet deer on my way in Poland I experience this strange kind of exoticism. Globtrotting has totally changed they way I perceive my own country! Deer grazes on the fields close to a raw of old oaks! Spring came back to Poland for good!
The Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) The biggest of European woodpeckers. The size of the crow. It can be spotted mostly in mature forests. It does not migrate. It can be distinguished not only by loud drumming in thick and dry branches, but also by loud, metallic and vibrating sounds.
The ice on the Bug River melted and water started to flow down freely again. It immediately came along with the revival of animal life on the riverbank. Large groups of swans could be spotted along the riverbank, but today these beautiful birds could not compete with a totally unexpected and absolutely indisputable river beauty of the day. The Euroasian Otter (Lutra lutra). A very rare guest on the Polish rivers. Even rarer to be spotted hunting so freely by day so close to human habitats. Though the flowing waters of the river also attracted the anglers, it seems there must have not been much fish that day if the otter was satisfied with catching a frog. By the way, have a closer look at these claws! A monster! Curiosity seems to be the otter's second name. The third name would certainly be fun 'n' leisure. If you liked this post, let me invite you to like my official fb profile: https://www.facebook.com/polandforbeginners/
I think someone is watching me ... Visionary builder among animals. For humans its visionary constructions are rather incomprehensible and often synonymous with a real apocalypse. Especially if you are a true defender of trees. In the Middle Ages beavers were one of the commonest animals in Poland only to become almost extinct in the 19th century due to excessive hunting. Indeed, hunters appreciated beaver hunting for many reasons: meat, fat, tail, fur and skin, once believed to be precious enough to substitute money. It comes as no surprise then that in the 11th century one of the Polish kings Bolesław Chrobry introduced first laws to protect these animals and even appointed a special official to watch the observence of these laws. It turned out to be of no help as the number of beavers was shrinking dramatically until they became completely extinct in the 19th century. The population was recovered in the beginning of the 20th century and today there are almost 70 thousand beavers in Poland. Times have changed and also the attitude to beavers has changed. Today beavers are often perceived as pests. It is partly related to the fact that except for humans they have no natural enemies, so their number constantly grows, they are very expansive and their activity is almost unlimited. They are often responsible for the floodings of fields and meadows, they bite and cut down trees, destroy dykes, embankments and even undermine the communication paths. To put it short, they have many enemies - all of them have a human face. Still there are places where beavers reside afar from human habitats and their activity is believed to be not only harmless, but even salutory to the natural environment. They can cut almost any tree up to 1 meter in diameter to built lodges, which they constantly keep on rebuilding, enriching and tiding in the same manner as they care for their own hygene. This extremely vigilant animal can scare you to death, especially if you approach its habitat at night – then it may decide to dive into the water hitting the surface with its powerful tail. This is a warning sign against an intruder for the other members of the flock! One of many signals of a very complex communication system. A beaver is definately a family type. Monogamous. Caring for the family. If you happen to observe beavers build lodges during the day, you may believe yourself to be very lucky! By nature, beavers are in fact nocturnal animals. They are extremely skittish and can stay under water for a very long time. Dive masters! The funny thing is that this rare occasion to observe beavers by day coincided with the supermoon, which is also refered to as the Beaver Moon in Anglosaxon and Asiatic countries.
If you liked this post, let me invite you to like my official fb profile: https://www.facebook.com/polandforbeginners/ A rare and unique view of cattle driven down town in Kurpie Region, Poland If you liked this post, let me invite you to like my official fb profile: https://www.facebook.com/polandforbeginners/
That's no paradise! We're in Poland! Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) This common, but rare bird is characteristic for clean rivers, streams and lakes! If you liked this post, let me invite you to like my official fb profile: https://www.facebook.com/polandforbeginners/
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POLAND FOR BEGINNERS
Hi! My name is Victoria. Welcome to my personal travel photoblog about Poland created especially for you, my foreign friends, who are curious about Poland!
ABOUT MEEnglish philologist and film editor by education. Translator by occupation. A lover of my motherland Poland and globetrotter with journalist ambitions. Passionate about photography. I love traveling, active way of spending time and contact with nature. Experience and explore - that is what drives me! I am on the look for happy islands. Archives
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VICTORIA TUCHOLKA |
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