Darius Stiels
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dstiels.bsky.social
Darius Stiels
@dstiels.bsky.social
240 followers 340 following 170 posts
Ornithology | Biogeography | Conservation | Ecology
PhD student (@leibnizlib); Freelancer Biologist; NWO office (@nworni); OAG Bonn;
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dstiels.bsky.social
Hummigbird hawk-moths to brighten up grey #autumn days 🦋
Taubenschwänzchen.

📅 2025-10-19 + 21, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪

#Moth #Lepidoptera #Sphingidae #Nature #garden #naturephotography #photography #autumncolours #fall #insects
#Schwärmer #Schmetterling #Naturfotografie #Foto #Garten #Insekten #Garten
Macroglossum stellatarum (a sphingid moth) hovering behind and above the violet flowers of a plant (Verbena). It uses its probiscis to feed. The background is greenish. Macroglossum stellatarum (a sphingid moth) hovering to the right of violet flowers of a plant (Verbena). It uses its probiscis to feed. The background is greenish. You can clearly see the eye of the moth and its antennae as well as the reddish underwings though they are blurred due to the high wingbeat frequency.
October 26, 2025 at 5:01 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Common Cranes on the #horizon
#Kraniche am #Horizont

2025-10-18 #Siebengebirge

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #birding #birds #birdphotography #BlueSky #nature #birdphotography #photography #birdmigration
A distant flock of Common Cranes (Grus grus) against the sky. Some twigs in the foreground.
October 19, 2025 at 12:40 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
2/6
Wir zeigen langfristige Veränderungen in der #Vogelwelt im NSG Ahrmündung südlich von #Bonn auf. Das Gebiet wurde 2021 von der katastrophalen #Ahrflut getroffen.
Karte des Untersuchungsgebietes. Kleine Karte zeigt Lage in Mitteleuropa
October 16, 2025 at 10:17 AM
dstiels.bsky.social
2/6
We report long-term changes in avian #biodiversity in a conservation area, the mouth of the river Ahr (Rhineland-Palatinate near #Bonn, Germany). The area was hit by a catastrophic flood event in 2021. Breeding bird surveys were conducted in 1984, 2020 and 2022.
Map of the study site. Insert shows location in Germany
October 16, 2025 at 8:24 AM
dstiels.bsky.social
This female 1 cy Eurasian Goshawk is an almost daily visitor over the #garden.

Habicht über dem #Garten.

2025-10-14 #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪

#birding #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #photography #BirdsSeenIn2025 #BlueSky #patchbirding #raptor #Vögel #Vogelfoto
Astur gentilis flying overhead against the blue sky. There is a gap in its left wing. A 1 cy bird.
October 14, 2025 at 5:52 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
It's #WorldMigratoryBirdDay!
2 Common Snipes, a Dunlin, a Curlew Sandpiper and a lot of suitable resting habitat along the shore of a lake ( #mud ).

#birding #birdvideo #wetlands #birdmigration #WorldMigratoryBirdDay2025 #BirdsSeenIn2025 (🇩🇪)
October 11, 2025 at 1:09 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
🍁🐦🍂 Some #autumn #colours ...

European Goldfinches on Wild teasel. | Stieglitze auf Wilder Karde.

2025-09-27 Rhineland, 🇩🇪

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds #birding #photography #birdphotography #fallow #flowerstrips #wildlifephotography #nature #Goldfinch #Stieglitz #Vögel #Vogelfoto #Herbst #Naturfoto
4 European Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) on Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), one of the birds in flight. A bird in the upper left corner of the picture is in focus. The background is bluegrey and light green.
October 1, 2025 at 2:12 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
A look is worth a thousand words.

Common wood pigeon | Ringeltaube

2025-09-19 #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪

#birds #birding #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #BirdsSeenIn2025 #photography #gardenbirding
A Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) on a lawn. A front view. The bird is turning its head to the left.
September 19, 2025 at 7:17 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
#Leptember brings Hummingbird hawk-moths! They seem to be particularly keen of Calamintha (Clinopodium) flowers in the garden.

Taubenschwänzchen an Bergminze.

2025-09-10, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪

#Moths #TeamMoth #Lepidoptera #Insects #Photography #NaturePhotography #Insectphotography
A Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) hovering in front of white flowers (genus Calamintha or Clinopodium). One can see the long proboscis and the orange wing markings as well the black tail tip. The background is grey.
September 11, 2025 at 1:48 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) have become a daily sight in our #garden.

2025-09-10 #Siebengebirge, NRW, 🇩🇪

#InvasiveSpecies #Neobiota #NonNativeSpecies #Insects #AsianHornet #Hymenoptera #NaturePhotography #Photography
Front view of Vespa velutina sitting on a stone. Blurred gras o the background. The left wing (seen from the observer) ist largely hidden.
September 10, 2025 at 5:29 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Extraordinary migration over the #garden yesterday: 1 Osprey, 5 Honey Buzzards, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Black Storks. All very high, though.

2025-09-04 #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪

#birding #patchbirding #gardenbirding #birdphotography #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds
#Vögel #Vogelzug #Vogelfoto #Fischadler
Flying Osprey Pandion haliaetus from below against a blue sky
September 5, 2025 at 2:22 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Bird migration continues, so here is a Whinchat showing the subtile beauty of its tan, brown, black and white plumage.

2025-09-04, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #birding #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #birding #photography #birds
#Vögel #Vogelbeobachtung #Braunkehlchen #Vogelfoto
A Whinchat Saxicola rubetra perching on a brown blade of grass as well as a green plant. The blurred background ist greenish.
September 4, 2025 at 10:05 AM
dstiels.bsky.social
🦅👀
Autumn Migration of European Honey Buzzards seems to reach its peak. YDA, >15 + this evening a flock of 13 🔄 high above the terrace (📷 cutout).

📍 #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪

#BirdsSeenIn2015 #birding #patchbirding #gardenbirding #nature #birdphotography #terracebirding #raptors #BlueSky #birdmigration
Seven European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) high above in the blue sky seen from below. At least two of the birds are illuminated by the evening sun.
August 30, 2025 at 6:49 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Autumn #garden #birding kicks off this week with my first ever #NOCMIG Ortolan bunting (sonogram shows one of several calls). 🥳
Today, afternoon birding from the terrace revealed a migrating 1cy Marsh Harrier high above the narrow valley.

#Siebengebirge 🇩🇪
#BirdsSeenIn2025 #Vögel #Vogelbeobachtung
1cy Marsh Harrier from below against a blue sky Sonogram of an Ortolan call.
August 20, 2025 at 5:24 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Common darter | Sympetrum striolatum | Große Heidelibelle

In front of the office window.

2025-08-13, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪

#Odonata #dragonfly #nature #garden #naturephotography #photography
#Insekten #Natur #garten #Libelle #Naturfoto
An imago of Sympetrum strolatum in side view sitting on a twig, a greyish leaf just visible. The background is bright greenish. The dragonfly holds its wings halfway above the horizontal
August 15, 2025 at 2:04 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Some Robin content to colour up your timeline 🪶
This #bird hid unsuccessfully behind some flowers of common bird's-foot trefoil in the #garden.

#Rotkehlchen im #Garten
#Siebengebirge, 2025-08-10

#birds #nature #birdphotography #birding #naturephotography #photography #Vögel #Vogelbeobachtung
Robin Erithacus rubecula sitting on a zinc tub. The bird is partially concealed by yellow flowers (Lotus corniculatus). A few grasses and a greenish background.
August 12, 2025 at 4:57 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
A female Mallard on an urban park pond for #MallardMonday among water lilies (Nupha lutea). Stands of bulrush/cattail (Typha sp) mirror in the water.

#Stockente
2025-06-19, #Siebengebirge, #BadHonnef

#birdphotography #birds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #photography #nature #biodiversity #naturephotography
A female mallard swimming from the left to the right, leaves of yellow water lily in the front, bulrushes (AE cattails) mirroring in the water.
August 11, 2025 at 8:38 AM
dstiels.bsky.social
Wish you a weekend full of Hairstreaks 🦋🤩

Purple Hairstreak hiding in a bush in the #garden after heavy rainfall.
Blauer Eichenzipfelfalter versteckt im Gebüsch im #Garten nach starkem Regen.

2025-08-01, #Siebengebirge

#Lepidoptera #butterfly #Nature #Naturephotography #Naturfoto #Photography
Favonius quercus hidden between leaves showing its underside.
August 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Your daily dosis of #cuteness is presented by this juvenile Chiffchaff. Tail feathers are still not fully grown adding to its round jizz.🪶🐥

2025-05-06 #Siebengebirge, DE

#birds #birb #birding #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography #BirdsSeenIn2025

#Zilpzalp #Vögel #Vogelbeobachtung
Juvenile Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) in profile view sitting on the edge of an old vine jar filed with water. The Background is brownish and greenish.
July 25, 2025 at 1:48 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Kleiner Sonnenröschen-Bläuling | Braun Argus | Aricia agestis
🦋🦋🦋

Today #Butterfly species no. 32 visited our #garden 🥳
Tagfalterart nr. 32 im Garten 🥳

📍 #Siebengebirge, DE

#Nature #Natur #Lepidoptera #Garten #Schmetterling #Biodiversity #Artenvielfalt #Tagfalter #Naturephotography
A butterfly on a yellow flower (Bidens) showing its underside. Blue flowers (Lobelia) in the background. Otherwise background is greenish.
July 20, 2025 at 4:11 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Large White | Pieris brassicae | Großer Kohlweißling

A rather common 🦋 but always a great sight with its contrasting wing pattern and distinct flight behaviour.

📍 #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪

#Nature #Naturephotography #butterflies #Lepidoptera #Photography #Garden #Natur #Insectphotography #Insekten #Garten
Large White on Buddleja. The butterfly shows its underwings. One can see the antennae, the proboscis and other details. The background is greenish.
July 16, 2025 at 8:52 AM
dstiels.bsky.social
And in case you like more crickets and grasshoppers, this is a female nymph of Speckled Bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima | Punktierte Zartschrecke) in the #garden.

2025-06-20 #Siebengebirge

#Nature #Naturephotography
2/2
Female nymph Leptophyes punctatissima sitting on a black tarp. There is some green in the background.
June 30, 2025 at 5:42 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Meet Barbistes serricauda (DE: Laubholz-Säbelschrecke).
This #cricket typically stays high in the canopy so a male sitting over our front door was a cool sighting, imho. 🦗

2025-06-29, #Siebengebirge (GER)

#Nature #Insects #Naturephotography #grasshopper #Ensifera #garden
1/2
A cricket, Barbistes serricauda, sitting on a white house wall.
June 30, 2025 at 5:42 PM
dstiels.bsky.social
Brenthis daphne (Marbled Fritillary | Brombeer-Perlmuttfalter) has substantially extended its range in Central Europe most likely due to #climate change. It prefers warm forest edges.

2025-06-21 #Siebengebirge ( #garden)

#Lepidoptera #butterfly #photography #naturephotography #Schmetterling
A butterfly on a strawberry leaf showing its underside and licking on the surface of the leaf using its trunk. The background ist blackish.
June 24, 2025 at 11:34 AM
dstiels.bsky.social
🇬🇧: For #MothMonday: An impressive Swallow-tailed #moth ( #Nachtschwalbenschwanz | Ourapteryx sambucaria) visited our terrace 🦋 A long-desired addition to our #garden list.🥳

📍 #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪

#Lepidoptera #Nature #Naturephotography #Nachtfalter #Geometridae #insect
A moth on a white house wall.
June 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM