Germany and Austria - plenty of corvids!

Back in June we had a few days away to Munich and Vienna, plus a day in the Alps. We did Munich and Vienna zoos but as usual spent as much time watching the native wildlife as the zoo inhabitants!

In Munich we met a lovely coot family

IMG_1915 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

and a gorgeous baby crow and its parent

IMG_2076 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

We spent some time waiting until there were no people passing to share our lunch with the crow parent. He/she would take the pieces of bread, carefully soak them in the enclosure moat

IMG_2084 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

then feed them to baby

IMG_2094 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

There were many crows in the zoo and they seemed to coexist peacefully with the residents, except for during the falconry display when a golden eagle was flown!

IMG_2204 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

Vienna Zoo had lots of sparrows (we shared lunch with them too)

IMG_1395 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

The first hooded crows we'd ever seen (Many of them have leg rings, and they're partial to a bit of wafer from a banana split)

IMG_1498 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

The zoo has an amazing treetop walk through the woods at the edge of the zoo. At the start of the walk we came across a pair of colourful young squirrels

IMG_1688 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

IMG_1694 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

The absolute highlight of the trip abroad was going up the Rauschberg in the Alps in search of choughs. It was CHOUGHING cold and misty up there, but the lure of the food we'd brought with us proved irresistible for the choughs and they came over to partake. They're well used to visitors and very tame to the point of flying up to take pieces from your hand.

IMG_1226 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

IMG_1300 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

IMG_1328 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

IMG_1312 by MaisieHexagon, on Flickr

--------------------

Maisie