Darius Stiels

@dstiels

Ornithology | Biogeography | Conservation | Ecology PhD student (@leibnizlib); Freelancer Biologist; NWO office (@nworni); OAG Bonn; views are personal

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Bluesky

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Darius Stiels@dstiels· 11d

Ruddy darter in a city park Blutrote Heidelibelle | Sympetrum sanguineum 2026-07-25, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪 #Odonata #dragonfly #dragonflies #nature #naturephotography #photography #summer #light #insects #flyday #wilidlifephotography #UrbanNature #ECK #Libelle #Tierfoto #Naturfoto #Stadtnatur #Natur

Side view of a freshly emerged ruddy darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) on a plant. The background is greenish

Darius Stiels@dstiels· 12d

#Gatekeeper in early morning light. Rotbraunes Ochsenauge (Pyronia tithonus) 2026-07-12, #Rheinland, 🇩🇪 #Lepidoptera #butterfly #butterflies #nature #naturephotography #photography #orange #summer #light #insects #flyday #Pyronia #Naturfoto #Tierfoto #weekendfeeling #colours #wilidlifephotography

Pyronia tithonus on a plant in early morning light against a greenish background. The forewings seem translucent orange due to the light conditions.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jul 10

Common yellow swallowtail 🦋 2026-07-09 #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪 2nd #observation in the #garden 🤩 #Schwalbenschwanz #Lepidoptera #butterfly #butterflies #nature #naturephotography #photography #violett #summer #yellow #insects #flyday #Papilio #Naturfoto #Tierfoto #patchgold #weekendfeeling #colours

Papilio machaon on an inflorescence of Buddleja sp. Another inflorescence to the left and hardly visible a bumble-bee below the butterfly. Some leaves can be seen in the right lower corner. The background is blackish. Theswallowtail shows its yellow upperside which is illuminated by the late afternoon sun.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jul 4

Silver-washed fritillary | Argynnis paphia | Kaisermantel 🦋🧡 2026-07-02 #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪 #Lepidoptera #butterfly #butterflies #nature #garden #naturephotography #photography #orange #summer #colours #Buddleja #violett #insects #insectphotography #wildlife

Silver-washed fritillary Argynnis paphia on Buddleja inflorescence

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jul 3

#Orange 🦋 for your timeline 🧡 Marbled Fritillary (Brombeer-Perlmuttfalter) has expanded its range dramatically but I still enjoy any sighting. 2026-06-28, #Siebengebirge #Lepidoptera #photography #naturephotography #nature #butterfly #insectphotography #butterflies #garden #biodiversity #flyday

Two Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne | Brombeer-Perlmuttfalter) on bramble flowers. The butterfly on the right shows its upperside, the one on the left has its wing open towards the observer. It is a bit blurred. The background is greenich (leaves) and a mixture of light and shadow.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jun 30

Marbled white: #butterfly species no 33 on the garden list 🥳 Schachbrett: #Tagfalter Nr. 33 auf der Gartenliste 🥳 28.06.2026, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪 #Lepidoptera #photography #naturephotography #nature #buterfly #insectphotography #butterflies #garden #biodiversity

A rather distant shot of Melanargia galathea on a inflorescence of a Buddleja bush. The butterfly shows its distinctive underwing pattern.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jun 29

Want to let you know that Eurasian white admiral (Kleiner Eisvogel) has a spectacular underwing pattern! 🤩 2026-06-26, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪 #Lepidoptera #photography #naturephotography #nature #buterfly #insectphotography #butterflies #garden #biodiversity #buddleja

Limenitis camilla on a Buddleja inflorescence. The butterfly shows its left underwing and parts of the the right upperwing.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jun 17

TFW you and your terrace are a great mineral source for a Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia | Kleiner Schillerfalter). 2026-06-16, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪 #Lepidoptera #Butterfly #Insects #Photography #Naturephotography #Insectphotography #Butterflies #iridescence #blue #colour

Darius Stiels@dstiels· May 29

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #NegativeSpace. The alt is #Solitude. Here is a distant Peregrine Falcon on rocky peak against the clear #bluesky in the #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪 #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #Wanderfalke #birding #photography #patchbirding #peregrinefalcon

A rugged tip of a small mountain. A Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) ist sitting on one of the rocky peaks to the left. There is also a small leafless tree. The sky in the background is blue.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· May 26

Cordulegaster bidentata | Sombre Goldenring | Gestreifte Quelljungfer What a gigantic stunner among the Central European #dragonflies! Found during a BBQ in the #garden of my in-laws 🫣 2026-05-25, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪 #Odonata #Photography #NaturePhotography #OMSystems #WildlifePhotography #Insects

Cordulegaster bidentata hanging from a twig. Some leaves. The background is greenish.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· May 19

#BirdOfTheDay themes are #ScrollBack ✅ and #unloved ✅ so here's a recent shot of a Common wood pigeon. The georgeousness of this abundant species might be a bit underrated. 2026-05-16, #Siebengebirge, 🇩🇪 #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #photography #portrait #birding

A portrait of a Common Wood-Pigeon (Columba palumbus). The bird is looking to the left. The background ist greenish. The picture shows the head and parts of the body,

Darius Stiels@dstiels· May 12

“Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #LinedUp, 3 or more birds in a line. The Alt Theme is #Laridae, any of the named species" Black-headed Gulls on a railing next to the river #Rhine in #Bonn /🇩🇪 fulfill all four requisites. 😉 #birds #birding #birdphotography #naturephotography #urbanbirding #gulls

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) on a metal railing. Grey water in the background.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· May 11

A singing Savi's Warbler in early morning backlight was my weekend's highlight. A very rare bird in my area. 🔊 to listen to one of the strangest songbird sounds in Europe. 2026-05-09, Rhineland-Palatinate, 🇩🇪 #birding #birdwatching #birdvideo #warbler #birds #birdsong #BirdsSeenIn2026

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Feb 8

Today's #BirdOfTheDay is #posted. This European Turtle Dove is one of only a few left in the Rhineland so I appreciate any observation. #birds #birdphotography #nature #conservation #photography

A European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) sitting on a fence post.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Feb 5

When your working day is suddenly interrupted because you have to watch a Red #Squirrel collecting nesting material in front of the window... 📍 #Siebengebirge #nature #wildlife #naturephotography #photography #spring #wildlifephotography #mammals #photoftheday #squirrels

A Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) with gras (nesting material) in its mouth. The mammal is standig upright on the ground looking to the right (from the viewers point). The grassy ground is covered with some leaves.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jan 29

A Common wood pigeon in the #garden makes #eyecontact for #BirdOfTheDay. #gardenbirds #birds #birding #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #nature #gardenbirding #naturephotography #photography

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jan 28

A Blue Tit kindly reminds you of your good resolutions towards a few minutes of #birding every day. 🪶🐦 2026-01-24, #Siebengebirge (🇩🇪) #BirdsSeenIn2026 #gardenbirding #patchbirding #birds #birdphotography #BirdOfTheDay #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #urbanbirding #photography #nature

A Blue Tit on a twig turn its head to the left (from the bird's point of view). A few blurry green spots in the foreground are leaves.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jan 24

Light conditions in the shady #garden were far from perfect. This Great Tit on a branch managed to sneak into your timeline to brighten up your weekend, anyway. 2026-01-24 #Siebengebirge 🇩🇪 #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birds #birding #gardenbirding #patchbirding #birdphotography #naturephotography #photography

Great Tit | Parus major | Kohlmeise on a branch. The background is illuminated by the sun in beige, brown and greenish.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jan 14

A Great White Egret for #BirdOfTheDay #LongBeaks #BirdsInFlight

Great White Egret in flight from left to right. Water surface in the background.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jan 14

Boardwalk on the island of #Ilhabela (Brasil) 🌿 #photography

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Jan 13

🦢 Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus), an exceedingly rare guest here and a highly welcome late afternoon twitch. 🥳 A digiscoped shot in pouring rain for #BirdsSeenIn2026 2026-01-12, #Rhineland, 🇩🇪 #birding #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography

Whooper Swan on a green field (possibly Brassica). A digiscoped record shot. The bird is seen from behind and looks to the left.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Dec 14

Eurasian Collared Dove has colonized the Rhineland (🇩🇪) in the mid of the 20th century. Later very abundant, now rare here again. 👀 Today, 12 together wll hidden in a hedge! 2025-12-14 #birdphotography #birds #birding #naturephotography #BirdsSeenIn2025 #dove #biogeography #Türkentaube #Vogelfoto

A Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) in a tree. A 2nd one in the background.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Oct 26

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.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Oct 19

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.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Oct 16

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

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Oct 14

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.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Oct 11

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 (🇩🇪)

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Oct 1

🍁🐦🍂 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.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Sep 19

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.

Darius Stiels@dstiels· Sep 11

#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