PeterHG's fifth attempt

[pedro maia]

It was a pleasure to follow your SA series and congrats on the second ton with a beautiful picture, but that’s not a surprise coming from you.

[Dave Williams]

Yes, excellent images from SA but leaves me a little sad in that it's probably going to be a long time before travel to foreign lands becomes "normal" again.Restrictions might be eased internally but foreign visitors might find it difficult in the future with quarantine periods being the order of the day until a vaccine is developed that is 100% effective. Once that happens we'll all have to get micro chipped!!!

[Zim Girl]

Well done getting to 200 and what a lovely collection of SA birds.

[PeterHG]

Thank you for travelling with me @Soukous, @Kitsafari, @xelas, @Galana, @michael-ibk, @pedro maia, @Dave Williams, @Zim Girl and others!

After our return, of course, the world changed rapidly. I have been able to visit my local patch every now and then (yes, the same @xelas) and bring the camera. We were still allowed to do that and from the safety of the car I did mange to get some additions for the BY and, even more important, breathe in some spring feeling. The first one, however is from the last walk I took in our local park, just before the stricter measures were in place. I did not bring the camera, but I'll post the iphone shot anyway as the chances of seeing this one again are slim. Perhaps not an award-winning EBC as it is still recognizable, but a brave attempt.

 

207. Green Woodpecker, Amersfoort, March

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

208. Goosander. Arkemheen, March. There were still a few present after our return, but they are all long gone now. Distant, but I was glad I got to see them at least.

Male

 

And female

[PeterHG]

209. Smew. Arkemheen, March. One last female still there.

 

[PeterHG]

210. Eurasian Oystercatcher. Arkemheen, March

 

[PeterHG]

211. Little Ringed Plover. Arkemheen, March

 

[PeterHG]

212. Northern Lapwing. Arkemheen, March

 

[Dave Williams]

Nice one getting the Green Woodie Peter. I have been hearing one but trying to see it in woodland is impossible unless it flies.

 

[xelas]

And I though you are not even able to take an EBC photo, @PeterHG . You have to use some extra measures though, like using an iphone  .

 

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful photos from Arkemheen!

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Dave Williams, @xelas, @Peter Connan.

 

213. Eurasian Teal. Arkemheen, April. Present in fair numbers, also in winter.

 

[PeterHG]

214. Willow Tit. Zeewolde, April. Fortunately the sound was decisive right away.

 

[PeterHG]

215. Chiffchaff. Zeewolde, March. Always the first of the small warblers to return and its characteristic sound is a sure sign of approaching spring.

 

[PeterHG]

216. Willow Warbler. Zeewolde, April. Followed a few weeks later by this one.

 

[Soukous]

On 4/29/2020 at 12:07 PM, Dave Williams said:

Nice one getting the Green Woodie Peter. I have been hearing one but trying to see it in woodland is impossible unless it flies.

 

 

Agreed. There in one that taunts me every morning from the heart of a tree across the road. I couldn't get a shot of it when the tree was bare, not that it is in leaf I don't stand a chance.

[Galana]

Nice sample. Good to see both Chiff-chaff and Willow Warbler posted together to enable comparisons.

[PeterHG]

Thanks guys.

217. Great Black-backed Gull. Arkemheen, April. Uncommon inland. We mostly see the Lesser Black-backed Gull here. At the coast they are a little more common. Distant, but I was glad to get one.

 

[PeterHG]

218. Mute Swan. Arkemheen, April. That one would be hard to miss any BY.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by PeterHG

[PeterHG]

219. Reed Bunting. Arkemheen, April..

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

220. Wren. Arkemheen, April. We used to get it in our garden in winter, but not for the past years. Still very common in the parks and forests, with an incredibly loud song for their tiny size.

 

[PeterHG]

221. Blackcap. Zeewolde, April. I had hoped for a better opportunity, but with the leaves all completely green now, I doubt that it's going to happen.

 

[PeterHG]

222. Greylag Goose. Arkemheen, April. Let's get this one over with.

 

[PeterHG]

223. Mallard. Arkemheen, April.