PeterHG's fifth attempt

[elefromoz]

Twice enjoying your flight shots..

[PeterHG]

On a glorious November day (worrying, but enjoyable...) I made a little trip to the coast. The town of IJmuiden has two piers and the southern on extends some 3 kilometres into the sea and can sometimes deliver nice sightings. Remember we tried to visit it last year @xelasand found it was closed due to construction  works? Well it has been closed again this autumn for the same reason, so I tried the northern pier, which is shorter, but also has basalt and concrete blocks that attract coastal waders. The first half hour it seemed not much was happening, although I did get some distant additions for the year.

 

322. Red-throated Loon. IJmuiden, November. Well, probably not entirely an EBC, but pretty close..

 

[PeterHG]

323. Razorbill.  IJmuiden, November. In spite of the distance I was quite happy with this sighting. The first time I've ever seen them on our coast.

 

 

[PeterHG]

324. Rock Pipit. IJmuiden,November. The piers are a pretty safe place to go looking for this pipit.

 

[PeterHG]

Things got better as I walked further along the pier. I had been hoping for this one

 

325. Purple Sandpiper. IJmuiden, November

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

This was without any doubt the best find of the day. A bird I had only seen on 2 previous occasions, long before the digital camera age. If I had only come back with this sighting and photo, the day would have been a succes already.

 

326. Snow Bunting. IJmuiden, November. What's in a name? This was the hottest November day ever.....

 

[PeterHG]

Two others (already in the count)  that I did expect to see, but they gave me some good photo opportunities

 

Ruddy Turnstone. Always present and sometimes quite confiding.

 

 

 

Sanderling. As with the Turnstones and Purple Sandpiper, it was foraging on the large concrete and basalt blocks along the pier. This gave me the opportunity to take some low-angle shots without having to lie down, risking my back. The days I can safely do that are behind me

 

 

 

[Galana]

Thanks for sharing what has been a worthwhile outing. I know Ijmuiden well from my visits on the DFDS Ferry from Newcastle which sadly does not operate now. Europoort just does not yield the same birds.

 

[Zim Girl]

Lovely new birds Peter, and gorgeous Snow Bunting!

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful photos Peter!

[TonyQ]

Beautiful photos. Well done with the Snow Bunting 

[Kitsafari]

beautiful shots of the pretty birds - especially the snow bunting and sanderling!

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Galana, @Zim Girl, @Peter Connan, @TonyQ, @Kitsafari!

 

A quick trip this afternoon in-between showers to my local patch, the Arkemheen polder. As I had hoped some Bewick's Swans had returned to the area and indeed they had. They can be seen in winter in various areas along the IJsselmeer, although number5s are declining.

 

327. Bewick's Swan. Arkemheen, November.

 

 

[Galana]

Lovey shots of the Bewicks. Sunlight too.

[PeterHG]

Thanks @GalanaJust ten minutes of sunshine late afternoon was all I needed.

 

Another little walk in the same area this morning provided another two ticks. The first one I had seen many times already but not really thought of taking a photo yet. As additions are becoming scarce I'd better add it to the list.

 

328 Common Moorhen. Arkemheen, November.

 

[PeterHG]

This one was really unexpected. I saw an immature gull flying past me and somehow the shape of the head looked different from a Herring Gull. I took a few shots and when I looked at them at home my suspicions were confirmed.

329. Caspian Gull. Arkemheen, November. Still pretty rare, but more are seen each year.

 

[Galana]

Nice Caspian. Good ID.

[elefromoz]

What beautiful Swans

[michael-ibk]

Some spectacular photos Peter, especially love the Bunting! Have never seen one.

[PeterHG]

Thanks, @Galana, @elefromoz, @michael-ibk!

 

The sun was out today, so I went back to my usual haunt, to see if I could find some winter ducks. I did spot a female goosander, but too distant for a photo. The Goldeneyes were a little closer, so:

 

330. Common Goldeneye. Arkemheen, November

 

 

This one had me baffled. Clearly a hybrid with Goldeneye genes. It turned out this bird had already been reported and had apparently been identified as Goldeneye X Smew. I didn't count it

 

And some duplicates... Greater White-fronted,

 

And a nice Starling shake..

 

 

 

[Galana]

Lovely Whitefront.

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful shots, as always!

[Zim Girl]

Great Starling picture.

[PeterHG]

My wife and I drove down to the province of Zeeland to try and find some wintering water birds that are not easily found elsewhere. The place to look for them is the Brouwersdam, connecting the former islands of Goeree-Overflakkee and Schouwen-Duiveland. The is a service road running parallel to the main road that gives easy access to the seaside with its many boulders and artificial beaches. In summer this can be quite busy with tourists, who come her for the windsurfing opportunities, but in winter it is mostly very quiet. You can slowly drive along the shoulder of the road, scanning the sea for bobbing ducks and grebes. This can sometimes bring good species, although you do need a scope for most of them. Our best find of the day happened soon: a female Long-tailed Duck. It has been quite a few years since I last saw one (at the same location). It is a pretty rare winter visitor and this is one of the places where one or two are spotted each year. A little later we even found two more and as lot closer to the dam. I added the 2x converter to my 300mm and that got me some satisfying shots.

 

331. Long-tailed Duck. Zeeland, November. 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Another duck that we usually see here in fair numbers.

 

332. Red-breasted Merganser. Zeeland, November.