PeterHG's eighth BY

[michael-ibk]

How delightful to find a Little Owl! 

[PeterHG]

Thanks @michael-ibk! It's always special to see an owl and certainly nice to have a more or less reliable spot to find one.

 

A little trip to yet another wetland area, a 40 minutes' drive form here. I should go back a little later as my visit was too early for the Black Terns that can be found here, but I hoped for a few more reed birds already.

 

167 / NL 57. Reed Bunting. Ameide, April. The male is quite striking and often conspcuous, singing in the top of the reed stems.

 

168 / NL 58. Eurasian Wren. Ameide, April. You can't miss their song, though actually finding and photographing them may be a little harder.

 

169 / NL 59. Blackcap. Ameide, April.

 

170 / NL 60. Common Chiffchaff. Ameide, April. Always among the first to return in spring. The pear tree blossoms provided a nice setting.

 

171 / NL 61. Common Pochard. Ameide, April. Strangely enough this is one of the few places where you can usually get quite close to these ducks.

The male during take-off

 

And a more relaxed female:

 

172 / NL 62. Common Chaffinch. Ameide, April. 

 

A two hour-walk produced just over 40 species. In May it is not uncommon to spot over 50. One of the areas I had in mind for you @Soukousand @Galana

 

 

 

 

[Galana]

25 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

One of the areas I had in mind for you @Soukousand @Galana

Very kind. If my trip does happen and you are unavailable as a guide I must ask for an itinerary with GPS co-ordinates.

 

Edit.

Almost forgot to comment on the latest batch of excellent series of photos.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Galana
added text.

[PeterHG]

39 minutes ago, Galana said:

If my trip does happen and you are unavailable as a guide I must ask for an itinerary with GPS co-ordinates.

I promise! . But I do hope to come with you...

[xelas]

How special to see an Owl! Flowering trees provides a great scenery for your birds.

[PeterHG]

Thank you @xelas

 

173 / NL 63. Cetti's Warbler. Ameide, April. Quite common these days, but, as we all know, pretty hard to photograph. I had to maual focus this one, but happy to have bagged it.

 

174 / NL 64. Meadow Pipit. Arkemheen, April. A much easier one, fortunately. Taken from the car.

 

175 / NL 65. Barn Swallow. Arkemheen, April. Always special to see them back in spring. Nest-building is their number one activity now.

 

 

176 / NL 66. House Martin. Arkemheen, April. They seem to be recovering a little from the rapid decline of the last decades.

 

 

177 / NL 67. Horned/ Slavonian Grebe. There was a sighting of this uncommon grebe in the same area, so I took a walk along the dyke, hoping to find it. And I did, though it stayed pretty far away. Still a beautiful sight. I had never before seen it in summer plumage (though our upcoming trip to Iceland might have accomplished that, I think) and it is a gorgeous bird.

 

[pedro maia]

I think you use strings to hang those birds an then use photoshop to remove them, it´s the only reasonable explanation for those pictures .

[michael-ibk]

Great swallows indeed, and cool to see a Slawonian Grebe in breeding plumage! 

[PeterHG]

1 hour ago, pedro maia said:

I think you use strings to hang those birds an then use photoshop to remove them,

Caught red-handed, I'm afraid....

[BRACQUENE]

Great swallows Peter but it’s the Cetti’s as you might think that I’m interested in : true it has become a regular one due to global warming but the sensation of photographing the bird is unforgettable!

[xelas]

Darn, Peter, you are pushing the BIF ladder higher with each post!

 

Slavonian Grebe is so special.

[Peter Connan]

Incredible photography Peter!

[PeterHG]

Thanks @pedro maia @michael-ibk @BRACQUENE @xelas @Peter Connan

 

178 / NL 68. Stock Dove. Arkemheen, April. Rather common in the meadows around here, but never as confiding as the wood pigeons. I always smile to myself when I add this species and  type in the English name. It is very similar to our Dutch 'stokdoof', which means completely deaf.

 

179 / NL 69. Little Ringed Plover. Arkemheen, April. The default ringed plover in the area albeit in small numbers.

 

180 / NL 70. Song Thrush. Leusden, April. 

[PeterHG]

The 27th of April is the day our king celebrates his birthday. A day off for everybody and festivities in many towns and villages. We usually spend this day avoiding the crowds and visit one or two nature reserves. They have all become much busier since the Covid years, but on this day a lot of people prefer the orange-coloured towns, so it was  relatively quiet in the two wetland areas we visited. They are both in our northernmost  province of Groningen, a drive of a little under two hours. The first is near the 'Zuidlaardermeer'. This largely consists of so-called 'summer polders', flooded grasslands which hold many meadowbirds, but also typical marsh birds, like Marsh Harrier, Rails and a recent inhabitant: the Whiskered Tern. That was our target bird for the reserve, as there is no other reliable spot to find this tern, which is still quite rare, but slowly gaining ground.. There were some clouds, but on the whole it was quite sunny in the morning, so perfect for a walk.

 

181 / NL 71. Yellow Wagtail. Oostpolder, April

 

182 / 72. White Stork. Oostpolder, April

 

183 / NL 73. Sedge Warbler. Oostpolder, April. Also present in fairly large numbers in our local areas

 

184 / NL 74. Black-necked Grebe. Oostpolder, April. Also one of our targets here. They mostly kept their distance but this one allowed a much closer view.

 

And fortunately we did not fail in our Tern mission. They had already arrived and though we did not see one on our walk, when we returned to the car there were four or five of them flying around over a shallow part of the lake.

 

185 / NL 75. Whiskered Tern. Oostpolder, April.

 

 

 

[Galana]

A very worthwhile excursion. Target met. Love the BN Grebe too.

 

UK don't get a holiday for their Sovereign's birthday. I would ring him up and complain but have mislaid his number.

[PeterHG]

The second area we visited was the large 'Lauwersmeer' also way up north between the provinces of Groningen and Friesland. It is a well-know area for birders as it attracts many waders, especially during migration. Uncommon  species and even vagrants ,might turn up here. Mostly it is not the best place for photography as a telescope is needed to get a good view of the targets. But sometimes Ducks, Gulls or Terns will fly by, offering a photographic opportunity.

 

186 / NL 76. Common Tern. Lauwersmeer, April.

 

187 / NL 77. Whimbrel. Lauwersmeer, April. Unmistakable call.

 

188 / NL 78. Black Tern. Lauwersmeer, April. I usually visit another reserve to see them, but there were quite a few present here.

 

189 / NL 79. Little Gull. Lauwersmeer, April. A very rare breeding bird, but the end of April is the peak of their migration to the Baltic regions or even Siberia. I had never seen so many gathered in one place and some of them came quite close.

 

 

190 / NL 80. Northern Pintail. Lauwersmeer, April. Also quite a few present. but mostly far off. This group of 6 males and one female flew by. 

 

 

191 / 81. Caspian Tern. Lauwersmeer, April. This one of the few places you might see a Caspian Tern during migration. Very distant, but the substantial crop still shows seven species in one shot ;). All counted except for the Caspians.

 

192 / NL 82. Black Swan. Lauwersmeer, April. Originally invasive of course, but there is a feral population of 40-60 pairs.

 

And we did see a vagrant. It had been reported here a few days before and I had hoped to find it. It had not been seen that day, however, so when I scanned the distant mudflats I had little hope. But suddenly I saw it fly in and alerted other birders to the fact. Way too far for the camera, but the phone and the scope at least provided a record shot...

193 / NL 83. Marsh Sandpiper. Lauwersmeer, April.

[PeterHG]

19 minutes ago, Galana said:

UK don't get a holiday for their Sovereign's birthday. I would ring him up and complain but have mislaid his number.

And he planned his coronation in the weekend as well.....

[Tdgraves]

1 hour ago, PeterHG said:

And he planned his coronation in the weekend as well.....

Yes, but there is a bank holiday on Monday….

[TonyQ]

@PeterHGstunning photos and a very fine collection of birds.

Well done with your terns and Grebes, and the beautiful Bluethroat.

 

[Galana]

6 hours ago, PeterHG said:

And he planned his coronation in the weekend as well.....

Coronations are few and far between ( I have seen two but few have) I was at school for the first and too old for the 2nd.  But I have missed out on almost 40 Sovereign's birthdays. That's six weeks off work they owe me!!

And while this was all going down I almost missed the rest of your birds of the outing. Well done.

[PeterHG]

Thank you @TonyQ @Galana @Tdgraves

21 hours ago, Tdgraves said:

Yes, but there is a bank holiday on Monday….

Especially for the coronation? That is something at least

17 hours ago, Galana said:

That's six weeks off work they owe me!!

I'm sure they'll find a way to compensate you, once you get back to work 

[PeterHG]

194 / NL 84. Tree Sparrow. Arkemheen, April. A lot less common than they used to be.

 

195 / NL 85. Eurasian Reed Warbler. Arkemheen, April. They have also arrived, a few weeks after the sedge warbler. More difficult to spot, though.

 

A few I forgot to post earlier on...

196 / NL 86. Blackbird. Amersfoort, January. Fortunately they are doing better than a few years ago.

 

197 / NL 87. Meditteranean Gull. Zevenhoven, April. Their whining call often betrays their presence.

 

198 / NL 88. Common Whitethroat. Arkemheen, April. Common in the area and quite conspicuous in their song flight.

 

 

199 / NL 89. Common Cuckoo. Arkemheen, May. They have only arrived here less than a week ago and I love their call.

 

Okay, a common little bird for #200, but I'm qvery happy with the way it posed a few times.

200 / NL 90. Willow Warbler. Arkemheen, May.

 

A back-lit beauty...

[TonyQ]

Wow to your Whitethroat (perched and flying) and to your Cuckoo!

Well done on 200

[Tdgraves]

Congrats on the double century 

[michael-ibk]

Congrats on #200, well done! Really excellent photos - as always! Love the Cuckoo.