Rottumerplaat

We counted almost 70.000 birds last weekend, autumn migration is already peaking for the waders!

only a small part of the high-tide roost of Dunlin, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Curlew, Ringed Plover and Sanderling

happy seals

very unhappy seal

Garden birds - spring 2015

The start of spring was rather sad when the cat crossed the line and killed the pair of Barn Swallows. Although it costed a small fortune, I sent him on vacation, and from may onwards it was safe. Luckily a new pair of Swallows arrived and bred succesfully, together with many other birds!

juvenile Dunnock, one of the earlier breeders and succesfully fledged

Blackbird, at least 2 succesfull pairs

juvenile Wrens, the nest was in the firewood-storage

Blackcap working hard to feed the young

recently fledged Blackcap, next to the kitchen window

Chiffchaff bred in the ornamental grass, second clutch just hatched

several pairs of House Sparrow bred in the roof

And also at least 1 pair of Starling in the roof. After fledging all Starlings of Pieterzijl gathered in my back garden, a rather noisy flock of 50+ !

Succesfull pair of Barn Swallow, and they started a second clutch!

these Song Thrushes would have been an easy meal for cat (the nest was only a meter high, next to the barn)

Icterine Warbler again bred succesfully and the young fledged a few days ago. Always hiding but very vocal, luckily this one showed in front of my window.

Collared Dove, no comment

Spotted Flycatcher is one of the last breeders, not sure where but the young fledged and favour the area around the kitchen. Note the spotted juvenile in the background and the catch; a Wasp!

Furthermore there was Wood Pigeon (1 breeding pair), Great Tit (1 breeding pair), Greenfich (territory), Goldfinch (territory, probably bred at neighbour's garden), Lesser Whitethroat (territory). Not a bad year!

more Farne Islands

With some delay, more images from one of the richest seabird-colony's along the North Sea. The Farne Islands is a group of several small island and some of them are open to the public. The short walk on the island is impressive, as 1000's of Puffin, Guillemot, Kittiwake and Arctic Tern breed here and can be viewed from close distance.

Arctic Terns breed everywhere, including the footpath

and they will attack you to defend their nest

they breed everywhere

Puffins, also everywhere!

stunning birds!

close views of Guillemot and Shag

image with standard lens

Sandwich Tern colony

Arctic Tern

also

Razorbill

a pair of Roseate Terns was present again this year (a rare and endangered species)

Roseate Tern in flight

more later!:-)

Fish Passage 2015

More Puffins soon. I was busy with fish; the yearly international conference visited Europe for the first time, in Groningen!

The happy fish from Kornwerderzand arrived in Groningen

and was caught by Henk Ovink, the Special Envoy of International Water Affairs

masterclass fishway design

a lot of international attention for our project during talks and exhibition; the FishMigrationRiver

Watch this extremely inspiring movie if you have the chance! Rivers connect the continent with the ocean and need to flow free. Made by Patagonia, buy those clothes!

river restoration = dam removal, Elwha river dam in 2013

the reservoir is gone, removal of the dam restored and opened 100km of suitable habitat for 7 species of Salmon

Bass Rock

A single rock with 150.000 Gannets, restricted acces only by boat and only in calm weather. But we were lucky to land on the island and have a close look. No sign of the Helgoland-albatross but it would not surprise me if it would follow the Gannets to Bass Rock and settle here (as one did in 1967-68).

Would you believe that an offshore windmill farm is planned here, in a main flyway of the Gannets?!

approaching the island

the lighthouse with acces path

a walk in the colony needs protection for the legs

standard lens

Bass Rock & Farne Islands

more soon!

(the Puffins are used to humans visiting the island, these birds were flushed by an attacking Herring Gull)

Garden birds & Ezumakeeg

With the arrival of the Icterine Warbler today the garden family is complete again. The cat is locked inhouse during daylight-hours after he killed the pair of Barn Swallows (I still do not understand why they sat on the ground inside the barn). I will never forgive him for that, but I am extremely happy that a new pair has settled. In fact it is the best year ever, with nesting Chiffchaff, Blackbird (3 pairs), Song Thrush, Starling and several House Sparrows. And there are territorial Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Blackcap, Dunnock, Wren, Collared Dove and.. Long-eared Owl! Today it was calling in broad-daylight, not sure if this indicates a nest and/or young.

EDIT May 11th: a pair of Spotted Fycatchers arrived, hope they stay!


Meanwhile Ezumakeeg is very productive. The bad weather of the last days resulted in a huge flock of Swifts and swallows, and today there were several Little Gulls, Black Terns and 2 White-winged Terns! The pair of White-tailed Eagles gave a great show and caught a Teal in a coordinated hunt. And of course there are waders. Many Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, Little & Temminck's Stints, some Curlew Sands, a Red-necked Phalarope and a Glossy Ibis!

distant digiscope of the Phalarope

Curlew Sandpiper

dull weather digiscope of a colour-ringed Little Stint - probably a Norwegian bird

Glossy Ibis, most of the time hiding in the long grass

Garganey - digiscope

Temminck's Stints, about 25 were present

Ezumakeeg is looking promising!

And that Bearded Vulture... yesterday I missed it by few kilometers, and today I could probably have seen it from my house. Same like 3 years ago. Unlucky with big birds this spring..