Terschelling

Artist impression of massive Swift migration last weekend:-) There must have been many thousands flying in a broad front over the island, and record numbers were recorded elsewhere too. Little time for birding but still managed to find a Common Rosefinch and several Honey Buzzards.

Kropswolderbuitenpolder

Whiskered Tern-bonanza! 32 were counted today and some are preparing to breed!

Bingo!

Drente

Fochteloerveen in the afternoon, perfect time and weather for Red-footed Falcon. I enjoyed 15-20 hunting Hobby's but no vespertinus. A Raven flew over very high, as did a Honey Buzzard, and a Crane was calling in the distance.

Then I heard a familiar call, and indeed 2 Whiskered Terns fell out of the sky! The birds stayed for 10 minutes and due to the strong backlight I can only present some "belegfotos";

The Pallid Harrier was still present at Exloerveen and gave a nice show, I finally connected with this species this spring!

In the evening I went back to Fochteloerveen as 2 Redfoots had indeed been reported today. But again all we could find were Hobby's. But the atmoshere was great; wind had dropped, a distant thunderstorm was slowly approaching and Cranes were trumpeting!

They should have left some trees for the falcons...

Noordkaap

Strong easterly winds yesterday. The absence of raptor migration was compensated by a continious flow of Barn Swallows over the dike and in total more than 2000 were counted. A Red Kite remained very distant and a few Merlin were fast as always.

Most exciting was the ringtail which appeared in the distance, slowly but steadily it was following the dike towards me and I was ready for it!

Okay, Montagu's Harriers are great birds also! :-)

And some more impressions of the day;

At home the Swallows have started breeding, and Icky is back!

Wilsons again

Same distance, same beauty but better light today!

A Glossy Ibis was also present in Ezumakeeg in the evening.

Wilsons!

Bad light and a rather distant digiscope, but what a beauty!! A very fine Wilson's Phalarope spent some hours in Ezumakeeg this evening.
Actually today may be one of the best rarity-days ever with Surf Scoter, Terek Sandpiper, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Greater Sand Plover, Bairds Sandpiper, Lesser Grey Shrike and Two-barred Crossbill (!!!)

And some Common Terns (yesterday Lauwersoog);

TOH-birdrace

Some teams were already birding for more than 12 hours when team cropkonings started in the afternoon. We focussed on swifts, all-or-nothing!, as it would be really hard to beat the great finding of a Greater-Sand earlier in the day. No white rumps, white-tipped secondaries or needled tails, but we still managed to score a rather surprising 3-pointer! Checking and photographing Swift is great fun anyway, there were many hundreds.

The pair of Montagu's Harrier has returned and showed nice in the evening.

And some images from a short visit to Texel last week, the Surf Scoter was too distant but Sandwich Terns seem to breed everywhere along the coast, spectaculair!