Rain!

Yesterday was exceptional, and although not the best timing for first flights, they managed. The cat however... More swallows later, below some impressions of Ezumakeeg. Can you find the Avocets in the rainstorm?:-)

At the very end of the day the Marsh Sandpiper returned in front of the hide, below some digiscoped images, in fading light unfortunately. But it was close!

BTW here is the solution of the "how-many-species-can-you-find" picture;

1 Black-tailed Godwit (that was the easy one!)
2 Lapwing (left of the centre, sleeping between the Godwits, and there is another one)
3 Dunlin (2, sleeping between the godwits on the left)
4 Curlew Sandpiper (the red one!)
5 Ringed Plover (yes they are!)
6 Mallard (male swimming, centre)
7 Shellduck (2 swimming)
8 Little Gull (2nd c-y flying upper left)
9 Black Tern (left of centre, flying in front of the reed)
10 Coot (the distant black birds with white bill)
11 Shoveler (male swimming on the far right)
12 Garganey (2 males sleeping just behind the Godwits, right of the Mallard)

Not safely to ID; the sleeping Sanderling in front of the Mallard and the preening Common Gull behind the Godwits on the right. And the ducks on the far left and right must be Tufted.

Swallow update

They are growing fast, actually it will only be a few days before they fledge!

June 13th:

June 16th:

June 17th:

June 20th:

Helgoland

Severe winds on saturday made the ferry-crossing rather uncomfortable, we were OK but pale faces were common and many breakfasts mixed with early beers were fed to the gulls...

No bird migration due to the bad weather but we enjoyed the long-staying (and frequently singing) Greenish Warbler and 2 Common Rosefinches at Grosse Treppe.

A large flock of gulls was feeding at Kringel and Sietse found a yellow-legged gull which I think must indeed be a Yellow-legged Gull (note p6). A single female Eider was guiding a large flock of young, surprisingly the gulls were only slightly interested.

The weather cleared the next day but migration was slow, several Icterine and Marsh Warblers were singing but were probably already present. An aberrant swallow flew inbetween a small flock of Swifts, Swallows and House Martins. It must be a House Martin stained with oil or something, althoug the pattern in the neck may indeed suggest hybrid origin. Of course I tried on the Swifts:-)

At the cliffs the number of Gannets has increased again, and it looks they are breeding even closer to the path, spectaculair views!!

New life!

I think they hatched in the beginning of this week, but only today they were strong enough to pop their heads out of the nest. Note that I try to minimise disturbance; I am only taking a few pictures but cutting grass, washing clothes, getting food from the freezer and working in the barn are all cancelled.

More pictures of the developing young later, meanwhile have fun trying to identify the 10+ birdspecies on this picture;

Lauwersmeer

Waterlevel in Ezumakeeg is perfect! Many waders including Little Stints, Temminks, Knot and Curlew Sands but unfortunately also 100-s of Black-tailed Godwits, probably failed breeders...

And massive numbers of Swift!