Dotterels!

After a long rainy saturday the sky cleared in the evening. And to my surprise there was a small flock of Dotterel close to Bantpolder, and rather close to the road! (digiscoped)

Top-Of-Holland Birding Day

The yearly race to find the rarest bird in Groningen, Fryslan, Drenthe (TOH). And the gathering of the same team that toured Texas in winter 2000/2001. We (Bas, Symen, Sietse and I) had the perfect plan; while I prepared the boat in Lauwersmeer, they would have an early check on the miniature-Ezumakeeg in Lemmer which has yielded surprises in the past. On Lauwersmeer we would have the opportunity of checking places were no other team could go, with special focus on Night Heron. This species was surprisingly high rated with 5 points and could easily win the race!

checking the other side of Oude Robbengat, many Swifts!

In the end we did not find Night Heron, but much enjoyed the day with the pair of White-tailed Eagle, twitched the Dotterels in Kollumerwaard, where an Ospey thermalled into the clouds, and we saw the 9(!) Black-winged Stilts in Ezumakeeg.

Osprey at the Dotterel-site

digiscope

Earlier this week I joined the vessel which is monitoring fish for our project at Kornwerderzand, and gave an interview to the regional press Omrop Fryslan. The pictures show a Sea Lamprey; a strange prehistoric fish which sucks blood from it's host. I succeeded in not being it's host that day!

Sea Lamprey. Thanks to Ben Griffioen for the left picture

PS Returned my D7100 and for a little more I bought second-hand D300 and D700. Do not believe reviewers stating these camera's are outdated, they are excellent performers and quality build, only extreme cropping needs megapixels. Think again if you think you need a D800 for landscape or portraits. I will show when my lens is repaired.

One year ago @Lauwersoog

Lauwersmeer

Many birders must have stressfull day, chasing the first ever American Robin for NL by car, foot and bike. Lauwersmeer was very comfortable starting with a Wryneck in Lauwersoog (shy als always).

Then we tried Ezumakeeg, the Pectoral Sandpiper showed well amongst a few Curlew Sand, Dunlin and many Wood Sandpipers and Ruff (digiscoped). The area looks very promising for coming weeks.

An afternoon boat-trip on Lauwersmeer started a bit rainy but in the end we found 15+ Black Terns and a mixed flock of Swifts (10s), Swallows and House Martins. The light was already gone - no pictures.

Noordkaap (handicapped)

Camera broken and my lens is in repair for a month now, not a good time of year. I thought I made a good decision to buy the new D7100 with 24MP as all reviews stated that the D300s is completely surpassed by this newcomer, years in electronics is a century in life. But in fact the increase of megapixels results in huge noise and the usefull ISO800 on a D300s compares to ISO200 on the D7100...

Anyway, the weather forecast looked very promising for today and to have at least something to get a picture of that close ringtail I picked up a second-hand 70-300mm zoom. Which is a sh*tty lens for bird photography but that I knew in advance. The Easterly winds on Noordkaap resulted indeed in an entertaining day, the highlights being an Osprey, a Black Kite and 2 female Montagu's Harrier.

female Montagu's Harrier, note evenly barred and dark-tipped primaries. and the absence of pale collar

this Black Kite spent some time cruising the Emmapolder and I was able to drive my car under it

the same Black Kite

The movement of Swallows was spectaculair and more than 2000 passed very close. Yesterday a pair arrived in my barn, they have returned!

Swallows on the move!

Sand Martin

Gemmi Pass 2270m

one of the few moments without clouds

Rather unlucky with the weather but the large raptors did make some flights, although rather distant. Spectaculair place and on the list for a revisit with bright weather! A few Snow Finches we only flybys.

Gypaete barbu, the king!

Alpine Accentor

Alpine Chough

and then there was snow!

always thrilling Golden Eagle

The previous Ring-necked Duck was an escape indeed.

Do you believe in ducks?

I do not, especially inland ducks always look suspicious. This afternoon I found a male Ring-necked Duck in river Dommel, just south of Nijnsel. I did not have the time to check the wings and legs thouroughly but I do not believe this can be a genuine wild bird (although it was rather shy).

not very typical habitat...

Anyway, I will add some more images from last weekend (Switserland) soon.

More Cranes!!

Again massive Crane-migration today! The weather felt like the start of summer with temperatures of 20+ C and triggered the remaining birds to return home. Bargerveen proved to be a good spot again and early afternoon I counted 8 flocks of in total 111 Cranes, often thermalling on the warm air.

Brilliant birds!