Have just returned from another excursion down to see my best friend in Kent. This time I took my fledgling birder son Simon with me. First stop was the Midlands for the wintering Hoopoe and Simon's first new bird. No sign at first then I began to wax lyrical about the fact that sometimes you almost have to stand on them before they fly up and show themselves. 45 minutes later and from behind a tuft of grass almost at our feet up it flew. Great bird. 70 Red Kites on the M40 later and soon in Kent.
Not only were we in Kent to see my best mate but plans were also in place for a continental twitch! Alarms set for 1.30AM. Eurotunnel boarded by 2.30, Dutch border by 6.30! By 10.30 we were watching this little beauty...
This male Siberian Rubythroat has been wintering north of Amsterdam and it was stunning. Stunning! Worth every minute of the drive over. In fact the drive through the Netherlands was mighty impressive. Geese everywhere. Flocks of White Front, Barnacle, Greylag and Egyptian by the sides of the road all over the place. Dozens of Great White Egret, White Stork every now and then, and many Common Buzzards. Next stop was a more thorough study of a series of goose flocks near Rotterdam, west of the village of Strijen. Thousands of Barnacle and White Front eventually revealed a small flock of 8 Lesser White Fronted Geese. Brilliant.
Final stop was a coastal park where a Pine Bunting had been overwintering as well. After a bit of searching it showed off brilliantly. Very subtle in its colours, a cracking little bird.
Wednesday was our final day down south so no trip for Simon would be complete without a quick visit to Dungeness. The Glaucous Gull and Caspian Gull showed well and we found a Smew on one of the gravel pits.
Two life ticks for me with the Rubythroat and Bunting and Simon is now rapidly approaching 200 for the UK.
Netherlands Adventure
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- Peregrine
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Netherlands Adventure
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Last edited by ianball on Thu Feb 18, 2016 11:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
Ian Ball
http://nobbyball.blogspot.com/?m=1
http://nobbyball.blogspot.com/?m=1
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- Peregrine
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Re: Netherlands Adventure
...and a picture of the Hoopoe. Wouldn't let me add in the first post.
Ian Ball
http://nobbyball.blogspot.com/?m=1
http://nobbyball.blogspot.com/?m=1
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- Little Egret
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Re: Netherlands Adventure
Well done Ian, two fantastic ticks. I had seen the reports of both birds on Bird Guides several weeks ago.