Birds in Lincolnshire

A DAY BIRDING IN THE NETHERLANDS

A Day Birding In The Netherlands

The presence of an accessible juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle was enough to send Phil Hyde and me on a hastily arranged Dutch birding trip. (About five Greater Spotted Eagles have been present this winter in France and the Netherlands and we had been monitoring their movements by exchanging e-mails with the Dutch Birding website).

We took the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry on Friday 16^th February; the 3½-hour journey being enlivened by a juvenile Pomarine Skua and a few Gannets and auks. We then drove north for 165 miles to the village of Anjum (near Groningen) and arrived mid evening; too late for any birding but not too late to sample some local food and a few beers.

Out early the next day we were soon overlooking the eagle's favoured area and its roost site of the last few weeks. With some local help, we located the bird on an island visible from the nature reserve Ouderobbengat, Lauwersmeer. The views were distant but nonetheless very impressive. The eagle spent most of its time on the ground; but occasionally made short flights showing off its immense wingspan, its huge size dwarfing the attendant local crows. Sometimes the white spotting of its juvenile plumage could be seen. This reserve sounds to be worth a visit in the spring and summer as Bluethroats and Golden Oriole are regular, and Night Heron and Little Bittern have bred there in the last few years.

Our guide was keen to show us other areas, including a newly created wetland reserve at Ezumakeech that has already proved to be a magnet to rare waders. Large numbers of geese graze throughout daylight hours on the grassland around the village of Anjum and we were soon taking in the amazing sights and sounds of 15,000 Barnacle Geese, 5,000 White-fronted Geese and smaller numbers of Dark-bellied Brents. We also located an adult Ross's Goose, 4 Red-breasted Geese, one Black Brant, many Greylags and the odd Pink-foot. The geese made spectacular evening flights as they moved off to roost. Over 30 Lesser White-fronted Geese were also in the area, but eluded us in our brief time there. These birds originate from the Swedish re-introduction scheme and are now breeding ferally. They return to the Netherlands each winter to graze on traditionally favoured fields. We also managed to miss several Spoonbills and 20+ Great White Egrets.

Birds of prey were spectacular with good views of Rough-legged Buzzard, Goshawk, Merlin and Hen and Marsh Harriers. Peregrine and Buzzard were common. Smew, Goosander and other wildfowl were also common and large numbers of Great Crested Grebes could be seen offshore. We returned on Sunday 18^th after a brief, but very enjoyable trip.

Steve Keightley.

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