20240622 Rotterdam

Beverly and Rich ended their Norwegian Cruise in the harbor of Rotterdam. They both had visited the Netherlands before and had some target birds for their Dutch and life list which we tried to see this day.

After I (Menno) had picked up Beverly and Rich from the terminal we first drove to the dunes of Berkheide, Wassenaar. Here we started a walk for songbirds. They sky was full with Swifts and Common- and Lesser Whitethroats were singing. So did Nightingale, Wood Lark, Willow Warbler, Chifchaff, Chaffinch etc.

We briefly stopped at a small woodland for Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper and a very cooperative Firecrest. Another walk at a marshland gave nice views on a Bluethroat, Long-eared Owl and a Kingfisher speeding by.

At the tulip field near Noordwijk we were lucky to find a pair of Grey Partridges with hatchlings before lunch. After that we headed to a wetland near The Hague, Nieuwe Driemanspolder. The lakes were full with aquatic birds including Tufted Duck, Common- and Red-crested Pochard. On the mudflats were Northern Lapwings, Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits and Little Ringed Plovers.

A report came in of a Common Rosefinch in the dunes which we then tried to relocate but without success. From here we drove to Schiphol to end the day with some Common Kestrels along the road.