20240629 Biesbosch

This day Menno guided Mandy and her partner in the Biesbosch. It was hard work and fighting the mosquitos and horseflies but resulted in 90 species in mid summer!

Whilst waiting at the parking lot a Ruddy Shelduck flew by and two White-tailed Eagles where also waiting to be observed. A Roe Deer was feeding on a bank with Spoonbills foraging in the water, adding to the nice morning scene.

We then tried for Golden Oriole but a swarm of mosquitos had other ideas with us and we served as a walking (running) breakfast buffet. We jumped back in the car and headed to the open areas again.

On the mudflat we could observe the first signs of autumn migration with male Ruff still a bit in summer plumage, Wood Sandpipers and many Lapwings, Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits.

Over the meadows Skylarks where abundant and singing in the sky whilst Yellow Wagtails called from their perch. The pair of White-tailed Eagles still hang around and the first Marsh Harrier was observed.

We tried to relocate the Glossy Ibis but got a nice Black Tern instead. Many warblers where still actively singing: Cetti's, Garden, Sedge, Icitrine, Willow, Reed and Marsh to name some.

It was getting warmer and then often is the trigger for birds of prey. We positioned ourselves in an open field, we stopped because a bluethroat was singing, and soon found a Osprey with soaring with a fish in it's talons, a second individual showed over the river and landed in one of the electricity masts. The dragonflies also started to fly and a Hobby was chasing them at high speed to snatch them out of the air. 

We crossed the area and waited a bit at the roost of the Squacco Heron, after it left early morning it wasn't seen anymore. We got lucky as after a few minutes it flew out of the vegetation and landed in a open stream. We could observe the rarity in the scope and even saw it catching a fish.

At the next flooded field we also connected with the Glossy Ibis that was standing in the middle of a flock of Common Shelduck. There where many other ducks too, mainly Gadwall and Common Teal gathering for the summer molt and with them about 8 Garganey.

It was getting hot and the bird activity dropped, a heat haze also made scanning the area harder so we called it a day. We wrapped up 90 species, which is an impressive result in the middle of the summer for just one area!