NETHERLANDS Waders in Friesland 11 15 August 2016 TOUR REPORT Leader: Martijn Bot This trip took us on an unforgettable journey through the Dutch Waddenzee, the world s largest uninterrupted system of intertidal sand and mudflats, and an impressive natural wonder. Of course all birds that crossed our paths got our full attention, but we focused particularly on waders, the main attraction of this area. To get to know all the different plumages and learn how to separate the different species was one of the main goals of the week. Day 1: Thursday 11 August After an early pick-up from Amsterdam Airport, everyone settled in the comfortable minibus for the two hour transfer to the village of Zuidhorn, where our hotel was located. Once there, we enjoyed a late lunch, checked in and went through the programme for the days to come. We had to keep it short, however, as the group was eager to get out to see their first birds of the trip. Our first destination was Ezumakeeg in Lauwersmeer National Park, one of the hotspots for waders in The Netherlands and an absolutely fantastic place to just sit, watch and enjoy. It is a kind of birding boulevard with some observation points alongside the road, with numbers and species changing almost every minute a true coming and going of waders, raptors and other migratory birds. As autumn migration was in full swing, it is worth visiting at least once more (which we were going to do later on in the tour). Our first visit already paid off, however, as no less than 17 species of waders were seen in just two hours. Amongst them were ruff, curlew sandpiper, little stint, Temminck s stint and - the bird of the day - a juvenile pectoral sandpiper, which showed nicely. These first good species were celebrated with a drink and a three course dinner in a nearby restaurant! Day 2: Friday 12 August After breakfast we headed for a newly developed nature reserve about 30 minutes from our hotel. Dannemeer, as the area is called, has become one of the hotspots in the northern part of the country for waders, wildfowl, gulls and terns. And the area didn t disappoint at all. We visited some observation points and took some short walks, seeing huge numbers and very good species indeed! Three hours of birding
produced whiskered tern (the only breeding population in The Netherlands), black-winged stilt, spoonbill (50+), glossy ibis (four), goshawk, ruddy shelduck, and very high numbers of ruff and wood sandpiper. After lunch we moved to a little fishing harbour near Termunten, where waders and gulls were feeding on the mudflats just outside the harbour. Besides some new trip species such as bar-tailed godwit, grey plover and whimbrel, there were also some interesting gulls to be noted: both yellow-legged and Caspian gull were present amongst the other, more common species. A small inland marsh reserve near Beerta, called De Tjamme, was our next destination, for two reasons: it is a traditionally good location for waders, however the surrounding farmlands are home to another speciality: Montagu s harrier. And indeed, before we had even parked the minibus, the harriers were already all around us. Not only did Montagu s show fantastically (in all plumages), also marsh and hen harriers were seen hunting, and on one occasion, all three species could be seen together in one scope view. For most of the group, this was the absolute highlight of the day. However, another image worth remembering was still to come, when a visit to De Tjamme produced a surprise: a spotted crake showed out in the open, and every now and than the bird could be seen feeding side by side with a water rail, another shy and elusive bird (most of the time you only hear the screaming call, but they hardly ever show). Day 3: Saturday 13 August The Frisian Wadden Sea coast has some of the most famous high tide roosts for waders of northwestern Europe, one of them being Westhoek, which we visited today. During high tide there are always tremendous numbers of birds present, but it is dependent on the weather and height of the tide how close the birds will show. Unfortunately, the circumstances were not ideal today; we did see thousands of bartailed godwits, dunlins, avocets, knots, redshanks and curlew sandpipers, but we needed a telescope to be able to distinguish them. In good conditions, birds almost literally walk over your shoes. At the pier of Holwerd we were luckier and were able to fully enjoy the beauty of ringed plovers, dunlins, little stints, curlew sandpipers, avocets, turnstones and others, at very close range. A stop at an observation point overlooking the Lauwersmeer area also turned out to be extremely productive. Not only were there lots of buzzards, kestrels and marsh harriers, but also three white-tailed eagles could be observed for several minutes while soaring high above the reed beds. Three birds together is something not even local birders are used to seeing here, so this was considered a real treat! Day 4: Sunday 14 August Today, Lauwersmeer National Park once again proved itself as being one of the top locations for birding in summer. This area, which, until 1969, was called Lauwerszee and was indeed a sea, has now turned into a lake with numerous different habitats bordering it. There are several great observation points and no matter what time of year you visit, there s always a lot to see and discover. Great numbers and a stunning variety of birds made our tour around the reserve another day to remember. We made several stops at shelters, observation hills, sea dikes and took some short walks inside the national park to get to locations that are impossible to reach by car. Some 15 summer plumaged sanderlings meant another wader added to our impressive list of species seen during this trip. Other highlights included an adult white-winged tern that was present at Ezumakeeg for only two minutes before disappearing west in the company of two black terns, several white-tailed eagles, 30+ ruddy shelducks, a late cuckoo, a snow goose, some Montagu's harriers, two Temminck's stints, pectoral sandpiper, peregrine, marsh warbler, seven Caspian terns, bluethroat, little egret, some bearded tits and of course the impressive numbers of waders and birds in general. Day 5: Monday 15 August Time to pack, check out and start the journey home. On our way to Amsterdam we made a long stop at another famous reserve that is popular amongst both Dutch birders and foreign visitors: Oostvaardersplassen. This reserve, situated in the newly created and youngest province of the Netherlands
- Flevoland - consists of forests, reed beds, lakes and open areas, and is home to great numbers of birds and mammals. Like Lauwersmeer, the inside of the reserve is inaccessible, but numerous observations point can be found at the borders of the actual reserve and short walks allow visitors to enjoy the wildlife without disturbing it. The eather was fantastic today and the clear skies and easterly flows brought a big surprise: a black stork brutally interrupted our lunch break! Other birds worth mentioning today were two little egrets, a black-winged stilt, some ravens and a kingfisher. In the late afternoon we reached Amsterdam Airport and said our goodbyes. After five days, we racked up 127 species (amongst which were no less than 28 species of wader) and a lot of great experiences.
SPECIES CHECKLIST Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica Great Northern Diver Gavia immer Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis x Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus x Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis x Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus Northern Gannet Morus bassanus Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo x European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis Grey Heron Ardea cinerea x Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Great Egret Casmerodius albus x Little Egret Egretta garzetta x Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris Black Stork Ciconia nigra x White Stork Ciconia ciconia x Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus x Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia x Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus Mute Swan Cygnus olor x Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Bewick's Swan Cygnus bewickii Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus Greylag Goose Anser anser x Snow Goose Anser caerulescens x Ross' Goose Anser rossii Canada Goose Branta canadensis x Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis x Brant Branta bernicla Black Brant Branta nigricans
White-bellied Brant Branta hrota Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea x Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna x Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope x Gadwall Anas strepera x Eurasian Teal Anas crecca x Mallard Anas platyrhynchos x Northern Pintail Anas acuta x Garganey Anas querquedula x Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata x Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Common Pochard Aythya ferina x Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula x Greater Scaup Aythya marila Common Eider Somateria mollissima Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis Common Scoter Melanitta nigra Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula x Smew Mergellus albellus Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Common Merganser Mergus merganser Osprey Pandion haliaetus European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus Red Kite Milvus milvus Black Kite Milvus migrans White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla x Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus x Hen (Northern) Harrier Circus cyaneus x Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus x Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus x Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis x Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo x Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus x Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Merlin Falco columbarius Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus x Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Gray Partridge Perdix perdix
Common Quail Coturnix coturnix Common Crane Grus grus Water Rail Rallus aquaticus x Corn Crake Crex crex Spotted Crake Porzana porzana x Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus x Eurasian Coot Fulica atra x Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus x Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus x Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta x Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus x Eurasian Golden-Plover Pluvialis apricaria x Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola x Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula x Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius x Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago x Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa x Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica x Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus x Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata x Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus x Common Redshank Tringa totanus x Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia x Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus x Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola x Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos x Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres x Red Knot Calidris canutus x Sanderling Calidris alba x Little Stint Calidris minuta x Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii x Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea x Dunlin Calidris alpina x Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos x Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima Ruff Philomachus pugnax x Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicaria Great Skua Stercorarius skua Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus Common Gull Larus canus x Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus x Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides Herring Gull Larus argentatus x Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis x Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans x Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus graellsii x Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus x Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus Sabine's Gull Xema sabini Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia x Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis Common Tern Sterna hirundo x Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Little Tern Sternula albifrons Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida x White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus x Black Tern Chlidonias niger x Little Auck Alle alle Common Guillemot Uria aalge Razorbill Alca torda Stock Dove Columba oenas x Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus x Eurasian Turtle-Dove Streptopelia turtur Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto x Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus x Barn Owl Tyto alba Eurasian Eagle-Owl Bubo bubo Tawny Owl Strix aluco Little Owl Athene noctua Northern Long-eared Owl Asio otus Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus Common Swift Apus apus x
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis x European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major x Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Crested Lark Galerida cristata Wood Lark Lullula arborea Sky Lark Alauda arvensis Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Sand Martin Riparia riparia x Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica x House Martin Delichon urbicum x White Wagtail Motacilla alba x Pied Wagtail Motacilla yarrellii Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava x Nordic Yellow Wagtail Motacilla thunbergi English Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flavissima Gray Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis x Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta Goldcrest Regulus regulus Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes x Dunnock Prunella modularis Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula x Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Redwing Turdus iliacus Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus x Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus x Eurasian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus x Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris x Great Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus x Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita x Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus tristis Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix Pallas's Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla x Garden Warbler Sylvia borin x Greater Whitethroat Sylvia communis x Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata x European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca European Robin Erithacus rubecula Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos White-starred Bluethroat Luscinia svecica x Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros x Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Common Stonechat Saxicola rubicola x Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus x Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Marsh Tit Poecile palustris Willow Tit Poecile montanus x Coal Tit Periparus ater Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus Great Tit Parus major x Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus x Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea x Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla x Eurasian Penduline-Tit Remiz pendulinus Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius x Eurasian Magpie Pica pica x Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula x House Crow Corvus splendens Rook Corvus frugilegus x Carrion Crow Corvus corone x Hooded Crow Corvus cornix Common Raven Corvus corax x European Starling Sturnus vulgaris x House Sparrow Passer domesticus x Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus x Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs x Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra European Greenfinch Chloris chloris x Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea Lesser Redpoll Acanthis cabaret Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis x Twite Linaria flavirostris Eurasian Linnet Linaria cannabina x European Serin Serinus serinus Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus x Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis 129 Introduced or escaped species (not countable): Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Black Swan Cygnus atratus Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus x Bar-headed Goose Mandarin Duck Wood Duck Ruddy Duck Anser indicus Aix galericulata Aix sponsa Oxyura jamaicensis
Rosy-billed Pochard Ring-necked Pheasant Ring-necked Parakeet Chilean Flamingo Netta peposaca Phasianus colchicus Psitticula krameri Phoenicopterus chilensis