donderdag 29 maart 2012

Inspiring spring - Biesbosch

It has been a while, but here is my new blog. All about spring and what we can see in the Biesbosch. These pictures are made in the last days. The first Sand Martins has arrived. There are loads of Bluethroats, a lot of singing Cetti Warblers, many Dunlins (a new record of 225 for polder Hardenhoek), many Islandic Godwits (up to 350), the Avocets are starting to breed and every day is inspiring!

Sunrise at polder Hardenhoek
Oops, trying armchairbirding?
Bluethroat, most of them are already back in their territorium and singing loudly. 

Lesser spotted woodpecker, female. This is the best time to see this sneaky species.
Panic! A Peregrine after the Godwits...and Dunlins and Ruff's.

This Pied Wagtail is present along the Veerweg for a month now. It has an interesting plumage. I think it is an adult male, still moulting into full summer plumage. Note the adult-type coverts, black primaries and darkish rump and upper scapulars. Aging and sexing White wagtails is very difficult in spring (cf. Adriaens et all 2009, DB 32: 4). But the following points are better for yarrelli then alba:  
  1.  the rump is blackish
  2. mantle colour is dark grey to black
  3. 40% of blackish colour on the mantle
  4. colour of the flanck is medium grey
  5. extent score of the flank is between 1 and 2 
 Here two pics to illustrate that:











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