Brom and the birds

Coocoo

Yesterday I showed you what we saw on the first half of our walk. Now I am going to show you what we saw on the second half. 

When we finally got on top of the dyke (we had been walking on the lower part on the water side), it was really clear how much the dyke is important. The water level was higher than the land! The house you can see on the right in the photo would be below water if that dyke had not been there.

We followed the path down and arrived in a nature reserve where there were lots of different animals. Well, birds really. Although there were also a lot of hares. Which meant we had to stop again so Mara could change the lens on her camera. Again!

Of course, once she had changed the lens, the hares had moved away a bit. But, with the big lens, she was able to catch a couple anyway. And they were really big. I saw one hopping as well, and it was quite funny to see as his front legs are a bit shorter than his back legs.

But the best photos were yet to come: birds. I had never seen any of them before and Mara got very excited as well. The first one we saw was completely unknown to us, but we didn't think it was a sparrow, so Mara took several photos of it. When we got home, we checked it out and we found out it was a Meadow Pipit (graspieper). 

The next bird we saw we knew to be a duck, but we had never seen it before in our lives. But according to the 'Vogelbescherming' (Society for the Protection of Birds) it was a Common Shelduck (bergeend) and quite common. I loved the band on its chest, which really stood out. 

On we walked and then we got to see a Pied Avocet (kluut). Something we had heard of, but never seen. It's not that easy to see in the photo, but its bill is turned up at the end and it is a wader. It is white with lovely black stripes along its body. 

We were both enjoying this bit of the walk every bit as the first bit and somebody else was excited as well as it sang and sang and sang. Not sure what it was though. I asked, but it just sang.

But the last bird we saw had Mara nearly jumping up and down for joy. She recognised it immediately and took quite a few photos of it. I give you: the Eurasian Spoonbill (lepelaar, natuurlijk). Our favourite. 

This was really the last bird: the Common Whitethroat (grasmus)

After that, the nature reserve came to an end for us and we were headed into the town of Zierikzee. Which I will tell you about tomorrow!

More cuteness

I thought I would show you some more cuteness. Otherwise known as baby animals. These were a type of sheep that I had never seen before. They had twisting horns and long wool (the lambs had curls) and you could see them start already on the lambs' heads as well. But those sheep were very very skittish. Definitely not people sheep.

The next photo was taken on the same day. I had my big lens on, but still couldn't really get close enough for a really great shot. But you know what these are: goslings and a lot of them. There were actually two families there: one with five and the other with about 12/13 goslings. When they heard me walking past (never mind the cars and bikes), they moved away, even though I was still quite far away.

Another day and more aaah moments to be had. This was a coot family and where the geese are both responsible for their offspring, coots not so much (like ducks). I did spot the mother feeding one of the three cooties, but of course failed to get photographic evidence of it. What I did like though, was the fact that the white part in the adult coot, is actually red in the baby coot.  

I think however my favourite aaah moment came from a bit earlier that day. As I was walking through a park in town, there was a small fenced in clearing with grazing animals. Some sheep, but mainly goats. And apart from adult goats there were plenty of kids as well. This one was the smallest and very much intent on grazing, barely looking up from the grass. 

I hope you enjoyed the cuteness...

Love and hate

The other day I had found a quite nice walk only about a fifteen minutes' drive from where I live. The weather was gorgeous with sunshine and temperatures that were just perfect: around 15/16 degrees C. I put on my new hiking boots and off I went with my camera. 

Halfway through the walk, I saw a small herd of cattle, but not cattle you would normally see here in the Netherlands. Because they had horns and big ones at that. They looked quite pointy and sharp and dangerous. 

But apart from the pointy, sharp and dangerous, I also saw this small calf. It was in the distance, so I wasn't able to get the best photos, but I thought it was so cute. 

He ventured away from mum when all of a sudden it took a big run and then said hello to a play mate. It was just the cutest (remember the small pony baby from last week, on a par with that). 

I continued on my walk.

Something I do like to photograph are birds of prey. Especially in flight. So, when I saw this one, I started snapping. And I realised, it wasn't just in flight, it was also in fight!

Because I don't think it had been very nice. Trying to harass a smaller bird perhaps, or a nesting bird. Whatever it had done, it now had a several angry birds on its tail. Snapping at him, trying to get it as far away from them. The bird of prey was definitely the loser!

The creatures I meet

On Saturday I did another walk. I knew I had to follow the purple (or red) signs for the 9 km route. So, I did and was back within 2 km. I should have followed the green route. So, I did and it was only 7 km. But, in total it was just over 9 so I was happy.

On my walk I saw many different birds and other assorted animals. One of them you met yesterday: the pig. He was in a pen with a mate, but the mate didn't want to turn around to get his or her photo taken. Gone is being known throughout the world!

I finally managed to get some of those smaller birds that continually elude me. I got a lovely sparrow and a great tit. I also managed to capture a very odd bird indeed. Mind you, that one did stay still at least!

But, I think my greatest ones were of the birds of prey. I managed to capture several different ones, although I am only showing you one of them now. The first one where he is sitting on a fence post and the second one in flight.

Another reason to keep walking with my camera in hand.

Miss Oswin is on the hunt

Miaow

Wow, it has been a long time since I was allowed here. I know Mara sometimes tells you a bit about me, but I think it's very important to make sure I do tell you about the MBF in the WWU myself. Just so you won't forget...

The tree in which they reside we think
look closely and you can see an adult great tit

And today I will tell you all about my hunting skills. Because this week I didn't catch one, but two birds! The first one was a baby great tit (oh, Mara told you about it), but Mara took it from me and after that I wasn't allowed out anymore that day. 

Chittering on the fence

Yesterday I was sitting next to Mara in the garden and there was another great tit just chattering away to us. It was hopping from one end of the fence to the other and back and just chittering and chattering. I didn't move a muscle, although I would have liked to have caught it, I can tell you.

You just fly, I will catch you someday!

Today I was allowed out again because the weather is quite nice right now. And all of a sudden I saw another little birdie. With an almighty jump I caught it and brought it in. Where Mara got hold of me and locked me in the kitchen! And when I came back out the birdie was gone. I will have to catch another one now to play with...

The first great tit

Note from the editor: the first baby great tit was very alert and very determined to get as far away from my hands as possible. As it was fledging anyway, I put it in the garden and crossed my fingers for a safe return to its parents.

It looked really sad in my dad's hand

Alas the second baby great tit was perhaps fledging (as it was on the fence where Miss Oswin caught it), but after being caught it was definitely not alert. It barely moved apart from breathing. My dad put it at the other side of the house near a garden wall, where we hope it will be okay, although Miss Oswin isn't the only feline roaming the streets here and it was in a fairly bad state. 

It must have been Alfred!

No, this is not Alfred. I think this might be Mabel.

Remember Pete, the Irish gull? The one that sat on the edge of the boundary between road and deep sea? Well, he has a cousin. A Norwegian gull that must be called Alfred. And he was scaring me half to death today!

I had finished work and was walking towards my car, when a gull squawked or whatever it is they do and flew overhead. It came back. It squawked again, flew a bit lower. And again. And again! And yet again. Fortunately I reached my car then and Alfred landed on a pole, while still watching my every move! 

Perhaps I was too close to its nest, perhaps it was drunk, perhaps it was just a bully. Whatever it was, it did scare me a bit. Especially since he came closer with every nosedive! If I had put my hand up I might have actually touched him. 

What next? Crows??

The bird

As I looked out of my bedroom window the other night, I saw this huge bird (in my eyes anyway) standing on the rock across the road. I ran for my camera hoping it would still be there when I got it and I was lucky. It was. I took the photo and ever since I have been wondering what type of bird it was. Was it a typical Norwegian bird or was it more European and international?

Since I couldn't find it online and none of my colleagues knew, they only thing for it was to facebook the photo and hope for an answer. Well, I got answers allright! Anything from snipe and northern lapwing to heron and stork! Of course I should have only asked my friend Pepperfly because she might just be omniscient and she said it was a (Eurasian) curlew. Which it is!

It is a migratory bird, so quite international. Like me. It likes invertebrates, but will also eat earth worms and small crabs if the opportunity arises. Unlike me. Not too fond of the earth worms!

Anyway, now I know. Life in Norway, isn't it great?

'Spring'

You may remember the photo I posted last year in this same meme concerning spring. I actually was spending time on top of Lifjell in the Telemark region where it snowed most days. If you have forgotten: here's what it looked like. This year I am spending my spring in Norway again. However, this time I had something completely different to photograph. 

I had seen these magpies a few days ago. Flying back and forth to their 'building site'. And last Sunday they were still busy with it. So, I snapped some photos. You can see one of the magpies quite clearly, the other one is a bit harder to find, but it is there. Right underneath the other one actually, you can see the top of its head. 

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'Mother'

Imagine what it would be like to be a mother of twelve. And not getting them one after the other, but all at once! Keep up, follow me, don't get lost! We need to get to the water, so you lot can learn to swim!

They needed a bit of help though. Mummy Duck kept running into the fence because there were too many people about. In the end she managed it though, mainly because my colleague helped her out with a firm hand. Clearing the way for her and her brood!

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G is for...

Gobble gobble

I know, I am cheating a little, but I couldn't find another (recent) G I was happy with, so turkey it is! Turkeys originally hail from the Americas (North and Central) and are related to the chicken. They are now almost synonymous with Christmas as most of the English speaking nations of the world will eat turkey for their Christmas dinner.

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'Growing'

I don't know whether it fits this prompt perfectly, but there was only one set of photos that fit, at least in my view!

I always love watching a small, young family, especially of the animal variety. This duck family was desperately trying to get to water and was finding it rather difficult: there was a wicker wall in the way that was blocking one side of their route and people blocking another side of their route. In the end though, one of the humans (my colleague) took pity and with a firm hand and a lot of coaxing he managed to get them on the right track. After which they all took the plunge into the water. Aaaahhh...

Of course part of the whole trip to the water was to make them swim more and trust the water. Find food and grow up, become like mum! Big and strong. Quack!

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'Mother'

This week's prompt is Mother, probably due to Mother's Day that was held all over Europe last Sunday (apart from the UK, who celebrate it in June March (thank you little sister) for some reason). As I said before I will not post photos of my family or friends, so a photo of my own mother is out of the question. I did find another one though.

When I was in England in April, we visited Wimpole Hall and this time I went to see the farm instead of the house. And there were mothers and babies everywhere! Calves, lambs, piglets, chicks, you name it: they were there. In this photo there might not have been any babies, but there certainly were angry mothers: hissing at the big bloke who was taking their babies (ie the eggs) away! To no avail though: the eggs were taken, either to be sold or to be hatched elsewhere!

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