Peter B's 2024

[Peter Connan]

Lovely shot of the bearded Tit.

I reckon any in-flight shot of a Bittern is a good one.

[BRACQUENE]

Thanks Peter ; heard the Bittern last week in de Blankaart but this time I saw him twice in flight but no shot of the afternoon sighting as he was hiding quickly in the reed ; as for the bearded tits it is definitely the place to see them regularly in Flanders !

[TonyQ]

Well done with the Bittern - great shot.

Beautiful Bluethroat also!

[Kitsafari]

great shots of the bearded tit and that blue really popped on the bluethroat. 

[BRACQUENE]

Thanks @TonyQand @Kitsafari!

Return today to Grote Wal Baasrode and a first visit to the other side of the river Scheldt called Vlassenbroek ; I wanted to double my chances to find that Golden Oriole that's driving me mad  for the moment but alas not one sound of the bird the whole morning ( I tried already Meilegem and Rietbeemd by the way but not any luck either)  : but of course I will not give up as you all  know !

 

There was however some activity in the air : 

 

Honey-buzzard 

Black Kite 

Common Buzzard 

Eurasian Sparrowhawk 

 

 

And on the ground a lovely scene : 

A Mute Swan on the nest 

But also another Swan , even two after a while .... 

126/ Black Swan ( Cygnus atratus - Zwarte zwaan ) Vlassenbroek 23th of May 2024 : 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Great Bittern and Bluethroat are always fantastic birds to get, well done!

[BRACQUENE]

Like last year in March and June we went to Cadzand in Zeeland (the Netherlands)  ,  returning yesterday ; at least the weather was decent even if we had gale force winds on Monday and a few showers from time to time the rest of the week ; for those who are interested from October 2023 to May 2024 803,2 mm of rain fell in eight months in Brussels , a record since observations started in 1833 ! How I managed to get some decent birding done anyway is a mystery for me 

My first visit was Het "Zwin " were I went twice ; the map shows that it is just on the border ( you can walk from Cadzand to overlook the area ) but to get into the reserve itself you have to go to the Belgian town of Knokke ; the unique saltmarsh habitat can be visited only through the Zwin Nature Park where an entrance fee must be paid . Best time to visit is spring migration from March until May and especially when there is an easterly wind, visible migration can be strong, and on some days even impressive. This year hasn't been so good as some local guides told me and now in June it was even calmer to say the least ...

het 

When you think about het Zwin it's White Storks that come immediately into your mind ; remember them from my childhood ....

On the ground : 

 

On the nest 

 

Or in the air 

 

 

 

On my first visit I was lucky to see several Common Redshank much better than earlier this year : 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Meadow Pipits everywhere : 

 

 

 

In the sky the inevitable Sky Lark :

A group of Spoonbills :

 

A few Little Egret : 

 

 
But also a new one for this BY ...

127/ Zitting Cisticola ( Cisticola junidis - Graszanger ) Knokke-Heist Het Zwin 13th of June 2024 :

 

 

   

 

As were these Geese which I would see again the day after in the Sophiapolder in Zeeland : 

128/ Barnacle Goose ( Branta leucopsis- Brandgans ) Knokke-Heist Het Zwin & Oostburg Sophiapolder 11th & 12th of June 2024 : 

 

 

We left Het Zwin with a special sighting :  It is one of the only areas in Belgium where common tree frog still occurs ! 

[PeterHG]

I know the area by reputation, but I've never actually visited it. You certainly got some nice species and that tree frog is very special!

[BRACQUENE]

One of the places I didn't visit last year was the "Sophiapolder" ; it isn't accessible as such but you can overlook the area from the road and there is a lot of activity because

it is a breeding spot for many birds (distance makes it not always easy to spot them though )

But the colony of the beautiful Black-winged Stilt was for once not too far away to my delight ! 

 

 

 

 

 

As was this lonely Northern Lapwing :

But the nicest surprise was difficult to see in bad light and another birder made me aware of it : 

 

129/ Whiskered Tern ( Chlidonias hybridus - Witwangstern ) Oostburg Sophiapolder 12th of June 2024 :   

 

 

 

And heading to another birdingplace that was new for me " Het Groote Gat " close to Oostburg as well : 

 

 Black-tailed Godwit 

Sedge Warbler

Marsh Warbler 

But even more interesting ... behind  the Avocet :

130/ Great Ringed Plover ( Charadrius hiaticula- Bontbekplevier ) Oostburg Het Groote Gat 14th of June 2024 : 

 

 

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

Some more sightings and impressions from last week : 

 

Cadzand seen from Het Zwin & Het Zwin seen from Cadzand 

 

 

White Stork in Het Zwin 

 

Black-necked Grebe in De Blikken reserve

Marsh Harrier in Groote Gat reserve

Grey Heron and Little Egret in Cadzand

 

Avocet and Oystercatcher in De Blikken reserve

 

 

The prey was too big ! 

Common Whitethroat at Het Zwin 

 Spoonbills in Waterdunen

Reed Bunting Het Zwin 

Linnet in Cadzand 

 

 

Common Buzzard in De Nokkert reserve