Dutch Christmas

Cloudy and mild weather during christmas in the Netherlands. Had the opportunity to visit Delfzijl in the north-east. Mainly gulls. Had Caspian Gull and Yellow-legged Gull, both adults, on the same spot. Both species are scarce and present mainly during winter. Both are typical white-headed large gulls and relatively easy to pick out in flocks in early winter, when the northern gulls are not yet white-headed.
Due to this trip I missed the Lesser Scaup on Øygarden...

Yellow-legged Gull. Note large size, dark upperparts, white head with light eye and yellow legs

Caspian Gull. Note large size, dark mantle, though not as dark as on YLG, white head,  small, dark eye and rather slender bill with a darke smudge on the gonys

Same bird. Note the long, white tongue on the inner web of p9, black to and including p5 and pinkish leggs

Large numbers of Common Shelducks and Eurasian Curlews on the Wadden Sea

Barnacle Geese

Egyptian Geese, very common in the Netherlands

Away to the Netherlands

Today I'm travelling to the Netherlands for christmas. Back next week. Had six flyby Waxwings this morning, otherwise quiet. Hope the Lesser Scaup at Skogsøy will stay...

so far for the birds

Winter has come! Now only wait for a nice thrush in the garden.

Geese again

After some serious gales (and a busy period working) went out to Øygarden, hoping to find some blown in rarity. But, nothing spectaculair today. The group of four Taiga Bean Geese still present, together with three Pinkfeets at Breivik and a couple of autumn leftovers, being three Starlings and about seven Redwings.

Taiga Bean Geese at Breivik. Note the typical almost swan-like jizz with long neck and long, quite slender bill. Note the variable amount of orange on the bills as well.

Redwing at Davøy