Between family dinners, I took the opportunity to visit Kalandsvannet for the pair of Smew reported the last few days. I couldn't find them in Kalandsviken, but after checking Gorvika twice I succeeded finding them. Saw them for about ten minutes before they disappeared again, flying off.
Not often one sees such a fine male here, only my second time
As the Spectacled Eider returned in October, I booked a long weekend in the Netherlands to see it. On Friday the 5th I visited Texel with my brother Sybrand, Lazar, Dusan and Lory Brinkhuizen and Enno Ebels. A dense fog made it difficult to find, but after two hours I located the bird. And there it was, preening at only 25 meters, giving superb views and photographic opportunities for almost an hour. What a bird👊!!!
Otherwise, a bit of birding around Groningen with birds such as two Corn Buntings, a Hen Harrier, a nice Woodcock, some flyby and calling Water Pipits, lots of geese (with a few Tundra Bean) and a distant third-winter Caspian Gull😊
