Second week of the holidays: Butterflies, Dragonfies and some birds

 During my holiday, I went with my friend Eric Koops to Limburg in the southeast of the Netherlands to see butterflies and dragonflies. It was a success with lots of rare ones. I managed to see 6 new butterflies and 5 new dragonflies! Just see the pictures below😊

me photographing Marbled White

Eric photographing Mazarine Blue

Marbled Fritillary Brenthis daphne

Marbled White Melanargia galathea

Large Checkered Skipper Heteropterus morpheus

Small Skipper Thymelicus syvestris

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

Purple Emperor Apatura iris

Mazarine Blue Cyaniris semiargus

Short-tailed Blue Cupido argiades

Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages

Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens (upper male, lower female)

Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo

Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum caerulescens

Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum (upper female, lower male)

Green Snaketail Ophiogomphus cecilia

Small Pincertail Onychogomphus forcipatus

Dainty Bluet Coenagrion scitilum

Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva

Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope

And some on the island of Schiermonnikoog

Niobe Fritillary Fabriciana niobe

Purple Hairstreak Favonius quercus

Speckled Brown Pararge aegeria

Grayling Hipparchia semele

Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola

Common Bluetail ischnura elegans

Common Bluet Enallagma cyathigerum

Stock Dove

one of the young Barn Owls (photo with mobile phone)

young Crow

Litte Grebe with pullus on the Berkenplas at Schiermoonikoog

young Chaffinch in our garden

Blackcap at the drinking station in our garden

Firts week in the Netherlands

 We're on holiday in the Netherlands again, with 'basecamp' on Schiermonnikoog. At Groningen, I needed to see Lilypad Whiteface (Leocorrhinia caudalis). This dragonfly species disappears in July, so I had only one chance this year. I saw it with my brother there!

Otherwise, good birding on the island with the usual suspects, such as Spoonbill, Little and Great Egret. I did a few night walks, trying to get some owls. On one of those walks with my daughter, we got a European Nightjar, two Long-eared owls, and a family of Barn Owls. Otherwise, displaying Woodcocks all over the place.

Nightjar was a new species for the island for me. I got four new species so far, the others being Cett's Warbler, Quail, and Glossy ibis. Not bad!

Next weekend I will be visiting the south of the Netherlands with a friend. It will be minimal birding, but hopefully good numbers of Butterflies and Dragonflies!

juvenile Spoonbill arguing with a Lapwing

adult Spoonbill

Barn Swallow in the garden of the holiday cabin

Pheasant mother with 8 chicks

Garganey with young

Honey Buzzard

🎤 Barn Owl family

🎤 Barn Owl family at nesting site

🎤 Long-eared Owl begging juvenile

🎤 Eurasian Woodcock displaying

🎤 Cetti's Warbler call

Scarlet Darter

Lilypad Whiteface