Menno van Duijn

For the third year we've visited Helgoland, a small island about 55 km out in the North Sea and just over four square kilometers. A visit in autumn can't go without seeing and preferable photographing a Yellow-browed Warbler.

Every time I go trough my European bird books I stop at the page with the redstarts. My eye is then caught by the splended colours of the male Common Redstart, yes there are more and even prettier like the Moussier's and Guldendtadt's Redstart (only the name has more status then "Common").

On the 4th of June I guided Peter and his wife for a Birding Netherlands day tour. At the Oostvaarderplassen we came across a very cooperative Marsh Warbler which allow us to photograph him from different angles.

During the migration there's always a change for a nice opportunity. Gijsbert Twigt found a very nice male Kentish Plover (Strandplevier in Dutch) on the beach between Katwijk and Wassenaar. I visited the bird at the end of the (work)day. With some patience and tactic positioning the bird came walking (head into the wind) closer.

Some species of birds always ask for one more photo. So do Great-crested Grebes, in spring they look stunning and at places where there are more grebes around you get some nice interactions.

The best photo is always the one you have in mind. But getting the shot is more of a challenge. On the fist of April a layer of fresh snow covered the landscape. A unique opportunity and tempting to photograph some landscapes or large birds in the snow.

Februari 2022 was the month of the storms. One after the other battered the coast from all directions. For photographing breaking waves the wind from the (north) west brings in the highest waves as they have more momentum to build up.Like the previous blog I went to Scheveningen but this time with another mission. Photographing the spray of the waves in the last light of the day.

Naming storms has become a new thing, it should make people aware that it has to be taken serious, according to British studies. So in January 2022 people decided to name the storm "Corrie'. Corrie is a 83 year old and the first Dutch female meteorologist. Not sure naming the storm after this kind lady has the impact British researchers had in mind.

At the end of winter ducks start to form couples and this means a lot of displaying that goes with it. At the Brouwersdam I was guiding a tour and we first trying to photograph three Long-tailed Ducks when this flock of Eider (12 males and a single female) came towards us.

In the past decade there's a fast change in the Dutch avifauna. Southern species are moving north and common winter visitors have became very scarce.

Christmas trees are not only favoured by us this time of the year, but are more important to little birds. Coniferous trees offer good shelter for insects and small animals. They stay dry and are protected against the elements.

In January I found a Short-eared Owl, see this blog and brought it to a taxidermist. Last weekend Hans (who had brought a Woodcock) and I went to IJmuiden to collect it but went to the pier first in the morning.