Western Palearctic Birding

Belgium and The Netherlands, 4 May 2008

A 24-hour dash to the Low Countries dubbed as 'Plastic Fantastic' due to the main targets being the established category C species of Black Swan and Bar-headed Goose in The Netherlands! The presence the long staying and probably ship-assisted Boat-tailed Grackle (a 1st for the Western Palearctic) near the port of Antwerp in Belgium was the enticement we needed to make the trip at this particular time.   

Having left Norwich at 18.00 on 3 May and stopping at Lee's house in Thetford for some maps and a quick lesson in how to use his GPS we continued down to Folkestone where we'd booked a 23.35 slot on the Eurotunnel to Calais.

Things didn't go according to plan though. Having proceeded through the passport check and driven the car onto the train we waited and waited. Eventually the doors opened and we were asked to leave the train as it was experiencing 'technical problems'. A long drive around various service roads led us back to the carpark and terminal building where nobody knew what was happening. Getting various estimates of the length of the delay (anything from 1 to 3 hours or indefinite!) we took advantage of a free coffee and after a chance question to a passing official were asked to get back to the cars and board again. To cut a long story short we departed at about 01.40 instead of 23.35

All aboard the Eurotunnel train

The rest of the journey was smooth and after a 3 hour drive north through France, Belgium and The Netherlands we reached our furthest destination of Veluwemeer (c35 miles north of Utrecht) as the light became birdable. This site is an extensive area of water with a reedy fringe and from a screen/hide on the south side we were greeted by the buzzing songs of 3 White-spotted Bluethroats and some great views of them on the reed tops. Several Tree Sparrows were around the paddocks by the lane and a detailed scan of the water revealed 1 Garganey, 2 Red-crested Pochards, huge numbers of Mute Swans, a undoubtedly dodgy Lesser Flamingo, c12 Common Terns and 4 distant Black Terns. A Lesser Whitethroat sang as we left to drive around to the north side for an alternative view. Here we located our target of 6 Black Swans feeding against reeds on the far bank and also added another Red-crested Pochard, 4 Common Sandpipers, a final count of c750 Mute Swans, a single Wheatear and great views of a Cuckoo calling from a treetop. As we left the area a Common Buzzard eyed us from a roadside post.

Veluwemeer

Cuckoo, Veluwemeer

Lesser Flamingo, Veluwemeer (copyright Lee Gregory)

After seeing Black Swan at Veluwemeer (sad!)

Tulip fields, Flevoland

Our next destination was the grazing meadows of De Heulse Waard, Houten just to the SE of Utrecht. Upon arrival the hoped for Bar-headed Geese were nowhere to be seen. A drive and scan along the riverside meadows and we'd quickly clocked up 4 Barnacle Geese, 3 White-fronted Geese, several Black-tailed Godwits and Common Terns before I got onto a single Bar-headed Goose flying along the line of the river. A White Stork flew over our heads before we located a nest in the distance on the far side of the river with 2 more birds on. Returning to the original place we'd joined the river we then had 12 Bar-headed Geese that this time had obligingly waddled up onto the bank that they had obviously been lurking behind earlier!

Bar-headed Geese, De Heulse Waard, Houten, nr Utrecht (copyright Lee Gregory)

De Heulse Waard, Houten, near Utrecht

It was then onward to our final port of call in The Netherlands, the reserve known as Natuurplas Braeveld at Woerden to the west of Utrecht. This is essentially an area of flooded gravel pits beside a newlt built housing estate. Viewing from the SE corner of the built up area we found 6 Black Swans at much closer range than those seen at Veluwemeer plus 2 lingering Wigeon, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Common Sandpipers and a couple of singing Garden Warblers.

Black Swans, Woerden, nr Utrecht (bottom image copyright Lee Gregory)

Aware of the time and the need to give it as long as possible at our final site we then headed south and into Belgium. The Boat-tailed Grackle was originally found near the docks on the west side of Antwerp many weeks earlier and over the weeks had gone unreported for weeks at a time. Recent news however seemed better with Lee and co having scored a week earlier and a local Raymond De Smeet having very kindly confirmed it's presence at noon on 2 May. In it's long stay it had wandered widely however. Upon arrival at the spot of the last sighting near the village of Kieldrecht we began searching the meadows and grazing marshes it has been favouring. I ventured down a side road named Oud Arenberg and within a few minutes the bird flew out from behind some farm buildings and along the lane away from me before swerving left and through a small roadside copse. I yelled the others who were about 300 meters away but unfortunately we couldn't re-locate the bird. The rest of a frustrating afternoon was spend diligently searching every possible area we could think of but to no avail, we just couldn't find it again. At one point a likely suspect flew over the lane near my first sighting but neither Jus or me got conclusive views. Despite the disappointment we all felt we did manage some other good birds which in different circumstances would have been a great backing cast - 4 Black Kites as were neared the site, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1-2 Common Buzzards, 1 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk, 24 Black-necked Grebes, 4 Garganey, 12 Spoonbills (including birds on 6 nests at the only breeding site for the species in Belgium), many Black-tailed Godwits in the meadows, 1 Green Sandpiper, numerous Avocets, 2 Black-winged Stilts, 2 Black Redstarts and singles of Reed Warbler, Wheatear, Whinchat and Cuckoo.

 

Boat-tailed Grackle, Kieldrecht

The Boat-tailed Grackle spot, Kieldrecht

Black Redstart, Kieldrecht (copyright Lee Gregory)

Black-necked Grebe, Kieldrecht

The return journey was uneventful and with better luck on the return we managed to get on an earlier train through the tunnel. We were back home in Reepham by midnight with Jus being cross-eyed having driven all of the 950 miles we'd covered!