Red-footed Falcon influx

Red-footed Falcon is an regular spring vagrant in the Netherlands but this has been a bumper year with up to 35 together at one site in Friesland and many others all over the country. In Amsterdam around 7 sightings including this 2cy female. I also got my first Black Kite for Holland in Amsterdam recently, long over due as its almost a breeding bird here and seen daily migrating in spring.

Cuba

With a two birding friends from England I spent 3 weeks (18th March - 7th April) in Cuba.
see more Images on my Galley http://www.pbase.com/tereksandpiper

Black-bellied Dipper

In the Netherlands due to the lack of fast-moving streams its favoured habitat Dipper's are rare. At Rozendaal near Arnhem in a series of man made streams and waterfalls I visited an over wintering Black-bellied Dipper (Scandinavia sub-species) .

5 species of Woodpecker in the Netherlands

Its possible now to see 5 species of Woodpecker in the Netherlands. I went to Berg and Dal a village south east of Nijmegen near the border with Germany. Its hilly here in the old forest and I saw Greater, Middle (pictured here last year) and Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers, a Black Woodpecker flew over calling and a few miles away I completed the set with a Green Woodpecker and another Black Woodpecker seen flying.

Ring billed Gull & House Crows

House Crows have invaded Holland and can be found at the train station in Hoek van Holland just where the ferry docks. I visited here and Tiel a small town on the bank of the Waal for a Ring billed Gull that winters there

Peregrine Falcon and Mealy Redpoll in Amsterdam

A female Peregrine Falcon has wintered for the last 11 years in a polder west of Amsterdam thought to be northern race its usually seen in an electricity mast. Peregrines are doing well here and where as this one departs to northern Scandinavia to breed others nest on power station chimneys and a TV mast nearby

I found 7 Mealy Redpoll in west Amsterdam, these are the commonest Redpoll here Lesser Redpoll are rare with only a handfull of records in the Amsterdam region.

Little Bunting

A Little Bunting is not for the first time wintering on a field near Katwijk. Formerly used for growing the famous Dutch Tulips the field has been left fallow for a few years as it is earmarked for development. There were 2 Little Buntings here the last winter and other flocks of Wood Lark, Reed Buntings and Chaffinch are present.