Yesterday I joined DW, GH and AJG on a day trip to De Haan, Belgium, mainly to see the spectacle of 1,000s of wild geese, as well as getting some chocolate and alcohol.
We caught an early morning train to Calais, then Gill drove the approximately 50 minute drive to De Haan where 1,000s of geese of 8 species were seen in the fields, along with 1,000s of Lapwing, 100s of Curlews and other wildfowl. Although the weather was not brilliant, being damp and some what dull, all the birds could be seen from the comfort of the car, it was superb day out with good birds and company.
As we arrived at De Haan we found a party of 9 Cattle Egrets
Some of the 1,000s of Pinkfeet in the fields around De Haan
A huge juvenile female Peregrine flushing the geese.
Some of the 1,000s White-front Geese also present there.
A few Tundra Bean Geese were also seen.
Common Buzzards were common there.
100s of Curlews were feeding in the wet fields.
On one of the flooded fields Gill our driver for the day picked out a distant Grey Phalarope, a short video of the Phalarope can be seen HERE . Although by no means a quality video, it was taken on my Canon Bridge camera, at the end of the video I zoom out, showing just how good these new Bridge cameras are for video, for even very distant small birds.
2500 ISO was needed for any a chance of an image.
We found this Great Northern Diver very late in the day at Ostende, along with a Slavonian Grebe, 15+ Goldeneye, dozens each of Great Crested and Little Grebes, a Kingfisher and more.
Looks like you had a good day Martin. Could do with some those Geese in Kent right now !!
ReplyDeleteIt's quicker for us to get there than to go to Norfolk Bernie, also we only saw 1 other birder.
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