Birding 29-March-2009 Kromslootpark Almere

Birding Sunday 29-March 2009
Kromslootpark, Almere

It seems almost as cold now as it did in January when the canals were frozen, or maybe it’s my eyes, which run with tears at any temperature (and a little wind) below 15 deg C. This does pose a problem at times when I wish to face into the wind and catch a glimpse of a singer and all I see is a watery shimmering image as if every bird brought great emotion to me causing me to whell up in tears. No, no nothing of the sort, simply some inherited allergy to cold wind.
Chiff chaffs as if they had never been away and as if they had always been here, that’s what meets and greets when I open the car door this morning. Often the first bird you hear when the car is parked and the door is opened sets the tone for the day. In January it was the great tits, then in Feb, the Song Thrushes, now the Chiff chaffs. Don’t they have any other utterance other than their namesake?
Great tits, jays (more solitary than groups as was the case some weeks ago), Meadow tits, Lapwing pair, Carrion Crows, Grey lag Geese, Blackbird, Coots, Tufted ducks, long tailed tits, Reed buntings, is this sounding monotonous, just like last Sunday? Copy paste. Look there goes another birder; maybe this is my friend Van de Berg, from de Haven. Sure enough, I caught up with him. His tally this morning, sparrow hawks, buzzards, and such like, and an over flying flying great egret. I mentioned my suspected sighting of an Osprey yesterday (Saturday during the hockey match in Zeist) No too early he said. I am not so sure as I got a good look at the two black markings on the undersides of the wings, and it was nothing like a harrier or buzzard, or kite. So I mark that one down as a sighting then, though uncorroborated. Must rush I said. Irish dancing competition in Geldrop this morning, must wake the kids and get them going.

Sure enough later on as I sped towards home, I met a buzzard, more Reed buntings, and a high flying great egret. Chaffinch in the same place as last week, a robin also in the same place, Chiff chaffs everywhere, well at least 8 of them. It looked liked the gadwells were down in number, together with the pair of swans (there are 2 pair as far as I can see in the park) they paint a serene sight, content to tolerate even living in harmony together. A pattern is starting to appear like painting by numbers. The disappearance of the song trushes, which some weeks ago were dominating the soundscape, has given way to a less melodious fellow who only sings his namesake. How about that the great spotted woodpecker in exactly the same place as last week, what did I say about pattern.
Van de berg (the man I met earlier) said he was waiting and hoping for his first “FITIS” or willow warbler of the season. I too. How many more this morning in Holland were keeping their ears peeled for the falling leaf, decrescendo, of the much loved Spring guest to the barbarous north. I have to say that I too this morning was disappointed in my expectation, and must wait a while longer to hear him. Van de Berg also mentioned a Kleine Plevier or little ringed plover, which he saw last week in one of the flooded plains which I must admit I missed, distracted maybe by the 4 X lapwing circling in the same area. here were also...
Grey heron
Nonnetjes (Smew) one duck and two drakes, flew away very quickly.
2 Black and white or pied or whatever they are called wagtails
wrens - maybe 3 or 4
blue tits but quiet
Hedge sparrows
The goldies were not so obvious I must say so these are a no no. Last week there was a cloud of them. but they move from copse to copse and one may well miss them. On the other hand they could have moved on.The homeward bound leg of the journey promised little except the predictable, when a small, darting metallic blue, scythe like winged bolt, caught the side of my eye. There it was, and though they saw “one swallow does not make a summer,” this barn swallow, certainly made my day, if not my spring or summer. Happy Holidays. Neil J Bourke 29-March- 2009