Birding 22-Feb-2009 Kromslootpark, Almere

Birding
22-Feb-2009
There was no report made on the last Sunday in February, (22nd Feb.) but certainly one thing stood out and that was the song thrush fall, whose full song echoed from every corner of the Kromslootpark. Being one of my favourite bird sounds I was enthralled at the variation, the sharpness of tone cutting through the morning chill. Who would stay and who would travel further northwards, there is surely not enough space for all of them. Then again the fertile soil that is the polders, has treasures untold, and the bird density in the “park” is tremendous.
Naturally great and blue and long tailed tits did abound as usual, though they had to work hard to make themselves heard. The grey lag geese and the meadow pipits remained a fixture of the plain nearest the car park. The jays continued their dance along the path before me, leading me on as if to a wonderful discovery, then dodging away laughing as if to say, only fooling!

Birding Monday Morning 16th Feb 2099

Date: 16/02/2009
Location: Kromslootpark, Almere

Warm and wet could describe the conditions at least underfoot, a starkcontrast to the past few mornings when the frozen unyielding ground borehard into the soles of my boots. The softer weather had brought the waterbirds to the fore. A skating coot darted from the reed beds as weapproached. Later on more coots were heard and mallard and Smew and tuftedduck, along with the considerable numbers of geese all made for a mixed morning. Notable was the spotting of the lone tree creeper and the pair of Goldcrests- busy feeding low down in the bushes. Where were all the finches then, after last weeks abundance of goldies and greenies, not a sign ofeither to be seen. All headed north in the hope of finding virgin groundfor the season ahead I suppose. An angry long tailed tit crossed our paths we crossed his. The blue tits were once again in full song, and the last of the meadow pipits, making use of the “unflooded” parts of the plain still as wary as ever not giving us any benefit of their doubt, keeping their distance as usual. It was a rather rushed run through the park due to some pressing family matters. There were probably some I missed, but nevertheless 19 bird types, and with the promise of more to come only round the corner. Will the smew stay round and breed? To be continued. Thanks toVivienne my wife for accompanying me this morning.
Blackbird,
blue tit,
great tit
Swan,
Carrion crow
Grey lag geese
Jay
LOng tailed tit
Meadow pipits
Song thrush
Starling
Wood pigeon
Wren
goldcrest
Tree creeper
Tufted duck
Smew
Coot
Mallard