DUTCH INTERLUDE. 1. WARBLERS IN THE POLDER
Early in May I flew to Holland from Cork, in order to visit Riet and to
sample spring there. the weather gradually became as glorious as it was in
Cork when I left, and Holland in early May is a riot of colours, embedded
in many shades of green.
On 4 May we walked in the low marshy polders at Tienhoven, just N of
Utrecht, an area I told you about before. The wet alder brooklands were
full of birds, and contrary to the situation in Cork warblers here dominate
the bird chorus: the beautiful melancholy falling cadences of the Willow
Warbler, the metronomic beat of the Chiffchaff, and the clear musical
phrases of the Blackcap, usually with 'a few words underlined' in every
strophe, were everywhere around, and easily outshone the also common
Chaffinches, Winter Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins and Blackbirds. the reed birds
were not yet in full strength (no Bluethroats today, no Reed Warblers
either), but the ever-enthousiastic Sedge warblers were back in numbers,
and we also enjoyed hearing the secret travel alarm-clock of Savi's Warbler.
On the fens the Coots all were sitting on nests, but some of the Great
Crested Grebes had already quite large stripy-headed young, mallards
Ducklings were everywhere, and the numerous Greylag Geese seemed to have
gathered their downy young in what looked like large creches. Overhead the
first Common terns fished and shrieked, and Barn Swallows cruised everywhere.
The low-lying grassy polders were dotted with geese (mostly Greylags, but
also here a few Egyptian geese have penetrated) and Mute swans, and
Lapwings show off their acrobatic display flights and tirelessly chase the
Carrion Crows. Only a few Black-tailed Godwits today, unknown why, but a
stately White Stork compensated. This species is making a happy comeback in
the netherlands, after much hard work by conservationists. Most unexpected
were two (a pair?) of Wood Sandpipers, with the male in full dosplay
flight; it sounded like home in N.Norway!
This few hours walk yielded 55 bird species 'without really trying'.
Holland is really rich in birds, in spite of housing more than 15 million
people 'on a handkerchief'!
Wim Vader, Tromsoe Museum
9037 Tromsoe, Norway
until 15 June UCC, Cork, Ireland
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