As summer draws to a close, autumn migration is already starting to get underway. Songbirds such as Pied Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Garden Warbler are beginning their journey south. As are many waders. As a birdwatcher, this phenomenon is already amazing. The inevitable vagrants that show up every year make it exciting.
August is a great month to see and photograph waders. Arctic species leave their breeding grounds and fly south, often visiting the Netherlands. 'Our' wading birds now have large young ones. In short, there is plenty to see!
Kleine Plevier / Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius, juv, Texel, 05082024
Bontbekplevier / Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, juv, Texel, 05082024
Kleine Strandloper / Little Stint Calidris minuta, ad, Texel, 05082024
Zwarte Ruiter / Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus, ad zk→wk, Texel, 07082024
You hear it more often than you see it, Great Bittern. Living hidden in the reeds, this heron reveals itself by its remarkable low and far-carrying, booming sound. It is a rare breeding bird on Texel. This year appears to be a good year for this species with a conservative estimate of between five and ten breeding pairs.
Roerdomp - Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris, ad, Texel, 20-06-2024
Roerdomp - Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris, juv, Texel, 07-06-2024
In July, many waders leave their northern breeding area and visit the Waddden area as a stopover on the journey to their southern wintering area. Red Knots, Bar-tailed Godwits and Dunlins in particular are often seen in large groups of several thousand birds. A surprise was the juvenile Mediterranean Gull, which showed up at the Wagejot on July 19. Mediterranean Gulls occasionally breed on Texel. This young bird probably did not hatch from the egg on Texel.
The month of June started off excellently with the sighting of a rare wader at the Renvogelveld near the lighthouse. A Lesser Yellowlegs walked right in front off the view point. The next day, June 2, the bird was seen around 8:00 am but not again after that. This is the eighth record for Texel. Another 'yank' turned up on June 3 at the De Bol nature reserve. An adult American Golden Plover, a breeding male showed himself beautifully. The American was with six European Golden Plovers. To date, the bird has been spotted irregularly in the same area. This wader has already been seen thirteen times on Texel.
Kleine Geelpootruiter - Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes, Texel, 01-06-2024
Amerikaanse Goudplevier - American Golden plover Pluvialis dominica, ad ♂, Texel, 03-06-2024
Over de auteur/fotograaf
Jos van den Berg is een bekende Texelse vogelaar en fotograaf. Hij is dagelijks in het veld te vinden en schrijft regelmatig een blog over nieuwe vogelsoorten, excursies op Texel en andere wetenswaardigheden.
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