A few days ago a hungry young Cuckoo showed itself nicely. The host parents, a pair of Meadow Pipits flew constantly with food. The menu consisted largely of grasshoppers and other large insects! Adult Common Cuckoos often leave in July to their wintering grounds in Africa. The young birds follow weeks later.

Koekoek / Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus, juveniel gevoerd door Graspieper / juvenile fed by Meadow Pipit, Den Hoorn, Texel, 31-07-2014 

The highlight of last week was the record of a Griffon Vulture on Friday, August 1. The bird was first seen in Den Helder and then crossed over the Marsdiep to Texel. It is a second calendar year based on, inter alia, only a few molted inner primaries and pointed remiges. After several hours have flown on Texel the bird turned back to the mainland. The next day sightings were reported from Alkmaar, Haarlem, Leiden and Delft. It is the fourth record of Texel. The first record was exactly 14 years ago on August 1, 2000 followed by observations on 22 and 23 June 2005 (same bird) and on June 12, 2010. 

Vale Gier / Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus, tweede kalenderjaar / 2nd cy, met Buizerd/ with Common Buzzard, Den Hoorn, Texel, 01-08-2014