Private birding excursion report Lauwersmeer May 19 2018
Today I was allowed to take care of a birding excursion Lauwersmeer for three people. Two daughters had booked the excursion as a birthday present for their mother. The request was also not to have to walk too much. The weather was fine for a bird excursion: 16 degrees, wind force 3 and cloudy.
Rooks, black crows and jackdaw
We started at the colony with rooks, after distributing the loan binos. On the spot we saw the rooks high in the trees and on the nest. Because there was also a black crow and a jackdaw to see, the difference between these species could well be seen, especially through the telescope. We also saw a pheasant and white wagtail. Of course not all birds showed themselves. From the blue tit, greenling, chiffchaff and black head we only heard the vocals. Birds swallow and house swallow flew above the water (note the white bounce). The coot, grebe and herring gull filled the list of sightings, and finally a blue heron came flying over. Then it was time to go to the Ezumakeeg. Because the participants joined me in the car, we were able to add a number of birds on the way.
Quail in the grass and harrier in the reeds
When we entered the Ezumakeeg area, I suddenly heard a quail through the open window. He was close to the road, but still had a good hide in the vegetation. Not to see, but nice to hear! For the participants this was the first time they had heard this bird.
We first went to Ezumakeeg-Noord. There was a little rascite singing, swift swallows flying over our heads and sitting at the table, shelduck, gadwall and shoveler in the water. For a moment, a harrier was showing, but it landed in the reeds before everyone had seen it. So first we went on to look at the waders: oystercatcher, avocet, redshank, godwit and ringed plover. After some detective work, there was still a summer fall, widgeon and pintail through the telescope. Meanwhile, a beard man let himself be heard. Fortunately, the male harrier went away from the reeds a little later, so that everyone could see him with the binoculars.
Colorful birds on the way
When we were on our way to Ezumakeeg-Zuid, we met some nice birds along the way. First a male reed bunting, followed by two creaks and finally a bluethroat. A lot of color in the spotlight!
Then it was first time for coffee / tea and cake, and a chat moment. Then again with the birds. Outside the hut a peregrine falcon came along, hunting for a tasty bird. He was also quickly gone again, so is unfortunately not seen by all participants. From the hut a number of Temminck’s sandpipers could be seen. There was also a nice variegated ruff and a teal swam. In contrast to the thousands of barnacle geese, which were still there a few weeks ago, only a few were now in the area. Was the rest finally drawn towards the North?
We also went a bit further to the north. Along the way we saw a buzzard. At the cormorant colony we stopped, and saw putters sitting in the trees. We also saw large black-backed gull and common tern.
Just a flying carpet of stonemasons
The last stop was in the Port of Lauwersoog. But let’s see if the cyclers were there this time. It was high water, so they could not forage (eat) on the flats or between the debris. They turned out to be on a jetty across the street, with a lot of them together. One of the participants had the association with a wavy carpet, when she looked at the large group of stonemasons through the telescope. At least a beautiful sight!
Then it was time to drive back to the car of the participants. We had no shortage of conversation, and the ladies had seen many birds they had never seen before. I think the birthday present with their mother was very nice and the daughters did not mind that they could have enjoyed it themselves 😉
Observed bird species
1 Barn Goose – Branta leucopsis
2 Greylag Goose – Anser anser
3 Mute swan – Cygnus olor
4 Shelduck – Tadorna tadorna
5 Garganey – Spatula querquedula
6 Shoveler – Spatula clypeata
7 Gadwall – Mareca strepera
8 Wigeon – Mareca penelope
9 Wild Duck – Anas platyrhynchos
10 Pintail – Anas acuta
11 Teal – Anas crecca
12 Pochard – Aythya ferina
13 Tufted duck – Aythya fuligula
14 Quail – Coturnix coturnix
15 Pheasant – Phasianus colchicus
16 Grebe – Podiceps cristatus
17 Blue Heron – Ardea cinerea
18 Cormorant – Phalacrocorax carbo
19 Marsh Harrier – Circus aeruginosus
20 Buzzard – Buteo buteo
21 Coot – Fulica atra
22 Oystercatcher – Haematopus ostralegus
23 Avocet – Recurvirostra avosetta
24 Ringed Plover – Charadrius hiaticula
25 Godwit – Limosa limosa
26 Turnstone – Arenaria interpres
27 Ruff – Calidris pugnax
28 Temminck’s Sandpiper – Calidris temminckii
29 Redshank – Tringa totanus
30 Black-headed Gull – Chroicocephalus ridibundus
31 Great black-backed gull – Larus marinus
32 Herring Gull – Larus argentatus
33 Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus
34 Common Tern – Sterna hirundo
35 Swift – Apus apus
36 Peregrine Falcon – Falco peregrinus
37 Jackdaw – Coloeus monedula
38 Rook – Corvus frugilegus
39 Black Crow – Corvus corone
40 Blue Tit – Cyanistes caeruleus
41 Great Tit – Parus major
42 Bearded man – Panurus biarmicus
43 barn swallow – Hirundo rustica
44 House Martin – Delichon urbicum
45 Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita
46 Sedge Warbler – Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
47 Lesser Karekite – Acrocephalus scirpaceus
48 Blackcap – Sylvia atricapilla
49 Common Starling – Sturnus vulgaris
50 Bluethroat – Luscinia svecica
51 House Sparrow – Passer domesticus
52 White Wagtail – Motacilla alba
53 Finch – Fringilla coelebs
54 Groenling – Chloris chloris
55 Kneu – Linaria cannabina
56 Putter – Carduelis carduelis
57 Reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus
