So, a Large 12 months in Rotterdam… which birds will we be capable to see? As the town has the most important port on the planet (in space, in freight quantity there at the moment are many Chinese language ports increased within the rating), we are able to count on gulls, plenty of them. Black-headed Gulls, European Herring Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gulls are ubiquitous and could be discovered all through the town. Beware, the native Lesser Black-backed Gulls are likely to have fairly greyish backs, not black, so the color of the legs and the irises are your finest area marks. Sure, it’s bizarre to stroll with binoculars by a busy metropolis, however you need to.
Except you might be a kind of bizarre gull fanciers, in fact – by which case you’ve at the least 5 different area marks to go on. Us commoners don’t wish to examine these. Speaking of frequent, Frequent Gull just isn’t frequent, however it’s right here and comparatively straightforward to identify. Identical is true for Nice Black-backed Gull, Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, and Mediterranean Gull. The opposite, extra distant, prospects within the Rotterdam port can be Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Little Gull, and Sabine’s Gull. This dozen gulls will current solely 6% of my goal, however 90% of the identification challenges. Add dangerous gentle, blustery climate situations and the longest public transport distances for the yr and we’re in for a deal with. Large 12 months Rotterdam: worst concept ever.
The gulling grounds are most proliferous within the Europoort. Attentive readers of this publish – and aren’t you all? – have examine this space already. Once I final wrote about Europoort I used to be driving there. Now I’m in a metro in the direction of Hoek van Holland. From the town centre, Hoek van Holland lies 30 kilometres to the west (because the gull flies). As you may see from the Google Earth map, there may be land additional west. Cliffhanger: we shall be visiting these areas in autumn for a vital purpose. The vagrants and different specials that may be discovered right here will make or break the Large 12 months Rotterdam. See David’s remark for instance.
A day earlier, I had the great fortune of discovering a Caspian Gull simply across the nook from my dwelling – my every day test on waarneming.nl indicated the fowl was there, and a 200-meter twitch resulted in a great sighting of this gull. A number of Herring Gulls of various ages had been current to offer the distinction that facilitates identification. Herring Gulls are thuggish you-know-whats whereas the Caspian appears friendlier. Misplaced anthropomorphism, as I’m certain each species will gouge my eyes out with equal relish given half an opportunity.
That was yesterday. At present I scored a Eurasian Kestrel and a Ring-necked Pheasant from the metro (whereas ensuring I did see them on Rotterdam floor). After a bit longer than half-hour the metro reached the seashore. For now, let’s see what the pier and the adjoining seashore ship and depart the dunes for springtime. To the pier! Though, having mentioned that… a Eurasian Sparrowhawk flew into the dunes, perhaps I ought to? No, no, that was the one spotlight – I have to return in March for extra spectacle on this biotope.
Scanning the North Sea by wind-blown watery eyes supplied some good views of European Shag, Northern Gannet and many gulls and cormorants. I seen a big group of birds throughout the Nieuwe Waterweg, acquired out the scope and noticed predominantly Herring Gulls and Nice Cormorants, however there have been some massive dark-backed gulls amongst them: Nice Black-backed Gull. If not for the comparability with the Herring Gulls I’d not have been certain, however the measurement distinction is marked. Nearer by, and with out the watery eyes, there have been massive numbers of Purple Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone on the pier. The seashore featured dozens of Eurasian Oystercatcher and Sanderling doing their “run away from the waves” antics. All in all, I felt fairly glad regardless of lacking out on Frequent Gull and Mediterranean Gull whose identifications I simply didn’t really feel assured about. Thankfully, the Frequent Gull confirmed itself very well within the Spoorweghaven later within the week.
Large 12 months Rotterdam, 18 January 2025, 46 species, 154 to go.