Rotterdam is the one metropolis on the planet the place retailers promote shirts with the sleeves already rolled up. It’s a metropolis that prides itself on its exhausting work mentality, range, trendy structure, its completely implausible soccer membership Feyenoord, and its super-sized port. It’s this port we shall be visiting.
The Rotterdam port stretches from its origin close to the St Laurens cathedral to the second Maasvlakte – a distance of 40 km because the Carrion Crow flies. Buried beneath the port: total villages and fairly superior pure areas. All that’s gone however in return we now have “rocky shores”, limitless steppe-like areas and the province’s tallest mountain, a poisonous waste dump. Notice – Dutch individuals will name “mountain” something above the peak of a dike and I see no cause to alter that conference simply because a few of you reside within the Alps, Rockies, Andes, or Himalayas.
Town centre consists of purchasing areas and plenty of harbours. These harbours have their inhabitants of Mute Swan, Mallard and Black-headed, Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Mew Gull. The timber lining the harbours can include something from Home Sparrow (sure, they’re nonetheless right here!), European Blackbird, Chaffinch, Nice Tit, Rose-ringed Parakeet and different frequent birds. The birds are very approachable. You received’t be including “ticks” to your checklist of lifers however you’ll be capable of see a pair of Nice Crested Grebe care for his or her younger up shut and private. Whereas having fun with a chilly beer or a sizzling espresso.
Jackdaws and Carrion Crows eat discarded chips all through town. My award-winning image of a Feral Pigeon was in fact taken in Rotterdam. Even considerably unique birds like Purple-crested Pochard are at all times a chance.
If it’s important to depend on public transport there’s fairly a couple of choices. The metro can take you to the Kralingse Bos – a big and comparatively wild park and lake. The mix of woods and water will nearly assure a full slate of frequent Dutch birds, with an occasional much less frequent specimen thrown in for good measure. Alternatively, take the Water Bus out of town to Krimpen aan den IJssel. A brief stroll from the ferry’s quay – via a really unappealing industrial space – is the Stormpoldervloedbos, a tidal freshwater swamp. Amazingly, it’s not an eBird hotspot. Once I lived on this village (clearly previous to my eBirding days) I visited typically, as a result of this can be a very dependable place to see Marsh Warbler. The tides additionally create uncommon botanical circumstances. Do watch these tides – you do not need to be trapped right here as a result of rising tide. In the event you lease a motorcycle in Rotterdam you possibly can discover additional afield or proceed crusing to Kinderdijk for the windmills.
In the event you had been to have a automotive you possibly can observe the Village Individuals and go west. To the brand new ports – constructed within the second half of the final century. Sufficiently big quays and deep sufficient water to obtain super-tankers and large container ships. The newer elements of the port are huge and comparatively empty. Many species come right here to winter, breed or moult regardless of the presence of six refineries. As an illustration, Lesser Black-backed Gulls have a considerable breeding colony proper subsequent to a chemical plant. Heading west on the A15 you’ll quickly realise how far west you truly are: you’ll move an indication telling you to show proper for England! As an alternative you’ll proceed straight forward on the A15 for a lot of kilometres till exit 8, Oostvoorne-Brielle-Rockanje. Flip off, observe the parallel street in direction of the Slufter, the mountain… There’s a cover overlooking the Oostvoornse Meer and the just lately created Slikken van Voorne. Once I visited in February a chilly robust wind prevented me from staying too lengthy, however I managed to see sizable flocks of Greylag Goose, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew, Sanderling, Dunlin and Herring Gull from the look-out level. A close-by little wetland allowed me some attractiveness of Greylag Goose, Canada Goose; Egyptian Goose, Mallard and Eurasian Teal. This place turns into very “ducky” when temperatures begin rising.
In the event you proceed straight as an alternative of turning in direction of the Slufter you’ll be coming into the Maasvlakte – a large open steppe-like space. More often than not it is going to be empty bar the occasional Widespread Kestrel or gull, however control the rarity alerts and eBird. Eurasian Dotterel might even be thought of a “common” rarity. Lanceolated Warbler, Purple-breasted Flycatcher, Pink-footed Goose have all been noticed on this space. Searching to sea from one of many vantage factors might sometimes end in sightings of Sabine’s Gull or Sooty Shearwater. In brief: something can present up if you present up.