On 14th October I embarked on my seventh trip to
the island of Texel in the north west of the Netherlands, having sailed from
Harwich the previous evening from the ironically named Harwich
International. The port, which has
almost no amenities had now suffered the loss of the gangway, meaning the
handful of foot passengers had to be transported to the ship by a clapped out
bus. Since 2014 the terminal only
supports the ferry to Holland, since the Danish carrier DFDS had been forced to
withdraw its out-dated ferry for commercial reasons. After the withdrawal of the Newcastle-Bergen
service in 2009, there is now no passenger service to Scandinavia from the UK.
I arrived on Texel on the mid-day ferry, full of excitement,
after a week of high pressure and easterly winds promising much. However, given the vast amounts of cover on the island, it's inevitable that a lot of good birds must get over-looked, yet the island still draws a lot of birders from everywhere in Holland, especially in the autumn when Dutch Birding organize their Birding Weekend, which this year ran from 16th - 18th October.
Overnight, the weather had turned more
inclement with clouds and some rain resulting in a massive fall of migrants
onto the island. I had experienced some
good birding on Texel before, but the sheer number of birds present in the
following few days was exhilarating.
After dropping off my rucksack at my guest house, I set off
to explore the woods and scrub around de Krimbos and Sluftervallei
campsite. It was immediately apparent
that something quite extraordinary was happening with common migrants
everywhere . A twitter message I had
read earlier, which said ‘Norway is now empty’ was beginning to make
sense. There appeared to be at least one
Goldcrest or Robin in every bush, tree and tussock - trust me this is scarcely an exaggeration. Redwings were breezing through the trees in
tremendous numbers – there were just thousands of birds around, with smaller
numbers of Chiffchaffs, Bramblings and Siskins adding to the mix, as well as a
handful of Wheatears and one late House Martin.
With so many birds moving through, my hopes of something really good in
the following days were high.
The next morning began fine, with cloud thickening during
the day and there had been no change in the number of migrants about, which
made birding exciting and rewarding. I
headed for the north cape and the lighthouse, seeing a Rough-legged Buzzard
briefly, en route. After adding Blackcap
to the week list, I was soon watching a Great Grey Shrike after being tipped
off by my friend Jonathan, who helpfully fed me news as and when it broke. Being literally a minute’s walk from the bird
was mere luck. Any number of Goldcrests
were living very dangerously in the shrike's vicinity, and the bird would have a very nice menu with
such an abundance of the tiny passerines to feast on.
Goldcrest - Wietze Janse
After a tip off from Erik Mengveld, I headed to the beach
north west of the lighthouse, in the company of Norbert van de Grint, where we
were able to get wonderful views of two Arctic Skuas loafing on the beach. The birds were relatively unconcerned with
their small audience and it was a rare opportunity to observe these birds on
the ground at this time of the year.
Arctic Skua - Jos van den Berg
After enjoying this spectacle we headed through dunes, observing a
female Merlin overhead and then connecting with a nice Yellow-browed Warbler in
de Tuintjes – a small scrubby area of willow and sycamore, which is a magnet
for good birds. I spent the afternoon
birding alone and rounded off the day checking the low tide at de Cocksdorp,
where I had two Spotted Redshanks and a Greenshank among the hundreds of Dunlin
and Curlew and thousands of Oystercatcher and Common Redshank.
The Friday was dull weather-wise but adrenaline was pumping
as news that a Red-necked Phalarope, found late the previous day was still
present at a pool just north of den Hoorn.
Luckily, my host Ger Monterey needed to do the weekly shop at den Burgh
and was pleased to drop me off and pick me up.
The bird began right at the back of the pool at Grote Vlak but eventually
flew obligingly close, pirouetting furiously around a party of Shoveler and
giving fantastic views in the scope.
I worked the north end of the island in the afternoon,
seeing two Bearded Tits, one Ring Ouzel and a Water Rail feeding in the
open. The winds were still veering
between east and north east and if anything the number of common migrants had
increased and I was almost falling over Robins, and Fieldfares were now pouring
in too. Just before packing in for the day, a walk around the trees to the west of the village provided a surprise in the form of a Northern Long-tailed Tit, with small flock of europaeus. Remarkably five of these lovely birds were observed in the garden of Vincent Stork, the following day.
caudatus Long-tailed Tit - Vincent Stork
I met up with my good friends, Wietze and Jonathan Janse later and
after a superb dinner of baked local Plaice we went to the Eirland House at de
Cocksdorp where there was an interesting and informative talk on separating the
various forms of Siberian Stonechat.
Although the majority of the lecture was in Dutch, it was remarkably
self-explanatory, especially having mugged up on my Dutch topography and
because so many names for birdy hues are the same or similar to English.
I joined Wietze and Jonathan on the Saturday, birding from
the car down the east coast and then finding a Firecrest at Prins Henrik before
news broke of a Black-throated Thrush at Loodsmanduin campsite. However, despite hot wheeling it across the
island, we were fifteen minutes too late and the bird had flown off with
Redwing having showed itself to just 10 people or so. Despite a thorough search by a couple of
hundred birders the thrush was never relocated and a single Marsh Harrier was
the only bird of note. Somewhat
deflated, we headed south to check the dunes south west of de Mokbaii. Spirits were lifted, with the highlight a self-found
Siberian Chiffchaff, as well as a single Great White Egret, a Peregrine, six
Jack Snipe and two Ring Ouzels, all providing some consolation.
Siberian Chiffchaff - Wietze Janse
After a much needed cappuccino at de Robbenjager, we had a second Siberian Chiffchaff before we working the dunes and bushes around de Tuintjes. we obtained fantastic views of a
Rough-legged Buzzard and bagged another Ring Ouzel as we were careful not to step on
the Robins that were flitting between our legs.
Rough-legged Buzzard - Alex Bos
The Sunday was another wet day and we made the most of the
poor light, birding from the car and opted to check the various car parks that
are dotted down the west coast. We had a
few Wheatears at post 28 and then two Shore Lark at Westerslag near post 15, by
the car park.
A random comment that I needed Barn Owl for my Dutch list
was a most fortuitously timed remark, as we just a few hundred metres from a known
roosting site and we popped in the barn briefly to see one huddled on its
perch. As the weather improved we found
a Water Pipit in a flooded field near Oost and then did a detour to de Koog,
where a Hooded Crow had been found.
After a bit of a run around we connected with the bird among a gathering
of Carrion Crows. Not uncommon forty
years ago in the Netherlands, this is now a good bird to see and the third of
four Dutch ticks for me that day.
Shore Lark - Wietze Janse
After the inevitable and welcome coffee and cake stop, we
had a Short-eared Owl overhead at de Tuintjes, before Wietze called time on his
weekend trip and I bade him and Jonathan farewell, opting to be dropped off at
the lighthouse car park, just as a Woodcock flew past. A yomp across
the beach to the ‘Dam’ a breakwater formed by a row of rocks was rewarded by
awesome views of two Purple Sandpipers, bathing and feeding among the
Turnstones and Sanderling. An adult Caspian
Gull was also seen here, loafing and preening with the Herring Gulls.
Purple Sandpiper - Andy Hall
Being a solo birder again on the Monday, I opted for a sea
watch at pole 28, as the winds had backed north north west. I had nothing major, but boosted the trip
list with a few Gannets, a nice raft of Common Scoter and five Red-throated
Divers just off shore. Working the
dunes just south of here I had another Rough-legged Buzzard, initially on the
ground and then in flight, plus a single Lapland Bunting overhead and a single
Hen Harrier. As I took a coffee break at
Strandpaviljoen, and within the radius of the café Wi-Fi I checked the bird
news on the app and found that I was just 20 minutes’ walk from an Olive-backed
Pipit, which had been found in de Krimbos, the wooded area, just west of de
Cocksdorp. I paid the waitress and
headed off as quickly as I could.
Looking at the app, my meagre Dutch told me the bird was nailed on and I
joined a group of birders who had the bird on the ground right next to the
cycle path. The bird showed beautifully,
its tail pumping, as it favoured the edge of the wood moving between bare
branches and the short grass.
Olive-backed Pipit - Marc Plomp
Satisfied with my views and happy to let those with better
cameras get some mind-boggling photos I was alerted to a Pallas’s Leaf Warbler,
which had been found in de Tuintjes. I
wasted no time walking the mile or so north and after a bit of a wait, got onto
the Seven-striped Sprite. The sun even
came out and the assembled birders had lovely views of this legendary species
at close quarters. Surely nothing evokes
the autumn more for the birder than Phylloscopus
proregulus hovering among withered sycamore leaves!
Pallas's Leaf Warbler - Alex Bos
My last full day was spent locally in the morning where I
found a spanking male Black Redstart and then in the afternoon on the east
coast looking at ducks and waders.
Between de Waal and Oost I stumbled across a field with a nice
assortment of waders, including 150 Ruff, 2000 Golden Plovers, a Grey Plover,
Dunlin and Turnstone. On the Waddenzee north of Oost were about 1000
Bar-tailed Godwits, 5000 Golden Plovers, along with thousands of Wigeon, Dark-bellied
Brent Goose, a few hundred Avocets, along with stacks of Knot and other common
waders and ducks.
Eurasian Wigeon - Andy Hall
In the evening I ate at de Rog, now re-opened with new
management, and still serving excellent food.
I had the Texel salad, which is chicken strips with cashew nuts, avocado
and green salad. This was washed down
with the award winning Texelse Bok Beer.
After yet another successful autumn trip I am eager to do a
spring trip, where I am told Bluethroats are in every bush and Dotterel are a
safe bet. Something to look forward to!
I would like to extend special thanks to Wietze Janse, Jonathan
Janse, Jos van den Berg, Marc Plomp, Alex Bos and Vincent Stork for their assistance, friendship and
hospitality and for the photos. Thanks
to Josie Plomp for the coffee .
Species List
| Mute Swan | Cygnus olor |
| Tundra Bean Goose | Anser fabalis |
| Greater White-fronted Goose | Anser albifrons |
| Greylag Goose | Anser anser |
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis |
| Barnacle Goose | Branta leucopsis |
| Brent Goose | Branta bernicla |
| Egyptian Goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca |
| Common Shelduck | Tadorna tadorna |
| Eurasian Wigeon | Anas penelope |
| Gadwall | Anas strepera |
| Eurasian Teal | Anas crecca |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Pintail | Anas acuta |
| Shoveler | Anas clypeata |
| Common Pochard | Aythya ferina |
| Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula |
| Common Eider | Somateria mollissima |
| Common Scoter | Melanitta nigra |
| Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator |
| Red-throated Diver | Gavia stellata |
| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Great Crested Grebe | Podiceps cristatus |
| Gannet | Morus bassanus |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta |
| Great White Egret | Egretta alba |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea |
| Marsh Harrier | Circus aeruginosus |
| Hen Harrier | Circus cyaneus |
| Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis |
| Common Buzzard | Buteo buteo |
| Rough-legged Buzzard | Buteo lagopus |
| Common Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus |
| Merlin | Falco columbarius |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus |
| Water Rail | Rallus aquaticus |
| Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus |
| Coot | Fulica atra |
| Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus |
| Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta |
| Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula |
| European Golden Plover | Pluvialis apricaria |
| Grey Plover | Pluvialis squatarola |
| Lapwing | Vanellus vanellus |
| Red Knot | Calidris canutus |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba |
| Purple Sandpiper | Calidris maritima |
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina |
| Ruff | Philomachus pugnax |
| Jack Snipe | Lymnocryptes minimus |
| Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago |
| Woodcock | Scolopax rusticola |
| Bar-tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica |
| Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata |
| Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus |
| Spotted Redshank | Tringa erythropus |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia |
| Common Redshank | Tringa totanus |
| Turnstone | Arenaria interpres |
| Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus |
| Arctic Skua | Stercorarius parasiticus |
| Black-headed Gull | Larus ridibundus |
| Common Gull | Larus canus |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Larus fuscus |
| European Herring Gull | Larus argentatus |
| Caspian Gull | Larus cachinnans |
| Great Black-backed Gull | Larus marinus |
| Rock Dove | Columba livia |
| Stock Dove | Columba oenas |
| Wood Pigeon | Columba palumbus |
| Collared Dove | Streptopelia decaocto |
| Barn Owl | Tyto alba |
| Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Dendrocopos major |
| Skylark | Alauda arvensis |
| Shore Lark | Eremophila alpestris |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica |
| House Martin | Delichon urbicum |
| Olive-backed Pipit | Anthus hodgsoni |
| Meadow Pipit | Anthus pratensis |
| Water Pipit | Anthus spinoletta |
| Rock Pipit | Anthus petrosus |
| Grey Wagtail | Motacilla cinerea |
| White Wagtail | Motacilla alba |
| Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes |
| Dunnock | Prunella modularis |
| Robin | Erithacus rubecula |
| Black Redstart | Phoenicurus ochruros |
| European Stonechat | Saxicola rubicola |
| Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe |
| Ring Ouzel | Turdus torquatus |
| Blackbird | Turdus merula |
| Fieldfare | Turdus pilaris |
| Song Thrush | Turdus philomelos |
| Redwing | Turdus iliacus |
| Mistle Thrush | Turdus viscivorus |
| Pallas's Leaf Warbler | Phylloscopus proregulus |
| Yellow-browed Warbler | Phylloscopus inornatus |
| Common Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita |
| Siberain Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus tristis |
| Goldcrest | Regulus regulus |
| Firecrest | Regulus ignicapilla |
| Bearded Tit | Panurus biarmicus |
| Long-tailed Tit | Aegithalos caudatus |
| Coal Tit | Parus ater |
| Great Tit | Parus major |
| Great Grey Shrike | Lanius excubitor |
| Eurasian Jay | Garrulus glandarius |
| Magpie | Pica pica |
| Jackdaw | Corvus monedula |
| Carrion Crow | Corvus corone |
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus |
| Tree Sparrow | Passer montanus |
| Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs |
| Brambling | Fringilla montifringilla |
| Greenfinch | Carduelis chloris |
| Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis |
| Siskin | Carduelis spinus |
| Linnet | Carduelis cannabina |
| Mealy Redpoll | Carduelis flammea |
| Lapland Bunting | Calcarius lapponicus |
| Reed Bunting | Emberiza schoeniclus |
Andy Hall October 2015
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