Sea eagle, ospreys, ruddy shelducks and fungi

23 August 2014 in Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve in the Netherlands. There was not only bird ringing there then. Also this wooden larger than life purple heron. Pictured by a cellphone camera, like the other photos of this blog post.

That heron was part of a group of other wood herons (bittern; grey heron; great egret; little egret) at the Dutch Bird Fair.

However, I promised to tell you what happened after the bird ringing.

Two Egyptian geese swimming.

Many barn swallows flying. Probably preparing to migrate to Africa.

Two ospreys circling in the air. Probably preparing to migrate to Africa as well.

Six white-fronted geese swimming. A bit strange to see them now in August, as they usually arrive from the Arctic in September.

We pass a tree, on which sulphur polypore fungi grow.

We arrive at the hide called De Zeearend, called after the sea eagle.

And indeed, in the distance sits a sea eagle.

Closer to the hide, many grey lag and barnacle geese.

Four spoonbills. A great egret.

A group of ruddy shelducks cleaning their feathers on a meadow.

The weather changes from one moment to the next one. Downpours. Sun. Sometimes, both at once, though we don’t see a rainbow.

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