Red-necked phalarope, ruffs and marsh harrier

On 23 August 2015, after what happened in my earlier blog post, still in North Holland province in the Netherlands. A flower bulb field was under water, for biological pest control. That attracted birds like this red-necked phalarope.

Red-necked phalaropes are smaller relatives of grey phalaropes which we had seen in Svalbard. Both Eurasian phalarope species are rare migrants in the Netherlands.

There were also a common sandpiper and ruffs on migration there. This photo shows a male ruff, with still remnants of his mating season collar around his neck.

Not far from Callantsoog village, another field with a low water level attracted ruffs.

And dunlin. They still had some black feathers on their bellies, but not as many as in their mating season.

And a few turnstones.

And a ringed plover.

And some little stints.

And a wood sandpiper.

A bit further on a bank, juvenile shelducks resting. Behind them, two wigeon. Still further behind them, mallards.

A dozen oystercatchers.

We went back south, to the Harger- en Pettemerpolder reserve.

A male marsh harrier flying there.

A bit further, a beautiful great egret not far away. However, the battery of the camera was finished.

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