Cuckoo, meadow pipit, spoonbill and flowers

Posted on April 28, 2018 by petrel41

After 27 April 2018 to the Palmerswaard nature reserve, again there on 28 April; by this ferry across the Rhine. Like other photos in this blog post, this is a cellphone photo. In the background of the photo is the 82 meter high tower of the Cunera church in Rhenen. It is a 15th century late Gothic church. The name of the church refers to Saint Cunera; who, however, appears to be no more than a legend.

At a restaurant close to the ferry landing in Rhenen were these bottlebrush flowers; originally from Australia.

As we enter the Palmerswaard, a lesser black-backed gull flying. A spoonbill flying.

A mute swan and a tufted duck couple swimming.

Like yesterday, a reed warbler sings.

This photo from the northern, Palmerswaard, bank of the river Rhine shows a lake, behind it a dike, behind the dike the (invisible) Rhine, and behind the Rhine (visible) the southern bank.

As we continue, two whitethroats.

A dunnock.

There are smaller and bigger lakes all over the Palmerswaard.

A greenfinch sings.

On a branch, we see a cuckoo sitting and calling.

A green-veined white butterfly.

A meadow pipit on a pole.

Finally, two shelducks and a gadwall couple.

Morning dew flowers photos

Posted on April 27, 2018 by petrel41

Before we went by ferry on the morning of 27 April 2018 from Lienden to Rheden, there were these morning dew flowers.

Here they are again, a bit closer …

and still closer, these dandelions …

… and these lady’s smock flowers.

Cuckoo, reed warbler, other birds of Palmerswaard nature reserve

Posted on April 27, 2018 by petrel41

This May 2017 drone video is about Palmerswaard nature reserve, west of Rhenen, in Utrecht province in the Netherlands.

After 26 March 2018, on 27 March we went to Palmerswaard nature reserve.

First, the ferry from Lienden to Rhenen.

An oystercatcher flying.

A blackbird.

A male reed bunting sings from a bush.

A coot on its nest.

In shallow water, water mint grows.

On land, lilac flowers.

A mute swan, and a tufted duck couple swimming.

A gadwall couple.

A grey heron flying.

A cuckoo calls. So, he is back from Africa.

Two great cormorants flying.

A great crested grebe on its nest.

A greenfinch sings.

Willow warbler song, chiffchaff song.

A female, and later a male pheasant.

Two magpies.

A moorhen running fast along a bank,

As we walk back, two common sandpipers land.

Reed warbler singing.

Just before the ferry landing, a carrion crow.

Little owl and Ouwehand’s zoo, 26 April

Posted on April 26, 2018 by petrel41

26 April 2018 started with the same little owl on the same willow as on 25 April (with a little more sunlight).

This 2017 video is about Ouwehand’s zoo in Rhenen in the Netherlands.

We went to Ouwehand’s zoo later on 26 April.

Part of the zoo is the Bear Forest.

This is a 2012 Dutch rap song about that Bear Forest.

In the Bear Forest, brown bears which used to be mistreated, forced to perform tricks on streets, bears which would not be able to survive in the wild, can recover in a big area with trees, a waterfall, rocks, a pond, etc.

We asked a Bear Forest information lady: there are twelve brown bears here, do they quarrel? No, they never quarrel, as there is enough space. One thing is especially moving about the bears. When they were forced to perform tricks, they had to do that the whole year, summer or winter. But as soon as they arrived here, they were able to have their natural rhythm of hibernation again.

The lady showed several replicas of bear skulls. The biggest one was of an, extinct, cave bear. The second biggest one was of the biggest bear species alive now: the polar bear. And the smallest skull replica was of a red panda.

Butterflies, flowers and little owl

Posted on April 26, 2018 by petrel41

After the morning of 25 April 2018 around Lienden in the Netherlands, the afternoon in the same area.

An orange-tip butterfly. A speckled wood butterfly.

There were flowers, like cow parsley …

… and buttercups and grass …

and faded dandelions. And horsetails (a plant group, older than the dinosaurs and still alive).

The little owl was still present at the polled willow.

Finally, this green-veined white butterfly.

Lapwings, redshank and great crested grebes

Posted on April 25, 2018 by petrel41

This 2010 video is about the Tollewaard area, south of the river Rhine, north of Lienden village in the Netherlands.

After 24 April 2018 around Lienden and Rhenen came 25 April.

We walked, first to the Tollewaard.

A magpie.

Near a farm along the river, a kestrel in its nestbox.

Oystercatchers flying.

A white stork on its nest.

Carrion crows.

An Egyptian goose. A lesser black-backed gull.

Barn swallows flying.

A blackbird sings,

A gadwall couple.

Above a meadow, a northern lapwing drives a redshank away.

Canada geese.

A moorhen couple.

Three barnacle geese.

Two mute swans.

We arrive in the Marspolder area.

A great crested grebe swims.

A speckled wood butterfly.

Blauwe Kamer nature reserve

Posted on April 24, 2018 by petrel41

This 2013 video is about Blauwe kamer nature reserve in Utrecht province in the Netherlands.

Before we arrived at the Blauwe Kamer today, 24 April 2018, the day after 23 April, we saw this green woodpecker. Not a great photo (through a window), but unmistakable.

A grey heron flies. A wren sings.

A jay.

At the ferry from Gelderland province to the Blauwe Kamer, barn swallows fly over the river Rhine.

Gadwall and mallard ducks swim.

This September 2017 video is about nature reserve De Blauwe Kamer in the Netherlands. It shows osprey, white stork, great egret and other birds. Also konik horses and red deer.

On the Blauwe Kamer bank, a male pheasant.

From the Blauwe Kamer bird hide, we see nesting spoonbills, grey herons and great cormorants. Also tufted ducks and Egyptian geese.