Sweet (?) sixteen

This was a kind of ‘in-between’ holiday. On the one hand my daughter didn’t want to join us on holiday because we do boring things (I guess most parents do in the eyes sixteen years old teenagers). On the other hand we found her too young to go alone with her girlfriends to some beach resort in Spain. A good comprise was found. She went together with her 3 girlfriends to a camping-site in Zeeland, my wife and I stayed in a caravan close by (just in case of …).
Anyhow, here she is with her girlfriends. From left to right: Robin, Kirsty, Lisette, and Evelien (my daughter). I used the built-in camera flash to lighten up the girls a bit on this cloudy (typical Dutch!) summer evening.

Summer holiday Zeeland

My best bird pics of the summer holiday 2007 in Zeeland, the province in the south-west of the Netherlands. I found a nice little muddy pool were I spent several mornings, lying under a camo-net.
This adult Greenshank (Tringa nebularia/Groenpootruiter), already largely in winter plumage, passed by at close-range on one of these occasions.
The Linnet (Carduelis cannabina/Kneu), I think it is a ♂ in winter plumage, was taken in late evening light.
I especially like the colors of this latter picture. The deep blue of the “Oosterschelde” sea-arm contrasts with the greenish blurry branches of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides/Duindoorn) sweeping in the firm southwester, and shown left and right on the foreground. They also provide a nice frame.

Lateral basker

The Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus/Hooibeestje) is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae (commonly known as ‘the Browns’). It is widespread in Eurasia and northwestern Africa, preferring drier habitats than other Coenonymphae. The larval host plants are grasses. The Small Heath is a lateral basker, only ever resting with its wings closed and angled at 90° to the sun.