Beach birds

Today was probably the best photo day of 2007. The early morning light at the beach of IJmuiden was superb and the birds were very cooperative. A small selection: Juvenile Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula/Bontbekplevier) resting on the beach and picking something eatable from the shoreline, foraging Dunlin (Calidris alpina/Bonte Strandloper), and the same Dunlin resting.

Becoming Knot's

This month IJmuiden was for me the place-to-be. Both the beach and the south pier approved to be very productive.
By staying low and crawling in a zig-zag line to the sea I could approach 2 Sandwich Terns (Sterna sandvicensis/Grote Stern). The bird on the left is already in winter plumage. The right one is a youngster.
At the end of the day I settled down at the base of the pier. After a while a group of 7 juvenile Red Knots (Calidris canutus/Kanoet) completely ignored me and came very close. These birds, born in the high-arctic region of Canada or Greenland, kept in contact by means of soft “knut-knut” sounds. In winter they stay along our shores.

Broad shins

The summer has almost come to an end. Although the days are noticeably becoming shorter, I could still go after diner to my favorite marshy ‘local patch’ for an evening visit. This ♂ White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes/Blauwe Breedscheenjuffer) was willing to pose in the last sunlight of this day on Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria/Kattenstaart) .