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The pier in Ijmuiden, a coastal city west of Amsterdam, is a well-liked sea-watching web site within the Netherlands because it permits one to get additional out than from the seashore. It is a wonderful web site within the winter months particularly, when seabirds together with geese, divers and grebes are fairly dependable right here. I’ve visited Ijmuiden as soon as earlier than, however resulting from robust wind the pier was closed throughout that go to. I used to be subsequently keen to go to this in style birding web site once more, and having the ability to mix it with my journey to Texel (which I coated right here in my final publish) made it all of the extra handy.
I arrived within the late morning to sunny and windy climate, however luckily the wind wasn’t robust sufficient to warrant closing of the pier. It appears that evidently this place isn’t solely in style amongst birders however many different folks utilizing the suitable climate to get into the recent air, because the peir was fairly busy in locations and kite surfers crowded the near-shore waters south of the pier.
Earlier than the beginning of the pier, European Robin, European Stonechats, Eurasian Greenfinches, Eurasian Linnet, Widespread Starlings and Widespread Chaffinches foraged amongst some rusty metallic buildings, whereas a Nice Crested Grebe was diving round within the small harbour. A big flock of Dunlins and Sanderlings tried in useless to discover a calm spot to relaxation as they have been both scared by kite surfers from the waves or folks on the seashore.
The beginning of the pier instantly produced two of Ijmuiden’s typical species, Purple Sandpiper and Rock Pipit. The previous was way more cautious than Ruddy Turnstones, and it appeared that fewer people have been round than on my earlier go to. Nevertheless, Rock Pipit was quite common for the primary few hundred meters alongside the pier.
An in depth-by Crimson-throated Diver was pretty to look at. I’ve seen this chook many occasions now however I nonetheless all the time take my time them, as even of their non-breeding plumage they appear very elegant. Two Widespread Scoters have been additionally swimming round, whereas Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Nice Black-backed Gull, and the lovable Little Gull have been flying above. A really elegant Arctic Tern was foraging near the pier, the primary time I noticed this chook in breeding plumage.
Additional out at sea, each Razorbill and Widespread Guillemot have been swimming amongst the waves, as was one other Crimson-throated Diver. On the tip of the pier, a number of birders had arrange their scopes for sea watching and I spent a while right here as effectively. Most spots with good visibility have been taken nonetheless, and the wind and sea spray didn’t make for essentially the most stress-free setting. Once I seen that even the Ruddy Turnstones tried to seek out spots that protected them from the weather, I figured that I don’t have to remain right here for too lengthy, and as I wasn’t too desperate to scan for distant seabirds, I quickly made my approach again.
To conclude the go to, I checked out the realm across the Kennemermeer, have been a number of duck species can typically be seen. I solely noticed the common backyard birds in addition to Goldcrest, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, and Widespread Pochard. Fairly content material with this haul of birds for the morning, I made my approach again to Amsterdam.
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