On this third and probably last summer day of 2011, I once again opted for Fochteloërveen. During last saturday's attempt to reach the area I failed and ended up at de Veluwe, but today I did manage to get there. There's always enough to be seen here (birds, dragonflies, reptiles etc.), and my main target today was indeed a reptile; I really would like to see a Smooth Snake properly, after only some glimpses in the past.
At around 10 o'clock, I had reached the other end of the bicycle path and when I was following the first Common Hawker of the day, I found a Wryneck sitting in one of the small pine trees! A nice and unexpected surprise (ok, it's not uncommon for a surprise to be unexpected...) and to my great shame I have to admit that this bird was my first autumn wryneck ever... Strange but true, as far as I remember at least. Shortly after the Wryneck, a Honey Buzzard showed up, followed by first two and later three Short-toed Eagles. Rather late, if you ask me, normally the birds are gone by the beginning of september.
As far as my target was concerned, it took some hours, but eventually, when all my hope was long gone, I found a "nest" with 5 baby Smooth Snakes alongside the path. Not the monster I had in mind, but o.k. for now. And with 2 Ravens, the 2 Cranes, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Wood Larks, some hands full of Whinchats and Hobbies along with over 20 Common Hawkers and some Common Lizzards, it was once again a very satisfying day at one of the Netherlands's finest nature reserves.
Pictures on my new but still unfinished website http://www.pbase.com/martijnbot
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