Migration

by Femke van den Berg/ on 09 Oct 2023

Migration

The spoonbill migration is in full swing. On September 28, Kai (NDUP) makes a stopover in the Baarzandse Kreek near Breskens and then flies to Nolon, northeast of Rochefort. On October 8, Sven searches for and finds 4 transmitter spoonbills, Bob (YfaB/BLG), Amie (NfYp/aYR), Zilver (YfGR/RLa) and BWL7, in Stellendam, Haringvliet.

Groep lepelaars rustend in ondiep water

On October 9, Edorta sees Vrouwke (ND3X) in Urdaibai.
On October 10, Florent, Theunis and Petra reported from Marais d’Orx, Amie (which Sven read and photographed at Stellendam 2 days ago).
Wouter and Jos read no fewer than 50 spoonbills in the Doñana today.

Photo: Femke van den Berg

Photo: Femke van den Berg

And then there is the “new” migration site: Het Hoge Duin, between Cadzand Bad and the Verdronken Zwarte Polder.

View on Cadzand Bad - Photo: Femke van den Berg

View on Cadzand Bad - Photo: Femke van den Berg

Radartower Verdronken Zwarte Polder - Photo: Femke van den Berg

Radartower Verdronken Zwarte Polder - Photo: Femke van den Berg

This appears to be a hot spot especially for spoonbills. In one of the first weeks of counting, the daily record for the Netherlands was immediately broken. On September 24, 2023, 1563 spoonbills were counted. That record was already pulverized on October 9, 2023. Then even 2471 spoonbills were counted!