Benelux Bonanza - Platier d'Oye and Dunkerque

From Les Hemmes it was off to the Platier d'Oye reserve in search of some winter wildfowl to boost our daylist. From the first hide, we were faced with a fine selection. A flock of 150 Barnacle Geese grazed with 2 White-fronted Geese. On the ponds were a number of Greylags and Canadas.

Ducks included Gadwall, Mallard, Pintail, Wigeon, Shoveler and Tufted, whilst on the shore was a very interesting encounter. 2 Water Rails scrapping before being scared off by a Polecat. Brucey bonuses for both the mammal and the bird list.

On the other lakes at the Reserve, we picked up a Slavonian Grebe and 2 Red-head Smews as well as hunting Hen Harrier, Buzzards, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. Winter thrushes, in the form of Fieldfares (below), Redwings, Song Thrushes, Mistles and Blackbirds were an ever present.

Dunkerque was the final stop of the day. The industrial zone here might not be the most aesthetic of places, but it can throw up absolutely anything. This was proved straight away when, on the drive there, a strange bird was seen flying roadside. The shouts went up - Buzzard? Gull? Owl? It was only after X pulled over that we could identify it as the 'Bull O' The Bog'. Bitterns are superb birds and often very elusive and hard to see. In hard winters like this one, though, its worth keeping your eyes open for them over any large expanse of reedbed.

The Dunkerque 'basin' is a great spot for Grebes, Divers and Sea Duck. And indeed before long, we had picked up all 5 Western Pal Grebes here. Huge numbers of Great Crested, 4 Little, 12 Slavonian, 1 Black-necked and 1 very obliging Red-necked...

Seaduck included Red-breasted Mergansers and Goldeneye:

As darkness fell we picked up more Mergansers and Slavs at Le Clipon, as well as a handful of waders including Sanderling and Oystercatcher. Well satisfied, we decided it was time to head back. At least until a small falcon dashed in front of the car. It was a male Merlin, and a fantastic way to end the day.

Or was it? With hardly any light left, we picked up an unfamiliar raptor. We dashed excitedly out of the car and got our bins on a superb Rough-legged Buzzard. The bird was hovering only 30 metres away from the car. As it turned slightly on the wind, we caught nice glimpses of the tail pattern - clear white inner with a single bold black terminal band indicating an adult bird. It was unfortunately too dark for pictures, but not quite too dark for the boys to celebrate an overdue European lifer!