yorkslister

One of the highlights of the autumn was a few days in Holland for my mate Jim's wedding, I had a cracking long weekend and saw some old mates and a few good birds.  I'm not sure if Jim and Remke are speaking to me though as they had to pick up my bar tab!

The whole thing didn't start too well as Alison was delayed and didn't get there til the sat morning so missed the wedding itself as they are traditionally held on Fri on Holland, but then at least she didn't get embarrassed by my dancing, although Jim dancing to the birdy song and tainted love has left me  bit scarred! 

He's the one in the 'Man from Del Monte' suit hiding

I can't remember much about it but Jim got me hammered on the Sun night drinking Belgian and Dutch beers, probably the most drunk I've been in a long time, I proceeded to direct Alison the wrong way up a one way street in a bus lane on the way back to the digs, which went down well!

Whilst in Holland I went to the Dutch birdfair, having missed the Rutland one I wanted to check out the new Swaro scope and the newish 8x32ELs  To say I was impressed would be an understatement.  I've since bought pair of the ELs and although I only compared the scope to the outgoing 80hd I can't see me not buying one at some stage I just need to find time to check one out against the Kowa for an hour or so.

We didn't see any birds of note at the fair and had a day in the north at Lauwersmeer.  Jim reckons this is one of the best place in Europe for waders, not when I was there it wasn't, it was shit.  To be fair a Peregrine landed right in front of the hide and flushed what waders there were present but they weren't in very good numbers.  Best bird I saw was a juv Caspian Gull.

On our last day we went to Amsterdam, a lifer for me, I got dragged round the Anne Frank museum, don't bother its just a crappy house where some bint played hide and seek!  In return for my patience we went for a look round the whore houses, well the streets where they are anyway.  To be honest with you it's bit shit too, I think they put the ropey ones out during the day and the better looking ones work at night, at least I hope they do!  Whilst eating an ice cream and doing touristy shite (taking photo's of each other) I heard a Caspian Gull calling.  It was sitting on a barge right next to us in the centre of the town.  Holland is ace!  The pics are taken with the phone held at arms length.

Next update will be Foula, with loads of pics of MEGAS