Taking the opportunity to join Steve Ashton
on his second visit to the Netherlands for the Northern Hawk Owl I quickly arranged
time off work and at just after 1.00am on Friday 13th I was on my
way to pick up Adam Faiers and Alan Ashdown before meeting Steve at his house
where we all piled into his car for the long journey to come. It wasn’t long
before the Eurotunnel train had deposited us in Calais and we were traveling
through four countries to see a bird that, other than Steve, would be new to us
all and this would be my first “Twitch” outside the UK. On the journey up it
soon became clear that the land was covered in a thick fog and views of this,
and any other bird may be hampered but at least we had the option of an
overnight stay just in case the weather was bad or, that the Pygmy Owl that was
a mere 25 minutes away from the Hawk Owl may still be around and we could then
twitch that. We were traveling in a very slow part of the journey just into the
Belgian side of the trip where a couple of motorways merge and looking out of
the passenger window we spotted an immature White-tailed Eagle sitting on a
metal gate looking all shabby and bedraggled in the damp foggy morning, a
massive beast it was too. Nearing our destination we pulled in for some fuel
and as we left the filling station 2 Ravens passed low over us and with news
that there was meant be sun at Zwolle, Adam kindly spent 45 pence on an
internet weather search, our hopes were raised although looking through the
window it didn’t seem that way. On our final approach at about 7 kilometres it
seemed as if the fog was lifting and looking up clouds could be seen with
patches of blue and even shadows from the other vehicles cast on the road as we
past. As we approached the electricity sub-station where the Owl had taken up
residence the sun broke through and we could see the Owl on a pylon before we
had even pulled up in the parking area nearby. At first the Owl spent some time
on a distant(ish) girder before flying to an earthing cable nearer to us before
alighting atop a closer girder upright.
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| Northern Hawk Owl when first encountered |
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| Northern Hawk Owl when first encountered |
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| Northern Hawk Owl when first encountered |
We had some fantastic views of it
before it flew into the trees behind us and then across the road to a
football/rugby field where it spent a short time on the climbing pegs of a floodlight
pole watching carefully as a Sparrowhawk passed over, sidling up close to the
pole.
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| Northern Hawk Owl in the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in the playing fields |
Next it dropped of the pole and
into some low trees where it gave absolutely stunning views just a few yards
away and at just above head height, all the while totally ignoring the throng
of long lenses pointed at it but stared intently at the ground for the movement
of prey items.
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
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| Northern Hawk Owl in low trees beside the playing fields |
It then moved back across the road and spent a long time back in
the sub-station which is where we left it a decided to take a casual drive back
home.
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| Northern Hawk Owl back by the substation with prey |
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| Northern Hawk Owl back on the substation where we left it |
With the sun shining on us all the while we were with the Owl and as we
drove home we were able to see other birds en route back to the tunnel. We
never managed to see another Eagle that day but t least 15 Common Buzzards were
encountered as well as 7 Great-white Egrets, 3 pairs of Egyptian Geese, 2 White
Storks, several Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and White-fronted Geese as
well as Wigeon, Lapwing a couple of Kestrels, a Grey Heron or two and many
Crows and Jackdaws amongst a few other species. A big thanks to Steve for
allowing me to join him and for arranging and driving the whole trip and a big
thanks to Adam and Alan for the excellent company. Thanks alos have to go to
the Dutch who released the news of the Hawk Owl and their very friendly nature
whilst we were there and thanks to the Belgian for their great food as , we
stopped at a “motorway café” on the way back where we all had steak and chips,
a sweet and a large glass off Red all for just 10 euros, bloody fantastic…..
