This morning I went to Capelle a. d. IJssel a small town east of Rotterdam to get my camera cleaned and was presently surprised to see some nice birds in this suburban environment.

To start off this posting I shall share this ‘lifer’- the Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) - though a common bird I had sadly seen them only in cages.

And the next bird was equally exciting for me – the Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)– I had only once seen it before in the southern city of Maastricht last September.

This has to be my favourite bird in the tit family.

After that I headed home only to stop at the canal close to my house because I saw a ormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)really close by and boy did he let me get close to him.

Since I had taken out my camera again I thought I might as well spend some more time at the small canal.

Here’s a snap of the Common coot’s (Fulica atra) nest, which they have been making at the same spot where the tree is the closest to the surface of the water for the last three years. These birds use almost anything they can get their beaks on – plastic bags and all sorts of other trash.And last for the day the beautiful Egyptians (Probably starting to worry about the approaching nesting season).

Spring ??

This morning I went to the small park near Euromast here in Rotterdam and it seems spring is here!

I shall go with the Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) on this fellow... but I could be wrong because its very difficult to say it apart from the Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus).

I am still amazed at how close these Common Coots (Fulica atra) in Europe let you go very close to them completely opposite to the ones I see near my house in India.

The Magpie (Pica pica) taking a stroll down the recently bloomed field in the park.

And the wise old Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea) of the park

Check out his breeding plumage.

Was also lucky to catch this really small (yet really loud) fellow – the Wren ( Troglodytes troglodytes ).