Never knew that there were spoonbills here. Learned something again! It flutters and whistles all around, so I don’t really notice it. In my world there are large and small creatures with wings. And of course the floating, diving & swimming ones.
Yes, I know, I am a barbarian, certainly compared to the ornithologist that we have the honour of hosting.
Funny, because there are two bird spotting people next to each other, and they both have a great view over the fields
The water attracts an incredible amount of flying creatures. The big ones: storks, egrets, ordinary gray grumpy herons, sacred ibises, other ibises ( forgotten their name), stilts (learned from the birdwatcher guest), and even sometimes flamingos. They were here a few days ago. A large group of flamingos. They come for a few hours, graze over the field, and they’re gone again.
They were very happy about that, but to me they were very strict
“Ellen!” Susan said half-laughing, half-seriously to me, “you don’t mean to tell me that you have never seen a spoonbill here. There’re fields full of them! ”
I bow my head in humility. Sorry, I’m not an ornithologist … but I recognize storks and herons! That is already something? A spoonbill looks a lot like a stork, in my lay eyes. And all those little flyers, european robin, robins of others origins, hawfinch and the gray-brown great tit … I know what an eurasian hoopoe looks like. Those live here too. And a kingfisher has been spotted.
“Yes!”, I say enthusiastically, “I know! When we first came here they lived in the reeds in the ditch, but they do not like humans very much. I thought they moved out, how nice. They are beautiful, aren’t they! “
Early this morning I was busy with family apartment One, because one bird lover is gone. On to a next adventure. I went outside to empty the kitchen – many people leave a lot behind – when I saw the neighbour and collegue-ornothologist sitting on his chair between the reeds.
I mimed good morning, and he carefully waved back
There is a lot to see, so early in the morning. Beautiful way of waking up. Nicely seated at the edge of the ditch and see everything there is to see.