Following my birding breaks in the UK, I rounded off my spring birding holiday with a few days in the Netherlands. As always I sailed from Harwich and I was picked up by my friend Wietze Janse at the ferry port at Hoek Van Holland before driving to Zevenhuizen also in South Holland, where the Little Bitterns failed to show at the third time of asking. Savi's Warbler was seen here, as well as Cuckoo, Kingfisher and various common migrants. News that a Pectoral Sandpiper was was still present nearby was hopefully an easy Dutch tick. At first we could see only a Little Stint and other commoner waders. However, the Pec must have been hidden and suddenly appeared. Rather distant even in the scope, but on the list! Sedge Warbler (juvenile) An hour's drive to Ameide in Utrecht Province, and we were in an area of extensive marshes where we saw Purple Heron, Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, numerous Black Terns and a beautiful White-winged Tern. The la...
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