Birds in Amsterdam in April

I've made my first European purchase — and perhaps no surprise to those who know me (Shelley), it's a local bird identification app, the Collins Bird Guide, which covers Ireland, the UK and Western Europe. (A very good example of how to do a bird app, if any developers in North America are reading this...)

Then began the process of figuring out the names of birds I'd photographed or seen here in Amsterdam in early April. Some were similar to those at home in Canada — Pigeons, Magpies and Mallard Ducks. Others, I knew because I'd seen them in Ireland a few years ago — Jackdaws, Blue Tits and Moorhens... But others were completely new — White Storks and Rose-ringed Parakeets.

Blackbird - male, These are very common, 
and not at all shy.© SB

Blackbird - female. I only saw two, so perhaps
they are more wary? © SB

Moorhen. The ones we saw in Ireland were very shy...
Those in Amsterdam seem quite unafraid of people. © SB

From its size and red spot on its bill, a Herring Gull.© SB 

Blue Tit - Blue and yellow Chickadee look-alike
or same family... (In French, both are "Mésange".) 
Love these little birds -- but they flit so fast, 
they are difficult to photograph. © SB

Tiny Wren - with a huge voice! We followed the song,
but even standing almost directly in front of this wren,
we had to work to see it! (My guide lists only Winter Wrens) © SB

Mute Swan in an Amsterdam canal. © SB

Jackdaw, strutting across the park. Kind of like a small crow,
but with a greyish nape and back of head, 
with black on the forehead and crown. © SB

Black-headed Gull. These were pretty common, too.
Beautiful, small, red-beaked gulls! © SB

European Starling, perched on a bike at one of the many
bicycle parking lots near the Central Station.  
I suspect these may be annoying birds, but
they are brilliantly colourful! © SB

Song Thrush -- at least, I think that might be it...
There is a lso a Mistle Thrush.  © SB

Perhaps a Sparrowhawk?
Or Goshawk? 
This very large bird was quite far away,
but I wanted to note it.  © SB

Greylag Goose. There were several pairs in Vondelpark. © SB

Egyptian Goose. Non-native... These are very pretty geese, 
which seem fond of perching high in trees... © SB

Egyptian Goose on a nesting platform
with goslings, in a canal. © SB

I'd like to call this a Ring-billed Gull, but
they are very uncommon in Europe... Instead, this may be
an advanced second-year Common Gull.  © SB

A juvenile of the species above, likely Common Gull.
(When in doubt, pick the most obvious,,,) © SB

Grey Heron. We saw only one, 
but I suspect frequent visitors 
would easily see more. © SB

White Storks nesting in Vondelpark, Amsterdam. 
We were so delighted to see these, 
as we didn't expect to see any this far north. © SB

Common Coot -- very similar to our American Coot. 
Extremely common in the canals. © SB

Common Coot nesting in an Amsterdam canal.© SB

Mallard ducks -- although with that white neck,
she's a hybrid or maybe something else....  © SB

Perhaps a Wood Pigeon? The shape looks right... © SB

Rose-ringed Parakeet at Vondelpark © SB

Rose-ringed Parakeets, courting. © SB

Common European Magpie -- very similar to
North American Black-billed Magpie. © SB

Wild/feral city pigeon. © SB 

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