From Nijmegen we cycled out into the Ooijpolder park area and worked on our rusty birding skills. Quite a few species although the only unusual bird (for us) was a Snipe pointed out by a grizzled fellow birder. We also took binoculars yesterday when cycling out from Bruges to the North Sea but we only saw the dozen or so garden variety of birds one sees everywhere. I get the distinct impression that Europe has terraformed its land so much, and shot so many birds, that not much is left. One is reduced to waiting at annual northern-Europe-Africa flyways for passing species.
Now that’s the kind of thing that interests me, understanding what is actually happening at very macro levels. To what extent is Europe now a bird wasteland save for those flying through? Where are the pockets of ongoing local bird species? Etc., etc.
So on this trip I’ve mostly kept to my daily requirement to do some birding-related work. Not every day (as is strictly required by the Big Year, but hey, I’m ahead on total hours) but I’m retaining some pride. Right now I’m reading up on how birds migrate, something I need to understand accurately and very broadly.