| WINTER IN HOLLAND |
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After New Yearsday temperatures were increasing, causing a lot of melting snow in areas like the Alps and the Ardennes. Rivers who have their source in these mountains like the Rhine, Maas and connecting tributaries were facing rising waterlevels. Also the IJssel River, the one which is flowing alongside the place where we live, had to deal with an extra amount of water and meadows were overflowing. On a Saturday, when I was in my garden I suddenly heard the hooting sound of Bewick Swans. Not more then 300 meters from our house there were about 150 Bewick Swans and 12 Whooper Swans swimming around in a flooded meadow.  both species of swan on this picture
This was a great occasion to photograph these beautiful swans, all migratory birds from, in the case of the Bewick Swan the far North. I manage to sneek up a little closer and made quite a number of pictures:  Bewicks Swans having a quarrel..... Whooper Swan stretching....On Saterday January 29 Ellie and I hiked along the Frysian soutwest coast from Hindeloopen to Stavoren. Starting in Hindeloopen we were surprised by this neat little Hanseatic city.  HindeloopenWhen walking we followed the path on top of the dike alongside the IJssel Lake. The lake was largely free of ice, only the banks were still covered with ice that was driven ashore by the winds. On the edge of the ice we saw many Goosanders and Smews. Every once in a while the sun was trying its best to peer through the haze.  Reaching Stavoren we were blessed with a nice sunset and we got there just before dark. Finally we took the train back to Hindeloopen.  Ellie with the Frysian mainland on the left and the IJssel lake on the right. The sun is setting just before Stavoren |