Kor Bosch
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korbosch.bsky.social
Kor Bosch
@korbosch.bsky.social
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Wildlife & history
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korbosch.bsky.social
Alright, and here's a regular shot for those who want to see the excellent details of a purple sandpiper. They're very fun birds to watch and not very shy, so you can often get a good look along the coast. #birds #BirdOfTheDay
A purple sandpiper, quite dark with a light underside and orange-yellow bill and legs, forages along the coast where the sea hits the shore.
November 26, 2025 at 2:01 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
By now I've photographed enough purple sandpipers (paarse strandloper) that I focus more on capturing the scene and less on the bird. This one was foraging amidst heavy winds along the Texel coast, with spray kicking up all around it. #birds #BirdOfTheDay
A purple sandpiper foraging along the shoreline. It is photographed against the light, so you can see little more than its silhouette. The foregrond is dark and gravelly, but in the background the sea can be seen, in places bright white where it reflects the sunlight, creating strong contrasts between light and dark. A little closer to the purple sandpiper. It is photographed against the light, in focus, with a thing outline of white around the bird and little white spots visible caused by the spray being kicked up. An out of focus shot of the purple sandpiper: the focus lies in front of it, and highlights the white specks of spray blown in front of the out of focus, silhouetted bird. Bokeh balls of light can be seen on the sea.
November 26, 2025 at 2:01 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
On a particularly windy morning (code yellow!) this grey plover (zilverplevier) was foraging in the De Cocksdorp harbour of Texel. It took note of, but tolerated, my presence. Less fancy than its golden cousin, this is still a very impressive bird! #birds #vogels
November 22, 2025 at 11:34 AM
korbosch.bsky.social
One of the highlights of a brief Texel visit was a group of horned larks (strandleeuwerik) that I had the pleasure to watch for a while, early in the morning before the dog walkers showed up. This individual was closely studying a shrub, probably to look for seeds or insects. #birds #vogels
A horned lark - with a brownish back, a white belly, black legs and bill, and a bright yellow face with a black moustache and neck, examines a shrub from below to look for food. The horned lark pokes its head in between the branches to look for food. The horned lark raises itself up to look for food on the branches from above.
November 19, 2025 at 1:47 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Klinkt als een kramsvogel, van onderen erg wit, van boven bruin en grijs. Dit jaar zijn er aardig wat (hangt een beetje van de winter af hoeveel er langs komen).
Een kramsvogel in de vlucht, van onderen gezien. Onderlijf is voornamelijk wit, borst meer oranje-geel. Zwarte vlekken lopen van de borst langs de oksels. De kop is grijs van boven met een witte kin, gescheiden door zwarte lijnen. De ondervleugels zijn een beetje donzig wit. Een kramsvogel op een tak, waardoor ook de rug zichtbaar is. De bovenvleugels zijn bruin maar de stuit is grijs. De snavel is gelig.
November 19, 2025 at 12:23 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Yesterday's walk on the local fens was gorgeous and I was even rewarded with a sighting of a great grey shrike (klapekster) which has chosen to winter there this year - the first since I started going to this nature reserve many years ago. It was far away but unmistakable! #birds
Three scots pines (grove den) next to a fen. A great grey shrike sits at the end of a branch of a barren tree. A wood on the left with a path running along it, and to the right a field filled with heather and isolated trees on a slope very gently curving down. In the background more trees can be seen. The area is cast in the soft warm light of the setting sun.
November 6, 2025 at 7:07 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Last month I saw a Caspian gull (Pontische meeuw) unsuccessfully chase a black-headed gull for food before being turned away from a landing spot by some cormorants. The bird was ringed in Poland in 2021 and has since apparently spent most of its life at an Oss industrial estate. #birds
A Caspian gull spreading its wings while chasing a black-headed gull. The Caspian gull is pursuing a black-headed gull (in winter plumage). The latter has apparently swallowed a fish which can be seen by the thickness of its throat. The Caspian gull is ringed. The Caspian gull, having given up chasing the much more agile black-headed gull, attempts to land at a half submerged tree trunk, already populated with four cormorants, who do not welcome the visitor. I found out the Caspian gull had been ringed in a Polish ringing project and submitted my sighting through their site. This allowed me to view all its previous sightings. After being ringed in the nest it arrived in Belgium at Vilvoorde the next year. Since then it has only been seen in the Netherlands, primarily in Oss but also sometimes along the major rivers. It's possible it also travelled elsewhere but simply wasn't picked up.
November 2, 2025 at 1:01 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Earlier this year I stumbled upon two hoopoes (hop) near what must have been a nest. I didn't share these at the time because this is still a very rare bird here that tends to attract too many photographers, and I also didn't return, to give them rest. Hopefully they had a successful year! #birds
As a friend and I were walking we suddenly heard the beautiful and unmistakable call of a hoopoe. It was right in front of us and flew off almost immediately. But moments later a second hoopoe appeared from the opposite direction, landing in the top of a bare tree and remaining there for a short while. Eventually the hoopoe flew off, revealing its butterfly-like flight and its black-and-white wings. Here it is taking off. The hoopoe continuing its flight. It briefly landed in another tree with more cover, before flying off and disappearing altogether.
November 1, 2025 at 2:21 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Prachtige lijst aan soorten! Vooral die vorkstaart! 😍

Noordse stern broedt ook op Texel trouwens 😅 Dat is ook wel een aanrader. Het is soms echt speuren tussen de visdieven en kokmeeuwen maar je kunt ze daar prachtig zien, bv tijdens de balts.
Een mannetje noordse stern biedt een visje aan aan een vrouwtje noordse stern, die hem haar rug toekeert vanwege de bedroevende ontoereikendheid van het aanbod.
October 30, 2025 at 6:33 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Rainy day.

(Turnstone (steenloper) on the coastline of Schiermonnikoog, earlier this month.) #birds
A turnstone sits on some grass beside the sea, which is crashing violently on the shore. Rain drops can be seen falling around the black-and-white bird, which sits with its eyes closed in an anguished expression.
October 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
A short-toed treecreeper (boomkruiper) ascending a tree branch near Nijmegen. In the Netherlands, this is the "common" treecreeper, but in much of the rest of Europe it is rarer or not present at all. They have a different song and slightly different colouring. #birds
A short-toed treecreeper is hopping up a diagonal branch. It is using its stiff tail, propped against the tree, to stay balanced.
October 25, 2025 at 1:18 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
For many years now, a local tawny owl (bosuil) has loved to sit on the chimney of a house next to the forest when it's cold. Luckily its continuing the tradition this autumn. ☺️ #birds
An owl sits on top of a chimney. It is a variety of brown and white hues and has its eyes slightly opened.
October 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Sorting through old photos from June I came across this funny/weird scene: a small willow warbler (fitis) was shadowing a substantially larger wood pipit (boompieper) carrying food towards its nest. Not sure if the warbler was hoping to steal the meal but it looked very suspicious! #birds
A wood pipit (top right) is flying off from a tree, as a much smaller willow warbler initiates the chase. The pipit in flight on the right, the warbler is following it. The wood pipit has landed in a tree with his beak full of insects. In a branch above and behind it, the willow warbler ominously watches the larger bird...
October 19, 2025 at 5:29 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
The winter thrushes are returning! Yesterday I saw nice flocks of redwings (koperwiek) and, in these photographs, fieldfares (kramsvogel) looking for food. We only get these birds in winter and they nicely fill the gap left by the departure of many breeding birds. #birds #vogels
A fieldfare in flight, seen from below. It has a yellowy breast with black spots that run down its torso, which is white for the lower half. It has a grey head and a white chin. Its bill is yellow and its underwing coverts are a downy white. A group of fieldfares has just landed, or is about to land, in a willow tree. The birds are sitting individually but all face the same direction, as they have only just landed.
October 18, 2025 at 3:18 PM
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The Cetti's warbler (Cetti's zanger) is heard far more often than it is seen, but this one was the most cooperative one I ever encountered. It sat in full view for over three minutes (!), mostly at ease with one leg pulled up, occasionally performing its famous call. #birds
A brown and grey bird sits on a branch, one leg pulled up and its tail pointing upwards. Its back and cap are dark brown while its underside is grey. Its chin is very light grey and it has an eyestripe in the same colour. It is relaxed. The Cetti's warbler is looking sideways, but not alerted. It still has one leg pulled up. The Cetti's warbler is calling from the bush. The Cetti's warbler is calling even more intensely! This is what it looks like when producing so much noise. Normally it will be invisible at this point.
October 17, 2025 at 7:28 PM
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Close-up of a red knot (kanoet) halfway through moulting to its winter plumage. Its belly is still orange, while its head is already turning grey. It was foraging at high tide on Schiermonnikoog. #birds
A bird with a fairly long bill on the beach. We can only see part of the red knot: its head and part of its torso. Its head and back are a messy patchwork of black and grey while its belly is still fairly orange, faded from the original red. Its bill is black and opened, revealing the bird's tongue.
October 11, 2025 at 4:41 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
A dunlin (bonte strandloper) foraging for food, undeterred by the waves breaking on the shore of Schiermonnikoog. #birds
A small brown and white wading bird with a long bill walks along the waterline. From the right a wave comes crashing in, water drops growing ever smaller as they get closer to the dunlin.
October 8, 2025 at 12:42 PM
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The little gull (dwergmeeuw) mentioned above was a juvenile, recognisable in its first winter plumage by the black lines on its wings, and it was very cool to see its opportunistic feeding above the flooded salt marsh. A really nice surprise to find one here! #birds
The little gull, in its first winter plumage, running across the water. It paddles the surface with its feet as it looks for food. The little gull flies above the water. The black lines on its wings are clearly visible here. This pattern is actually very similar to that of a black-legged kittiwake (drieteenmeeuw) in its first winter plumage, which can also be seen here (both birds are rare, however), but that bird lacks the black and the black stripe on its hand is narrower. The little gull paddling the water, with vegetation behind it and also extending from the water. It is catching some small prey as it runs across the water.
October 6, 2025 at 6:22 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
Today's theme was water. At high tide the cycle path along the Wadden dyke was flooded, the dock unreachable. Dunlins and turnstones ran around at the base. The beach was fully submerged. Even at low tide the salt marsh was still impossible to traverse. A little gull danced across the water.
The sea seen from the Wadden dyke on Schiermonnikoog. On the left the private dock. A line of vegetation rising from the water hints at the extent of the submerged cycle path. The North sea seen from the top of one of the dunes. The water has flooded the beach and a salt marsh area and has reached the base of the dunes. A cycle path running through the salt marsh. It is submerged. The submerged salt marsh. Normally this is a grassy plain crossed through with streams running to the sea.
October 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
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Stormy today, but with moments of great beauty.
A view from Schiermonnikoog towards the mainland. On the left the rocks of the coastal defences can be seen, and on the right red vegetation on the edge of the sea, which is visible in the distance. Clouds on the left are breaking up, as the sunlight is reflected on the sea. The beach! After some heavy showers there is a stark contrast between wet and (much lighter) dry sand, which is being blown across the ground. On the left the sea, on the right a row of dunes disappearing towards the horizon. A heavily overcast sky. The sun barely breaks through, throwing its beams towards a large field filled with reeds, shining golden. A path through the dunes, with typical shrubs for the area. Beyond, more vegetatoon, another row of dunes, and through a gap, the sea.
October 4, 2025 at 2:54 PM
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That bar-tailed godwit (rosse grutto) from the previous post has been hanging around a little longer. Got some nice action shots when it was spooked by a dog. The bird was fine, it returned shortly after to a very successful feeding ground. #birds
The bar-tailed godwit takes flight from the lake. Mid-flight, the godwit shakes its head to shake off water drops. It briefly has its eyes closed.
October 2, 2025 at 7:58 PM
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This bar-tailed godwit (rosse grutto) was in the area over the weekend, foraging along the shore of a nearby lake, rather than along the coast, where it is usually found here. I took up position and eventually it wandered right up to me. Very nice to get such a good look! #birds
The bar-tailed godwit in winter plumage. In Dutch it is called a rosse grutto, a rufous godwit, but that name doesn't make much sense anymore in winter. It is a variety of very light brownish colours with a reddish pink base to its bill, which ends in a black tip. The bar-tailed godwit foraging in the lake, which has soft green reflections of the surrounding foliage. The bird's soft colours are more visible here. The bar-tailed godwit in flight, flying past me. Its tail is fanned out, showing the horizontal bars along it. This is quite different from our regular black-tailed godwit, which has - well you can probably guess.
September 30, 2025 at 2:44 PM
korbosch.bsky.social
While watching a bar-tailed godwit (rosse grutto) forage in the water, a common ringed plover (bontbekplevier) suddenly landed right in front of me. It turned out my reaction speed was on point, and I don't think I'd ever caught the plover's tail as well! #birds
A small plover is about to land on the sandy beach of a lake. Its wings are spread out and its tail fanned out as it is slowing down. It is backlit, causing the sunlight to illuminate the white tips and outline of its tail feathers.
September 28, 2025 at 6:54 PM
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A bit of an abstract image but I enjoyed the way the light fell on this dunlin (bonte strandloper) and on the waves behind it last weekend. There were a couple of them hiding in a group of sanderlings (drieteenstrandloper). #birds
A small wading bird with a long black bill sits on an artificial rocky coastal shoreline, with white spots dancing behind it as the sunlight falls on the waves. The bird is photographed against the light, so its colours don't stand out very well, but it's mostly white (on its underside) and various hues of brown (on its back and cap)
September 27, 2025 at 10:36 AM
korbosch.bsky.social
Mocht op de radio vanochtend heeeel kort iets vertellen over de Belgische vluchtelingen in Arnhem tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Erg leuk om te doen! www.nporadio1.nl/fragmenten/s...
Groepsfoto van Belgische vluchtelingen in Arnhem in 1914. De groep bestaat uit hele gezinnen: vrouwen, mannen en kleine kinderen. Sommige mensen hebben hun huisdier mee. Een klein jongetje heeft een krijtbord vast met daarop de tekst "Leve België". Bron: Gelders Archief, fotograaf onbekend, toegang 1523 - 333-0004
September 23, 2025 at 11:15 AM