One of the fun parts of birding is that you come in many different places. I always enjoy our beautiful country. So also this time near Alblasserdam, next to Kinderdijk. For most Dutch and tourists mainly known for the windmills. Today I saw lots of Japanese, French, Italians, English and Germans. But most of them had no eye for what I came for: The White-winged black tern that stayed for almost a week between the Black terns there.



On my arrival I saw some famous birders gathered and together we watched the White-winged tern, far above the "Hooge boezem van de Overwaard" showing  his flying skills between numerous Black and Common terns.  With its white tail and wings clearly visible, but unfortunately it kept its distance.
Also Purple herons preferred the other side of the Hooge boezem, far off.



After an hour the other birders left and I decided to take a strawl heading for the windmills, enjoying countless Reed warblers and Cettti's warblers in the reed, Common and Black terns over the water. After approximately 20 minutes I decided to walk back heading for my car, not having seen the White-winged terns.... at least not from near by.

But halfway my return walk luck appeared once again on my site: amongst a handful of Black terns the White-winged decided to inspect the bold guy with the long lens from close by. Form at least 10 minutes it kept performing fly-by's, in front of me and even over my head. Cool to hear the different calls of the Black and White-winged tern.

The call of the White-winged has a slightly lower pitch and it's a bit rawer.



Seeing is one, hearing is two but taking good pictures is a different cook ( as Van Gaal would put it) Still the pictures give a good impression of this beautiful, fast and small Tern, I hope. And as a cherry on the whipped cream pie (haha) a Purple heron waited for me in the meadow where my car was parked. Usually these flee as soon as they see a lens, but this one wanted to pose for a while.