One more White Sea born Oystercatcher now in the Netherlands...

Super story of the day – on “my” White Sea Oystercatchers. Seems it’s not only myself who, instead of being at the White Sea coasts and right on the protected Ryashkov island now – spends time instead at the coasts of the Netherlands. Tell you the story in reverse order, from now back to the past… Also with some old photos of 2008.

Today after a third kick-up in the e-mail (was busy earlier with Siberian/Russian stuff and just too tired for birds) looked up the message from the very active birder who reached me first while I was in Siberia. Wow, his photo ad message really made my day finally!

At the photo he sent – subad Oystercatcher that was born at Ryashkov island in 2008 and seen now at the Balgzandpolder, Den Helder, Noord Holland (NL). And this is “our” Ryashkov Oystercatcher! Even ringed myself there on 13 July 2008 with 8-0 CR rings and steel PC 000119 – helped by two boys from Kandalaksha, thus named after one of them ILYA. And now the bird stays at the harbor Den Helder that was formerly totally closed for all “Soviet people” (seen there 24^th May, 26^th May and yesterday 1^st June 2010). This photo above was taken by C.J. (Kees) de Graaf.

At that is how ILYA (or ILYANA – we still cannot sex the bird) looked like in 2008 – it grew up indeed right in front of the eyes of many young naturalists and elder experts – tens of us as they bred and grew up just near the main research base.

Sure on Friday or Saturday we drive to Den Helder and try to spot ILYA ourselves. While his (or her) mother – with A41 yellow ring – has to be now on Ryashkov and at the start of another breeding attempt…

Lovely Dutch-Russian Oystercatcher links, eh?

PS. I do not really like the formatting here, thus will cc in both Eng and Rus in my Russian blog...