Eurasian Black Vulture in the Netherlands in July-August 2000

From 13 July to 18 August 2000, an immature Eurasian Black Vulture Aegypius monachus was seen at various coastal sites (including four different Frisian islands) in Friesland, Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands. The bird is considered a second calendar-year based on head pattern, stage of moult and pointed, dark scapulars, although a third calendar-year can not fully be excluded. The extensive wear of the bird\'s plumage is not necessarily considered indicative of captive origin as it is stated that wild birds occur with similarly bad plumage conditions. Also the behaviour of the bird seemed to indicate a wild origin. The dramatic increase in sightings of vultures - mainly Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus - in the Netherlands since the late 1990s is briefly discussed. This record constitutes the second for the Netherlands. The first was a female shot at Beneden-Leeuwen, Gelderland, on 12 October 1948. In addition, there is at least one record of a proven escape (wearing leather straps) in April 1978.

Marten van Dijl, Sumatrastraat 71, 3312 XS Dordrecht, Nederland
(marten.van.dijldutchbirding.nl)

Alpine Swift at Wageningen in November-December 2002

On 8 November 2002, an Alpine Swift Apus melba was discovered at inland Wageningen, Gelderland, the Netherlands, and stayed until 4 December 2002, when it was taken into care because of its poor condition. On 10 November, it was also seen near Elst, Utrecht, c 10 km west of Wageningen. During its stay, the Alpine Swift was feeding around the Wageningen hillside or riverbeds and in the evening the bird was roosting in the window opening of a high factory building in the Wageningen harbour.

After having been taken into care, the Alpine Swift was fed dead crickets by hand at first. Later on, it was fed live crickets and a mixture of minerals, proteins and vitamins. The bird recovered from a parasitic infection and its weight increased from 65 g on 4 December to 85-90 g when released (the normal weight for an Alpine Swift is 76-120 g). On 22 June 2003, the bird was ringed and released in Baden near Zürich, Switzerland, after having had a tail-feather transplantation and some flight training. It was not seen after this date.

This was the 40th record (and 41st individual) of Alpine Swift for the Netherlands. It was only the second-ever staying longer than just a few hours. The first \'long-stayer\' was on 28-29 October 1987 at Zaanstad, Noord-Holland. It was also the first record in November and December. Records in November in north-western Europe are rare and December records seem to be without precedent.

Robert Keizer, Thorbeckestraat 80, 6702 BS Wageningen, Nederland
(robertkeizerhotmail.com)
Hans Westendorp, Alexanderweg 1, 6721 GG Bennekom, Nederland
(j.g.westendorphetnet.nl)

Ross\'s Geese in the Netherlands in 1988-2003

In January 1988, two white-morph Ross\'s Geese Anser rossii were found at Wissenkerke, Zeeland, the Netherlands. Both birds were regularly observed in the following months and following winters, commuting between various well-known goose sites in the south-west and north-east of the country. From 1990 to 1996, only one bird was seen. These two birds constituted the second and third accepted record of Ross\'s Goose for the Netherlands, after the first in November-December 1985. After two blank years, two Ross\'s Geese were seen at various sites from late 1998 until at least early 2004; both birds were seen together only once, in January 2000. These birds have been accepted as the fourth and fifth for the Netherlands. In addition, several reports have not been submitted or have been rejected because of known or suspected captive origin. Birds have mostly been associating with Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis. This paper gives a detailed overview of all Dutch records (see table 1) and discusses the identification and status. Although the likelihood of escapes is considerable, the Dutch rarities committee (CDNA) considers Ross\'s Goose a possible vagrant and therefore regards records of unringed birds not showing unsusual behaviour or other indications of captive origin acceptable.

Max Berlijn, Wilhelminastraat 9, 6285 AS Epen, Nederland
(max.berlijnnn.nl)

Populatietoename en kans op dwaalgasten bij Ross\' Gans

In de eerste helft van de 20e eeuw stond Ross\' Gans Anser rossii bekend als zeldzaam met c 5000 exemplaren en werd de soort door overbejaging met uitsterven bedreigd. Mede door beschermingsmaatregelen nam het aantal vanaf de jaren 1960 buitengewoon sterk toe. In 1988 bestond de populatie uit 229 000 exemplaren en in 1998 uit 609 100. Bovendien werd het verspreidingsgebied groter, met name in oostelijke richting. Er kwamen nieuwe broedkolonievestigingen tot 800 km ten westen van Groenland op Baffin Island, NWT, Canada, en in de jaren 1990 overwinterde al bijna een kwart van de populatie in Texas, VS. In recente jaren overwinterde ook een aantal langs de Noord-Amerikaanse oostkust. Na het eerste geval in Nederland op 30 november 1985 nam het aantal waarnemingen van ongeringde, mogelijk wilde vogels in Noordwest-Europa eveneens geleidelijk toe. Dankzij ringonderzoek is bewezen dat wilde Kleine Sneeuwganzen A caerulescens caerulescens Nederland kunnen bereiken; aangezien Ross\' Ganzen en Sneeuwganzen in gemengde groepen broeden, trekken en overwinteren is er derhalve geen reden om een wilde herkomst van Ross\' Gans uit te sluiten. De kans op uit gevangenschap ontsnapte Ross\' Ganzen is echter eveneens gegroeid doordat sinds 1988 het aantal gekweekte exemplaren in Nederland zo sterk toenam dat het dat van Sneeuwganzen is gaan overstijgen.

Arnoud B van den Berg, Duinlustparkweg 98, 2082 EG Santpoort-Zuid, Netherlands
(arnoud.vandenbergplanet.nl)

Breeding attempt of Ross\'s Goose at Haringvliet in 2003

During 2000-02, a white-morph Ross\'s Goose Anser rossii was regularly observed on islands in the western part of the Haringvliet, Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands, in spring. It was always in the company of a small non-breeding flock of Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis, loosely associated with locally breeding Barnacle Geese. The last observation dates in spring during these years were 31 May 2000, 1 June 2001 and 14 June 2002. On 19 May and 2 June 2003, a female Ross\'s Goose was found breeding on a nest containing five eggs at the island Slijkplaat, Hellevoetsluis, Zuid-Holland, in a breeding colony of 536 pairs of Barnacle Geese. On 18 June, the nest appeared abandoned, and no Ross\'s Goose was observed subsequently. The bird appeared to be unpaired and the eggs were probably infertile.

Peter L Meininger, Rijksinstituut voor Kust en Zee, Postbus 8039, 4330 EA Middelburg, Nederland
(P.L.Meiningerrikz.rws.minvenw.nl)

Pair of Dark-bellied Brent Goose x Pale-bellied Brent Goose with three hybrid young on Texel in December 2003-January 2004

From 26 December 2003 to late January 2004, a mixed pair of a male Pale-bellied Brent Goose Branta hrota and a female Dark-bellied Brent Goose B bernicla and three hybrid young were observed on Texel, Noord-Holland, the Netherlands, in a large flock of Dark-bellied Brent Geese and two Black Brants B nigricans. Mixed brent goose pairs of this combination have been reported only twice before in the Netherlands and only once before with hybrid offspring (in 1980). Records from other countries are unknown. The hybrids strongly resembled so-called \'Gray-bellied Brants\', the subspecies (still) without taxonomic rank from western arctic Canada and wintering on the West Coast of the USA, which has also been reported in Ireland and Northern Ireland in recent years. Without the presence of the parents, the hybrid young might well have been reported as \'Gray-bellied Brants\'. Pairs of Dark-bellied Brent Goose with Black Brant with hybrid young have been recorded in Britain and the Netherlands and suspected hybrids Pale-bellied Brent Goose x Black Brant have been reported on the East Coast of the USA.

Justin J F J Jansen, Blitterswijckseweg 3, 5871 CD Broekhuizenvorst, Nederland
(justinDBAcs.com)
Enno B Ebels, Joseph Haydnlaan 4, 3533 AE Utrecht, Nederland
(ebelswxs.nl)