Eccentric moult in Greenfinch, a Middle Spotted Woodpecker and more!

Friday, the 8th, I was back home in Apeldoorn and ringing session in the garden. It was quiet, with only 7 birds caught, some Blue and Great Tits and a Greenfinch and Chaffinch. The Greenfinch though, was interesting, as it had done some eccentric moult - as is known to happen with Greenfinches occasionally. It was a 2cy male, the pictures below will illustrate it:

 Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris), 2cy male

 Right wing: P5-P9 moulted (inner to outer)+ what looks like the tertails and one (incidental) secondary

 Left wing: P5,6 and P9 moulted + tertails

Tail: all new adult type tailfeathers

Yesterday, Saturday the 9th, my dad and I headed out to do some birding in the county. First we saw the Velvet Scoters at Zutphen again. This time they were quite close to the shoreline and showed very well. Enabling us to take some better photos than I did last time. 

Again! Velvet Scoters (Melanitta fusca), 1st winter males

On our way back home we stopped at Huis Voorstonden near Brummen where there's a territory of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers. It took 20 mins before we located it. It didn't show really well, high up in the trees, but it was actively calling so I made a recording:

Inland Velvet Scoters

The past week I went to see Velvet Scoters inland at two different locations. First ones were near Zutphen. I spend a few days at my grandparents in Ruurlo and on Tuesday we made a quick visit to these birds. They were present on recreactional lake just south of Zutphen. Good observations through the binoculars, though a bit distant. With my camera I managed to get some record shots.

Velvet Scoters (Melanitta fusca), both 1st winters. 

In Veenendaal, about 10km from Wageningen a first winter male Velvet Scoter has been present for a few weeks now. Yesterday I decided it was time to give it a visit since it was great weather. It is present in a creek just in the urbanised area, swimming in between the Coots and Mallards, a weird experience! There are lots of Red Swamp Crayfish in the creek, so enough reason for the bird to reside at such an odd location for a seabird. 

Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca), first winter male

On my way back I came across a group of 48 Bewick's Swans, a nice addition to the list.

Bewick's Swans (Cygnus bewickii). The group existed out of 33 adult and 15 immature birds.