[W]

W is for the White Wagtail

I also choose the White Wagtail. It's a nice bird. I took these pictures in Sweden.
greetings Aafke

[Carol F.]

Happy Birthday

    Carol F.    

Have a nice day

I tried to send a picture of wooden shoes but it's not working

greetings Aafke

 

[Bobbie]

Happy Birthday

  Bobbie  bguitar

Have a fun day

greetings Aafke

[U]

 U is for Upupa epops

The Upupa epops is the latin name for the Hoopoe.
We had him before but it's such an amazing bird! So here he is again



greetings Aafke

U for Umbrella bird.

This endangered species lives only in the Chocó rain forests of Ecuador and Colombia, where it makes vital contributions to the forests' health. All have an inflatable wattle on the neck, which serves to amplify their loud, booming calls. This wattle may reach a length of 35 cm (14 in) in the Long-wattled Umbrellabird, but it is smaller in the two remaining species, and covered in bare, bright red skin in the Bare-necked Umbrellabird. Females resemble males, but are noticeably smaller and have a reduced crest and wattle. 

Wow what a strange story, I expect that at the end there came a question: Is this a true or a false story?
I would say: false 
Thanks Donna, it's really interesting
greetings Aafke

Ultramarine Flycatcher

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramarine_Flycatcher

Annette, what a beautiful color!!!!
greetings Aafke

It would be nice when a lot of people will send a bird for the last letters. You don't need a lot of bird knowledge, we have the internet, where you can find everything!!!!
I miss a lot of people here.
Carla, you have such nice birds in your garden and beautiful pictures!!!!

I'm a lot behind with sending the birds, but I will try to send a few as soon as possible.

Thanks for starting the letters without the shedule, it isn't really necessary but I will give it for the last letters

The letter S on Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 December
The letter T on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 December
The letter U on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December
The letter V on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 December
The letter W on Wednesday 15  and Thursday 16 December
The letter X on Friday 17  and Saturday 18 December
The letter Y on Sunday 19 and Monday 20 December
The letter Z on Tuesday 21  and Wednesday 22 December

We will be ready just before the Christmas.

greetings Aafke

OMG OWL

[S]

S is for Stork, White Stork

The White Stork is a very big bird and looks very impressive with his black and white feathers and his long red legs and bill.
We are very lucky to have a few of them in The Hague.
I visit a nest for the first time in 2004. We looked for a long time before we saw the little white pile, yes a baby in the nest!

This movie is from last year when we visit an other nest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyBVCnNsKAY

greetings Aafke

[S]

S is for Spoonbill

Yes the Spoonbill belongs to my top 10 of birds. It's such a fantastic bird to see. You can recognize them very well when you see them fly. On Texel you can see lots of pairs in the Spring with their babies, the young birds have pink bills.

from wikipedia: Spoonbills are a group of large, long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, which also includes the Ibises. All Spoonbills have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly-opened bill from side to side. The moment any small aquatic creature touches the inside of the bill—an insect, crustacean, or tiny fish—it is snapped shut.
greetings Aafke

[S]

S is for Sanderling -- these are the little shorebirds most of us have seen running just at the edge of the surf...always getting out of the way of the incoming wave seemingly just in the nick of time.

The first photo is typical...the second was an unusual sighting for me because I've rarely seen them not foraging frenetically.  Both photos were taken in Cape May, New Jersey.

Patti, I want to send the Sanderling too but your pictures are so great that it will make no sense. I'm wondering how you make such a good picture of such a busy bird, thanks.
greetings Aafke

[S]

S is for Ruddy Shelduck

And again it's a duck! It's a big kind of duck, but it looks a lot like a goose.
I only saw a Ruddy Shelduck once, it was at September 9 2008.
greetings Aafke

Egyptian GOOSE

I think

Took these at the Berlin Zoo

dale

Yes an Egyptian Goose and a Ruddy Shelduck, o I can send the last for the S!!!!!
greetings Aafke

[S]

S is for Shoveler

The Northern Shoveler is also a duck. You can recognize him at his large spatulate bill.
In The Netherlands we have a lot of water, that's why we have lots of ducks.
greetings Aafke

Thanks, most of you know, we (my family) celebrate it in a very BIG way. I will share a few pictures in a few days. We had a great time, first there were some problems to come at the same place, because of the bad snow. At one moment there were no trains, trams, busses etc.
MAK, I love your question about the wooden shoes and Carla gave a good answer. I don't know anybody who walks on wooden shoes. When I was a kid I had one pair for fun, but it was very hard to walk on them.
greetings Aafke