Vondelpark is a hidden gem inside the bustling city of Amsterdam. We went to Vondelpark when we couldn’t get tickets to the Anne Frank House, but it was still a very great time. I think it’s nice to go into nature after being in the city for so long. As I hoped, we saw a lot of Egyptian Geese! These birds are native to Africa, but have been introduced to various European countries as well as the US. They’re actually more closely related to ducks than to actual geese. We saw some Black-headed Gulls, a Herring Gull, and the very first time seeing a Gray Heron, the Old World form of a Great Blue Heron. I also some Common Wood-Pigeons, Common Blackbirds, Eurasian Coots, Mallards, and Eurasian Moorhens. After finishing off a tasty sandwich, we went off to explore the park.
In a small marshy area, we got to see a Eurasian Blackcap, a male and a juvenile! I also got the closest look at a Eurasian Wren, which was only about 2 feet away from me. The Eurasian Wren is a small and quick bird with a powerful voice, and I was looking at it so close! Later on, Dad and I tried to find a Common Kingfisher, but it didn’t end up so great. First, we heard a bird that sounded like the kingfisher, so we set to work finding it in the dense foliage. I knew that kingfishers were small, so I was ready. But all we saw of the bird was just it flying into a different bush or tree. It was too quick to get positive ID, until it stopped for a second and I put up my binoculars. And I was looking not at a Common Kingfisher, but a European Robin! After that, we some other birds, like Rose-ringed Parakeets and House Sparrows and Eurasian Magpies.
But in the end, it started to rain, and while we were walking back, I heard a song. I searched in the rain until I found the singing bird: a Common Chaffinch, and it was male. It wasn’t a life list bird: I saw one earlier in France, but in France it was a female. The males are brighter, so it was a perfect end to a great day in Vondelpark.
"Steve" takes his pseudonym from Minecraft, one of his favorite hobbies. But certainly not the only one! This 8-year-old also plays piano and composes his own music. He's passionate about Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, and plays four-square at recess every day. His favorite sports include baseball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming and tennis.