Long lines of parked cars line otherwise quiet roads on Texel. Almost without exception, these vehicles are used by bird watchers: they all try to take the perfect photo of the gyrfalcon.
It is a coincidence that the bird information center at the Cocksdorp had organized a bird watchers’ weekend today in collaboration with a national association of bird watchers. The animal is an unexpected gift for the participants. They were already being pampered anyway: last week there was some wobbling just a rare spectacle leader for their cameras.
André Prins, employee of the bird information center, has also seen the report of the gyrfalcon. “He wanders here and there across the island,” he tells NH. “The bird was spotted in the dunes on the west side of the island, then it made a circle towards the center and sat on the ground there for a while to grab a young herring gull. After this, the animal headed north.”
Quite out of the way
The first reports came in at the end of the morning. According to Prins, the animal is ‘quite rare’. “It is the largest falcon species we know in Europe, the gyrfalcon is the cousin of the kestrel, but much larger. The animal normally breeds in Iceland, so it is quite out of the way.”
According to Prins, there was a young gyrfalcon on Texel at the end of 2023. Fanatic birdwatchers enjoyed this animal for a long time. “It wandered around for two months and kept coming back to nature reserves on the island.”
Prins doubts whether the specimen bird watchers are chasing today is the same bird. “It would be strong. This could very well be another bird that just happened to end up in the same spot.”
“Behave”
There is a competition element to the birdwatching weekend: whoever spots a rare species wins a pair of binoculars. It will only increase the crowds. That’s why Prins warns all fanatics: “Behave yourself.” According to him, this is especially true when the gyrfalcon is on private property.
It went wrong before, when birdwatchers got a little too excited about a rare guest.
“We try to make arrangements with landowners or residents to allow small groups to enter the property under supervision. The intention is not to ban everyone onto a site,” says Prins.
Have you taken a picture of the gyrfalcon? Send it to [email protected]