Skip to content
Roger Simmons Roger Simmons

Birds, Words, Pics + TV

  • Home
  • All Posts
    • Orlando Wetlands
    • Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
    • Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
    • Joe Overstreet Road
    • UCF Arboretum
    • Fort DeSoto Park
  • My Bird Catalog
    • All Birds Catalog
    • American Flamingos
    • Bald Eagles
    • Barred Owls
    • Belted Kingfishers
    • Black-and-White Warblers
    • Eastern Bluebirds
    • Florida Scrub-Jays
    • Green Herons
    • Little Blue Herons
    • Northern Parulas
    • Ospreys
    • Reddish Egrets
    • Red-Shouldered Hawks
    • Roseate Spoonbills
    • Sandhill Cranes
    • Whooping Crane
  • Orlando TV News/History
    • Orlando TV Schedules
    • Florida TV History
  • About this Site
Roger Simmons
Roger Simmons

Birds, Words, Pics + TV

European vacation: 27 new birds for me

Roger Simmons, June 9, 2024June 10, 2024

Just got back from an incredible European vacation that included stops in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Edinburgh in Scotland and a few days in London. There were so many great things to see, and, of course, that included birds.

While visiting three counties, I came across 27 new-to-me birds. I’m really happy with that total, but also just a small bit disappointed. For our last day in Edinburgh, my wife booked a private birding tour with a local guy who promised we would see at least 70 different birds – but the gentleman canceled the tour at the last minute after he said he got food poisoning. Oh, what might have been!

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that I saw many of the birds in all three countries – Netherlands, Scotland, England – since they are so close to each other. I was surprised to come across some birds there that look a lot like birds here in Florida but have a few key differences that make them different.

I’ll be posting more about the different European birds, but for now here’s a quick recap of the 27 new birds for me.

Eurasian Magpie, Amsterdam’s Vondelpark in the Netherlands, May 2024.
Rose-ringed parakeet, Amsterdam’s Vondelpark in the Netherlands, May 2024.
Eurasian Jackdaw, Amsterdam’s Vondelpark in the Netherlands, May 2024.
Mother and baby Stork, Amsterdam’s Vondelpark in the Netherlands, May 2024.
Greylag Geese, Amsterdam’s Vondelpark in the Netherlands, May 2024.
Eurasian Coot, Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Great Cormorant, IJpromenade in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, May 2024.
European Goldfinch, Water of Leith Walkway in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Blue Tit, Water of Leith Walkway in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Coal Tit, Scottish Highlands, May 2024.
Common Merganser, Water of Leith Walkway in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Water of Leith Walkway in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
European Robin, Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Green Finch, Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Male Chaffinch, Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Eurasian Blackbird, Greyfriers Kirkyard in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Eurasian Moorhen, Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2024.
Carrion Crow, Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh Scotland, May 2024.
Gray Wagtail, Richmond area of London on River Thames, May 2024.
Black-headed Gull, River Thames in London, May 2024.
Grey Heron, Hyde Park in London, May 2024.
Male Tufted Duck, Hyde Park in London. May 2024.
Great Tit, Hyde Park in London, June 2024.
Great Crested Grebe, Hyde Park in London, June 2024.
Eurasian Wren, Hyde Park in London, June 2024.
Bank Swallow, Hyde Park in London, June 2024
Common Wood Pigeon, Hyde Park in London, June 2024.

Share on Social Media
x facebook reddit email
All Birds Europe

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Related Posts

All

Great Egrets and their babies in St. Augustine

May 6, 2025May 5, 2025

There were several nests that had babies in them of different ages – ranging from newly hatched to some that had hatched weeks ago.

Read More
All

It’s like a nursey full of pink Roseate Spoonbill babies

April 7, 2025April 7, 2025

The Orlando Wetlands is not a daycare center, but it’s as chaotic as one right now with all the Roseate Spoonbill babies.

Read More
All

Winter has sprung? Robins return to Central Florida

November 22, 2023November 22, 2023

Robins are not normally found in Central Florida except in the winter, when they arrive here from their northern homes. While visiting the UCF Arboretum at sunset, a flock of several dozen Robins arrived.

Read More

Latest Posts

  • Story of Merritt Island flamingos still being written
  • You never know what you’ll see at Orlando Wetlands
  • Reddish Egret puts on a sunset show
  • Summer birding season isn’t so slow after all
  • Merritt Island birds back in May

Top Locations

Orlando Wetlands

Posts about visits to Orlando Wetlands


UCF Arboretum

Posts about visits to UCF Arboretum


Merritt Island

Posts about visits to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge


Lake Apopka

Posts about visits to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive


Fort DeSoto

Posts about visits to Fort DeSoto Park


Galleries

Roger's Favorites

An ever-changing collection of my favorite pictures


American Flamingos

Photos of American Flamingos in Indian River


Belted Kingfishers

Photos of Belted Kingfishers across Central Florida.


Oystercatchers

Pictures of American Oystercatchers at Fort DeSoto Park


Spoonbills

Pictures of Roseate Spoonbills in Central Florida


Whooping Crane

Pictures of one of the last Whooping Cranes in Florida


MORE GALLERIES


Topics

American Flamingo American Kestrel Anhinga Bald Eagles Barn Swallow Barred Owl Belted Kingfisher Black-and-White Warbler Black-Crowned Night-Heron Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Caspian Tern Common Gallinule Common Yellowthroat Digital TV Eastern Bluebird Great Blue Heron Great Egret Green Heron Limpkin Little Blue Heron Northern Cardinal Northern Parula Orlando Wetlands Park Osprey Palm Warbler Prairie Warbler Red-bellied Woodpecker Red-shouldered Hawk Red-Winged Blackbird Reddish Egret Roseate Spoonbills Sandhill Crane Savannah Sparrow Snowy Egret Tricolored Heron Tufted Titmouse WESH-2 WFTV-9 White Ibis WKCF-18 WKMG-6 WMFE-24 WOFL-35 Wood Stork WRDQ-27

©2025 Roger Simmons | All Rights Reserved