Talk about timing! I wrote on Friday 8 April that the Peregrine eggs on the cathedral in central Brussels were due to hatch, and the first one finally came out of its egg the following day. By now, there are three young chicks to admire; one of the five eggs failed, and we are still unsure about the final one. The parents seem to have no trouble catching enough food for their offspring, with Song Thrush being the most frequent meal so far. Indeed, migration is in full swing and this is the time of year when anything can turn up anywhere. This time last week, I finally added Hoopoe to my Belgian list as one was found on some derelict ground in Brussels and I just managed to see it after work on the evening of its second and final day.
Last Friday, I had a quick walk around the park behind my apartment and was surprised to hear a singing Nightingale, the first in the Brussels region this year. Someone then went and discovered an adult Black-necked Grebe at my patch on the outskirts of Brussels, a new species for the site, so I had to make another mad dash after work to make sure I also got to see it and add it to my site-list.
