In Landen (Flemish Brabant), amateur photographer Eddy Koninckx managed to photograph a slender-billed nutcracker. The little bird is rare and has been in the area for several days now. It has also been spotted in nearby Heverlee (Flemish Brabant) and Averbode (Flemish Brabant).
Slender-billed nutcracker spotted by amateur photographer in Landen: “Rare phenomenon underway”
Colin Clapson
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“The bird was remarkably easy to spot and certainly not shy. At one point, it came within a good 5 metres,” says Eddy.
The thin-billed nutcracker is related to the crow. It has dark brown plumage with distinctive white markings. Its sturdy beak is also striking. The bird is a rare sight in Belgium. It is mainly found in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.
Invasion of nutcrackers
According to environmental organisation Natuurpunt, a rare phenomenon is currently taking place: an invasion of nutcrackers. “Since October, they have been appearing in unusual numbers across Flanders, whereas they are normally seen here only extremely rarely. These are birds that have undertaken an enormous journey from the taiga, the forested region in the far north-east of Europe. We have to go back decades to find a comparable, large-scale invasion.”
Not enough seeds
The birds are probably looking for food. “They mainly eat pine seeds. But some years, the trees produce few seeds, forcing the birds to seek alternative sources. That was the case this year in the north-eastern breeding grounds. These nutcrackers are then forced to move to temperate regions where they can find sufficient food. In many cases, that means Western Europe,” says Natuurpunt.
And so, the thin-billed nutcracker has also ended up in Landen, though it has already been spotted in Heverlee, Averbode and Merksplas (Antwerp Province), amongst other places. In Landen, it is already attracting many birdwatchers.
“Armed with binoculars and large cameras, they’re trying to catch a glimpse of the bird. The locals are quite pleased about it too, and some just pop round for a chat and even call it ‘their bird’. It’s lovely, isn’t it?”, says Eddy.