Two real wild Storks!

I could finally catch today a nest housing a couple of young storks, in Ottoland, a small village in a wide farmers' countryside 50kms away from the Hague. A local person told us this couple had been coming on top of this church every year; the nest is growing bigger and bigger, and will soon need some (artificial) consolidation. You can see on the photo below how big it is now.

For those who are not familiar with my previous posts on storks, this is the symbol of the Hague, and I have been trying to catch a sight of them for months, with no success so far in the city!

What's up doc?

Isn't it nice to be able to pass by geese while walking in the park? This one was quietly following me, chewing its grass, and looking right into my camera.

By the way, if you want to enjoy Bugs Bunny in the original What's up doc? scenes, click here!

The Hague Daily Photo is taking one week off. See you next Friday!

The dolfinarium in Harderwijk (110 kms from the Hague) is a nice place to go with kids to spend a day watching dolphins, walrus, seals, sea lions... Kids love it, especially because you can see them so close. The park would benefit from some renovation as it looks a bit oldish. And it's not cheap! But....what wouldn't we do for kids?!

That's why!

Yesterday a pic of a frog in a park, today the probable explanation : the yearly walk (between February and April) of amphibians after the winter towards the water, their breeding place! Because the asphalt pavement keeps the heat, frogs often stand still on surrounding roads, hence the traffic signs ("Drive Slowly, toad/frog track")!!! If you want to have a look at what it looks like, click here (don't forget the sound!), and if you want more details on the external fertilization of the frogs on this page.

Red frog

Look at this pretty frog looking at me this morning in the Haagsche Bos. She was terrified as my kids were trying to touch it with... a leaf! Nice colors, and nice leg position! Enjoy your Sunday!

Dog policy

There are strict rules in The Hague one must follows regarding dogs:

* Dogs are only allowed on the beach from 1 October to 15 May (except two locations on the Zwarte pad and close to Kwartellaan).
* They must be kept on a leash at all times in the city except in some designated free-run areas.
* A new "clean up after your dog, everywhere, and take a bag with you” policy, in force for two years now, with potential fine for owners of up to €75 (€50 if a dog owner cannot present the mandatory “pooper-scooper”.

Has dog poop vanished from the city streets? Well not entirely, but it could be worse....

What kind of duck is this bird?

Given my non-existent knowledge in ornithology, could anyone tell me what the name of this duck is? It is a common view in the parks of The Hague, here in Zuiderpark.

Update: Thanks to Wassenaar DP, I can now tell you that this is an Egyptian goose!

Let's finish off February on an optimistic touch, and the birth of the first lambs this year in this wonderful kids' farm in Zoeterwoude "Het Geertje". This dynamic cheese farm opens its doors the all year around to kids. It is the most fun when lambs are born, as then you can buy small bottles of goat milk and feed the baby goats directly. Just be prepared to spend there a couple of hours there, as once in, the kids do not want to leave anymore!!

Kids' farms

The Hague counts 11 city kids' farms! There are nice places for the kids to meet and discover the everyday life of pets and other farm animals (cows, rabbits, goats, sheep...). Tours are often organized with schools, during which they learn how to take care of the animals, feed them, clean them, etc....

Mixed feelings...

Today I was driving by this appartement when I made the shot. I thought it would be a good follow up on my last post! But I actually have mixed feelings about this stork crashing into the front window. In the Netherlands, when there is a new born baby in a house, it is quite usual to spread the word by placing some pink or blue balloons and ribbons on the front door, or indeed sticking that bird on the window. But it looks like this one literally crashes into the flat.....

The stork, symbol of The Hague

The white stork is the symbol of The Hague. It is actually still unknown why the stork was chosen as a symbol for the city.

The Hague, (official name 's Gravenhage, which means the small forest of the counts of Holland) belonged until the end of the 13th century to the Estate of Monster. Around 1275 's Gravenhage became a separate village. Storks were very common in the village and were well taken care off. Already in 1352-54 the village register mentioned costs for making nests for the local storks. Even though they were often mentioned as pests, they were always allowed to nest in the village. Sometimes an official 'keeper of the storks' was even appointed.

I also read in the New York Times here that "years ago, when the fishmongers of nearby Scheveningen came to the marketplace, storks ate the leftover fish, keeping the city clean".

"Sea Horse"

As the temperature did not climb above 0 degree (celsius) today, I brought the kids to the aquarium, where we found a new room dedicated to sea horses. To me, this is one of the most amazing species in the underworld. I love the way they look and move.

Did you know by the way that with pipefishes, they are notable for being the only species in which males become "pregnant"! Seahorse fishing is strictly illegal as it became an endangered species but it is still widely used in traditional Chinese herbology (they are used to treat a variety of ailments including asthma, arteriosclerosis, incontinence, impotence, thyroid disorders, skin ailments, broken bones, and heart disease...).

Birds

End of the day in Zuiderpark. As often in Holland, beautiful sky. But try to count the birds!!! For a second I thought of Hitchcook's movie The birds. Those are carrion crows, not specially kind birds.

Encounter with an alligator

Wandering around in the Megastores shopping mall, you may find yourself passing by one of those prehistoric creatures brought there to give you a jungle feeling...Arent'alligators scary?

Paleis Tuin

Always nice to meet those birds in the middle of the city, here in the Royal Gardens behing the Noordeinde Palace! This is nowadays just a normal park open to the public, with some nice modern sculptures in it.

Cute little house

On my way to Clingendael yesterday, I had to stop to make a shot of this cute little duck house in a pond in the middle of a residential area of the city. "Go Home" is written on it. That was the first time I ever saw such a nice shelter. Just wonder who sails out there to paint the house every other year!