Birds of Woluwe Park

Some kind of crow but I'm not sure what kind.

Eurasian Coot.  I can never get over those feet!

Egyptian Goose.  These are the birds I saw from the road.

Tufted Ducks.  I think but it would be good to confirm.  Maybe they are Lesser Scaup??

Upland Goose.

Chaffinch

Eurasian Coot babies

Eurasian Coot, parent and child

Eurasian Moorhen

Great-crested Grebe

Great-crested Grebes

As we were driving out of Brussels the first time desperately trying to figure out how to get on the highway to Luxembourg I saw a park.  And in that park, even as we were speeding by, I could see that there were birds I wanted to stop and photograph.  So on our last night in Europe after visiting the art museums that had been closed the first time around I dragged Matt and Olivia out to Woluwe Park.  This is probably too many photos for one post but I feel like it's time to wrap this trip up and I really did see all these birds in less than an hour.  So here they are identified to the best of my ability...ahem.

A Bit of Brussels

Out the Window

Whenever I travel I take photos of the views out the hotel window.  I've been doing this as long as I can remember.  In Brussels our lodging was actually a small apartment right on the main square.  It had quite a few windows and even with the grey skies the views were awesome.  Or maybe they were awesome BECAUSE of the grey skies.  Look at those colors and textures!

Tourist

It's fun to be a tourist.  If Matt and Olivia weren't always way ahead of me I probably could have taken 100 pictures of each building.  They found this chocolate store during my nap and brought me back to see it.  Off to the right in the bottom corner you can just see chocolate body parts.  Just what every guy needs.  ahem.  Olivia visited EVERY chocolate store we came close to.  I'd have to ask her but it was at least 15.  And she made purchases in all of them too.  Yum. 

Fabulous Bruges Buildings

Bruges, Belgium

 We spent our first night in Bruges, a very beautiful city that is easy to walk around but not easy to drive!!  It took some doing to find our hotel after which I took a short nap while Matt and Olivia explored the city.  Two hours later I was up and enjoying the sites including these amazing buildings.  Although, and this happens in every European city and sometimes in Philadelphia, I found the cobblestones quite challenging in my jet lagged stupor.  Oh, and painful...grimace. 

A Few Belgian Birds

Not sure who this guy is.  (got it...Stonechat)

Blue Tit

Maybe a Chiffchaff??

Wood Pigeon

Stork

Jackdaw

Juvenile Blue Tits

Here are a few of the birds I saw at Het Zwin.  I haven't figured out all of the id's so if you know your European birds please help.

Het Zwin

There is a lot more to Het Zwin then I was able to explore in 3 hours, especially on foot.  But what I did see was very beautiful, full of birds I'm still working on identifying, and makes me want to go back for more.

(I love the internet.  After posting I got curious about what that first sign means and used Google Translate to get:  "Cyclists Dismount")