European Roller - Scharrelaar

European Roller

Scharrelaar

Coracias garrulus

Pictures: Teus Luijendijk

17 September 2005, Ploeglanderweg, Texel

17 September 2005, Ploeglanderweg, Texel

June is the usual month for vagrant Rollers in our country (27 out of the 65 records between 1800 and 1998). They do, however, turn up sometimes in autumn and there even is one record from December 1975 (vd Berg & Bosman 1999).
This bird was present for several days in a nice wooded area on the isle of Texel, where it foraged on beetles, grasshoppers and even newts.




European Roller - Scharrelaar Coracias garrulus probably first-year; videograbs (320x). Ploeglanderweg, Texel, The Netherlands, 17 September 2005.

Reference:
van den Berg AB, Bosman CAW 1999. Avifauna van Nederland. Rare birds of the Netherlands. GMB Uitgeverij, Haarlem.