Thursday, May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014: Tree And Crow...and views around Rasterhoff Park, Sneek

365 Project, Day 177
Here is my day 177 submission to my 365Project:

Here's today's photo of the day. Although I got some other fun photos today, I liked the simplicity of this shot with the dark crow and branches of the tree highlighted by the lighter background.


Carrion Crow (Corvus corone

The ship has been in the shipyard the last few months and, along with finishing up some final bits and pieces of the major overhaul it received, it had to do sea trials and with all the contractors around there wasn't enough space for most of the crew including ourselves. Instead, we've been spending a few days on shore at the Grand Hotel Beatrix in Den Helder until the ship is ready. We're not complaining though as we've had a great time relaxing and exploring the beautiful coastal town for the last couple days...not to mention how nice it's been eating delicious lunches and dinners every day in the hotel dining room overlooking the sea!

As lovely as the hotel was in Den Helder we had to move to a different location today because the hotel didn't have enough room for our rather large group. We were bussed to a hotel near Sneek about an hour away from Den Helder. We spent the night at the Van Der Valk Sneek Hotel and I don't think any of us complained as it was also a very nice hotel and we thoroughly enjoyed our pre-dinner drinks in the bar and lovely dinner in the dining room! 

I am still a bit jet lagged so after checking in to the hotel, I had a short nap, and then myself and my two co-MMOs went for a walk in Rasterhoff Park next to the hotel. We had a lovely time taking in the variety of life: Chiff Chaffs (Phylloscopus collybita) singing their songs, bumblebees in the flowers, toads croaking, Coots (Fulica atra) with their chicks, Blue (Cyanistes caeruleusand Great Tits (Parus major), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) ducklings, butterflies, sheep and an entertaining Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostraleguswho seemed to claim a couple of cars in the parking lot as its territory! 

Early morning lighthouse beams and homes of Den Helder

Chiff Chaff (Phylloscopus collybita)






Coot (Fulica atra) with her chicks

Coot (Fulica atra) chicks

Coot (Fulica atra) offering some food to one of her chicks

Coot (Fulica atra) with her chicks

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Great Tit (Parus major)


Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) chicks

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchosguiding her chicks along
















Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

The lounge of the Sneek Hotel
Not a bad place to stay for the night...my room at the Sneek Hotel :)


In the lounge at Sneek Hotel...with some interesting wall decor
We weren't too sure what to think of the deer head with the beads!

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