On 5 February 2024 a dead Allen's Gallinule Porphyrio alleni was found in the Eemshaven Gr. If accepted, it will be the first record for the Netherlands. On 29 February the third Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon for the Netherlands was found at Rhenen U and offered many birders the opportunity to finally see this species, after the records in April 2016 and March 2017, both of which were difficult to see and produced mainly heard-only records. Two Ross's Geese Anser rossi were found at Lemmer Fr on 9 March 2024, after wintering in Belgium. One of the birds was wearing a metal ring with inscription showing it was ringed on 4 August 2017 in Cambridge Bay, Nunavit, Canada as a nestling. The birds stayed till 1 April 2024. On 28 April 2024 a Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia was photographed near Almere Fl. When accepted, it would be the first record for the Netherlands. However, nobody, except for the photographer, was able to connect with this bird and in the end it was n ot accepted at all.
In May an Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus and a Cinerous Vulture Aegypius monachus were both seen on 13 May 2024 in Noord-Brabant, flying in from Belgium, but could not be seen by large crowds of birders. A Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius stayed on Texel NH between 2 May and 22 May 2024. On 31 May a male Canvasback was found at the Nieuwe Driemanspolder near Zoetermeer ZH. It stayed there till 2 June 2024 when it moved to the Vogelplas Starrevaart, Oegstgeest ZH. There it stayed till at least 20 June 2024. It could be the first record for the Netherlands, if accepted. A previous record in 2003 was finally rejected when remnants of a patagial tag were found as late as January 2008, five years after its discovery.
On 6 June 2024 a Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis was seen flying north at the Westplaat, Voorne ZH and should be the second record for the Netherlands, if accepted. A Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus was found on 16 July 2024 in the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen ZH and stayed till the next day, giving lots of birders the opportunity to unblock this beautiful species after the relatively long-stayers of in 2010 and 2023 (average: three hours!). On 31 July the seventh Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia for the Netherlands was found near Scherpnisse Zld. On the same day a Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus was found at Vrouwenpolder Zld, attracting lots of birders. The bird stayed till 2 August 2024. Later it became known a Red-wattled Lapwing was seen on 27 July on Vlieland Fr and on 4 August 2024 the bird from Vrouwenpolder was seen again on Ameland Fr where it stayed only one day. The first record was on 19 June 2019 when a bird was found on Texel NH and later on 23 June 2019 on Ameland Fr as well.
August was dominated by several sightings of rare waders. On 6 August 2024 a Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis was seen at Balgzand NH, but could not be relocated again. Best bird of the month was a Western Sandpiper C mauri staying at Holwert Fr from 15 to 22 August 2024 and concerned the second record for the Netherlands. A Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca was present for a short period on 16 August 2024 at De Groene Jonker ZH. September finally produced a long-awaited twitcheable Paddyfield Warbler A agricola at Groote Keeten NH on 2 and 3 September 2024. On 29 September 2024 a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola was trapped and ringed in the Kroon's Polders, Vlieland Fr, again not to be twitched.
October was only five days old when a mega rarity was found, the third record for Europe and the Western Palearctic of a Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica at Ganzenhoek, Meijendel, Wassenaar ZH! The next day, a Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus was found between Petten and Camperduin NH, the fifth record for the Netherlands.
