{"id":6560,"date":"2025-10-17T20:06:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T19:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shiftynl-photography.nl\/?p=6560"},"modified":"2026-05-31T17:53:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T16:53:10","slug":"progress-of-the-200-birds-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shiftynl-photography.nl\/nl\/2025\/10\/17\/progress-of-the-200-birds-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Voortgang van de 200-vogels uitdaging"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Progress of the 200 birds challenge.<\/h2>\n

February<\/a> this year I told you about a new challenge was taking to find 200 birds in The Netherlands.<\/p>\n

Well, it sure has been a challenge!<\/p>\n

So far, I\u2019ve managed to spot 151 bird species<\/strong> across the Netherlands. That means I still have 49 to go<\/strong> to reach my goal of 200. Will I find them all? Probably not\u2014but that\u2019s perfectly fine. This journey has already taken me to places I never would have visited otherwise, and it\u2019s been an incredible experience filled with learning, discovery, and connection with nature.<\/p>\n

Help from a True Bird Geek<\/h3>\n

One of the biggest boosts to my progress came from my neighbor\u2014a true bird enthusiast. His deep knowledge of bird behavior and habitats helped me identify and locate species I might have missed on my own. I also joined several excursions and guided trips<\/strong> in nature reserves across the Netherlands, which led to some unforgettable sightings, including the Osprey<\/strong>, Eagle<\/strong>, and the Crested Cormorant<\/strong>\u2014a rare visitor just passing through.<\/p>\n

But the most special sighting for me? The Purple Swamphen<\/strong>. Only three<\/strong> have ever been recorded in the Netherlands, and I was lucky enough to see one!<\/p>\n

Tech Meets Nature<\/h3>\n

Besides good company and expert guidance, I\u2019ve relied heavily on technology to support my birdwatching efforts. Several apps have helped me locate birds in specific areas and log sightings with GPS coordinates<\/strong>. Pretty neat, right?<\/p>\n

Of course, birds aren\u2019t always easy to spot\u2014but they do make noise! Identifying them by sound was a challenge at first, especially since many birds sound quite similar. But with the help of the BirdNET app, I was able to recognize most of them and log them accurately.<\/p>\n

Even during my holiday in France, I kept the apps running. That\u2019s how I found a whole bunch of Bee-eaters<\/strong>! (Sadly, those don\u2019t count for the challenge, since it\u2019s focused on birds in the Netherlands only.)<\/p>\n

Tools I Use<\/h3>\n

Here are some of the apps and platforms that have helped me along the way:<\/p>\n