May 2020

The goldeneye used to nest in old black woodpecker holes, but nowadays it mostly nests in boxes placed for them. Upon arrival at the nest, the goldeneye breaks so speedily that you might think it flies in at full speed. A photograph reveals the last moments of the landing as the bird leapfrogs into the nest.

In midsummer you might sometimes spot many goldeneyes at one nest. They are last year’s younglings, looking for a nesting spot. When they are three years old, they come back to the nest they have chosen the year before.