For more than a century, Amsterdam’s famous Albert Cuyp Market has hummed with locals and tourists browsing stalls, soaking up the colourful atmosphere and enjoying a spot of gezelligheid – the Dutch concept of conviviality. And it seems the attractions of market day are pulling in the capital’s wildlife, too.
“With so many canals and rivers, Amsterdam is the ideal place for a water bird like the grey heron,” says Sam. “They nest in heronries in the city’s parks, and have always been part of its urban landscape.”
In years gone by, the herons would wait for fishermen returning with the day’s catch, snatching morsels from loaded buckets. But in recent decades, the birds have discovered the easier pickings around the Albert Cuyp fish stalls, where, at the close of trading, leftovers and scraps are piled up for the binmen. Indeed, this long-legged wader is now as common a sight in the market as a freshly hot stroopwafel.
Flocking for a feast
As the afternoon wears on, the herons start to gather, perching on striped awnings and road signs. By 4pm, when the stallholders are packing up, some 20 birds will be in the supper queue. Most wait patiently for the buffet to open, but some are more brash, strutting along the strip as if eyeing up the finest fillets. “One heron had definitely acquired a taste for squid,” recalls Sam. “It grabbed one from a stall, then wandered down the street – tentacles dangling from its beak.”
Only the brazen few dare to snatch-and-grab, so nobody much objects to the herons’ presence. The fishmongers even remove the lids from the discarded coolboxes, offering their guests a more relaxed dining experience. It doesn’t get more gezelligheid than that.
Sam Hobson is a conservation and wildlife photographer, best known for his work with urban wildlife. samhobson.co.uk
top image: Grey herons in Amsterdam’s famous Albert Cuyp Market. Credit: Sam Hobson
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