From stray vultures on campus to puffins in Iceland: ‘If you look and listen closely, there are beautiful birds everywhere’
As a child he already stood on a dyke in Zeeland with a pair of binoculars in hand. Pim Overgaauw, Director of Operations of the MI, loves to spend his free time outdoors, in search of unusual birds.
‘My father was an avid birdwatcher,’ Overgaauw recalls. ‘As a child we often went on holiday to Zeeland. He would take me and my brother up onto the dyke to watch birds.’ He didn't think much about it for years afterwards, but thanks to his wife Ellen he rediscovered birdwatching during the Covid period. ‘She gave me a pair of binoculars as a gift — that turned out to be a great idea.’
After work
In the series After work we get to know colleagues who have remarkable passions outside of work. What inspires them, and how do they bring that enthusiasm to their work?
All huddled together around a small, brown bird
A telephoto lens was soon added to the arsenal alongside the binoculars. And shortly after that, a better one. And then an even better one. ‘A few years ago, we went on holiday to Iceland. For the spectacular nature, and to spot puffins. I thought it would be great to take some nice photos there, and after that it quickly got out of hand,’ laughs Overgaauw.
The appeal, he says, lies in the urge to collect. ‘It's like Pokémon for adults. You can keep track of what you've seen, and where and when.’ But that can go too far, he adds. ‘You end up in a huddle around a small, brown bird. I've been in that huddle myself a few times — for instance when a very rare Yellow-browed Warbler was spotted in Zoeterwoude. But that's obviously not at all pleasant for the creature.’
Sitting in silence in an observation hide
And in the end, that frantic behaviour is not what makes the hobby so rewarding for Overgaauw anyway. Simply going outside and seeing and hearing what is around him — that is what he enjoys most. ‘Sometimes you sit for hours in silence in a hide in the middle of nature. Birdwatching gives me a great sense of calm. My work at the university involves a lot of meetings and keeping abreast of everything happening within the institute. I love that, but this hobby is a wonderful counterbalance.’
Pim's favourite bird photos
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Puffins in Iceland: the reason to buy better equipment and get serious about photography. -
The bee-eater in Spain: a real adrenaline rush after two failed attempts. -
The Yellow-browed Warbler in a Dutch residential area: all hurdled together for a small, brownish bird. -
A green-throated carib (a typ of hummingbird) on their honeymoon in Guadeloupe: a wonderful memory and a beautiful bird.
Persistence pays off: three trips to Spain for the bee-eater
‘I don't have a favourite bird,’ says Overgaauw. ‘But spotting the bee-eater is one of my most special experiences.’ He travelled to Spain on his own for that bird. It turned out he was two weeks too early. A year later he went again (two weeks later in the season), and missed the remarkable birds once more. Eventually he went one final time with his wife and the timing was just right. ‘That really gave me a rush,’ he says with satisfaction. ‘I'm even going to have it tattooed on my arm soon!’
Birdwatching from your office
You don't need to head to large nature reserves, according to Overgaauw. ‘There's often plenty to see in nearby parks. One of my favourite local spots is De Strengen, a small area near the Merenwijk. And of course, the dunes in Wassenaar. A bit further the observation hides on the Hoge Veluwe are fantastic.’
Last summer he even spotted a group of griffon vultures above the Huygens building. ‘They're extremely rare here, as they belong in the mountains,’ he explains. ‘During a meeting I got an alert that they were flying towards the university. I immediately ran outside. Luckily, I keep a pair of binoculars in the office!’
Fancy heading out yourself?
If you really start listening, you'll hear far more than you might expect, Overgaauw advises. ‘The Merlin Bird ID app helps you recognise bird calls — it's great fun. So just stop for a moment in a park and really look and listen.’
Do you have a special passion outside of work? Send an e-mail to news@science.leidenuniv.nl and you might be featured in the next edition to talk about your hobby!
Header photo: Overgaauw and his wife Ellen on their wedding day. Credit: Benaissa El Yamani - B-visuals