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Wednesday 7 March to Sunday 11 March 2012 with James Lidster as leader Cost: £860 (2012) Please click here for explanation of price breakdown Maximum group size: 7 with 1 leader |
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As northern Europe and Siberia sit under blankets of snow, quiet and relatively bird less, the low lying polders of The Netherlands are awash with wintering wildfowl. Geese are the main attraction and with all the species that winter in Europe we stand a great chance of seeing both Red-breasted and Lesser White-fronted Geese among the teeming thousands of Eurasian White-fronted, Tundra Bean and Barnacle Geese. The open polders are also great for raptors in the winter months and we should encounter White-tailed Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzard and Hen Harrier among other species. Add to that Smew, Eurasian Bittern, Lesser Spotted and Black Woodpeckers, and some large flocks of classic winter passerines - not to mention the best apple pie and hot chocolate - it’s clear to see why winter birding in The Netherlands is so impressive. The tour begins at 10.00 and ends at 18.00 at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport thereby allowing participants to take advantage of the various ways of getting there - budget airlines, ferry, Eurostar etc. - or to take time before or after the tour to visit other places on their own. Note that if you travel by air you will need to check-in at least 2 hours before departure so the earliest you can fly from Schipol on the departure date is 20.00. The website http://www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htm has useful information about getting to The Netherlands by means other than flying. Day 1: After meeting at Schiphol airport we’ll set off across the famously flat and water-filled landscape of The Netherlands. Close to the airport we may see our first flocks of geese and the numbers of wintering wildfowl can be very impressive. Our first stop will be an area of woodland home to Black Woodpecker, Northern Goshawk, Short-toed Treecreeper and Crested Tit, and we hope to catch up with some of these special species before lunch. In the afternoon we’ll check a wetland area close to our hotel where Ruff and Black-tailed Godwits should be present, among hundreds of Eurasian Wigeon and Tufted Duck. It is here where we should see our first Smew, a species that we might see every day, sometimes in large numbers. Goosander will also be present and a pre-roost gathering of gulls offers a great chance of seeing a Caspian Gull. Night near Flevoland. Day 2: After a hearty breakfast we’ll start our wild goose chase! Three species predominate in the country, namely Greylag, Eurasian (Greater) White-fronted and Barnacle Geese. We’ll take time to scan through the flocks, appreciating the different feeding behaviour and perhaps learning the different vocalisations. Flevoland is a great area for raptors and in most years there should be a Rough-legged Buzzard in residence - in good years there can be several in one small area. Hen and Marsh Harrier, Northern Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Peregrine and Common Kestrel should also be seen. Oostvaardersplassen is rightly famous in the Netherlands for hosting the first pair of breeding White-tailed Eagles in the country, and although the species is slowly expanding its range this area offers our best chance of seeing this massive raptor. Throughout the day we’ll scan flocks of duck for Goosander, Smew, Greater Scaup and maybe a Red-crested Pochard, with any sign of panic in the waterfowl is likely to relate to an eagle taking to the air. Great Egrets have continued to increase in number here and we could see tens of this species, or maybe an early Eurasian Spoonbill or over-wintering White Stork. The wet meadows are also popular with European Golden Plovers and Northern Lapwings, perhaps fresh in after spending the winter even further south. If the weather hasn’t been too cold then we may bump into small groups of Bearded Tits, while Great Grey Shrikes are present every winter. Night near Flevoland. Day 3: After breakfast we’ll start our journey north, stopping off at a reliable site for Hawfinch and maybe another chance of White-tailed Eagle, Smew and Hen Harrier. The peaty surrounds of Fochterloerveen usually hold a Common Crane or two, although this is a large area and it’s surprising how such a large bird can hide in such a flat landscape. This area is also good for both Bewick’s and Whooper Swans, as well as being one of the key sites in the country for Tundra Bean Geese. Although they leave very early we may still chance upon a Pink-footed Goose in among the Tundra Beans. By lunchtime we hope to be in the far north of the country, with one particular species on our minds, Red-breasted Goose. This species winters in variable numbers in the country, sometimes involving up to 20 birds. The task, of course, is to pick one out from the tens of thousands of Barnacle Geese where the species’ bright plumage really doesn’t stand out. We’ll be in contact with the local birders and spend time scanning favoured flocks, a treat in itself. This area is also great for Dark-bellied Brent Geese and with luck we may see both Black Brant and Pale-bellied Brent Geese, three species of Brent Goose if you follow the impressively proactive Dutch taxonomy which is invariably followed by the rest of Europe. If the weather is bad, or even if it isn’t, we can call in to a local restaurant and replenish ourselves with apple cake and hot chocolate, ready for a few more hours in the crisp winter air. Night near Assen Day 4: This morning we’ll check a Long-eared Owl roost near to our hotel before returning north to Lauwersmeer and the Wadden coast. In some years there are groups of Bohemian Waxwing present, and we may take a slight detour to enjoy these true winter visitors. Around Lauwersmeer we may see more Bewick’s and Whooper Swans, thousands more geese (surely no-one will say no to a second look at a Red-breasted Goose), Smew, Common Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, White-tailed Eagle, Hen Harrier and Northern Goshawk. Depending on the weather we may take a walk ‘outside the dyke’ where the wet marsh can hold such species as Snow Bunting, Horned Lark and nervous groups of Twite. In the late afternoon we return to the main goose areas to witness the magical sight and sound of tens of thousands of geese taking to the air as they head to roost sites. Night near Assen. Day 5: In some years a group of Lesser White-fronted Geese winters to the north of Amsterdam and if they are present we’ll make a detour to look for them. This area can also hold Eurasian White-fronted and Barnacle Geese as well as Avocet, Hen Harrier, Red-throated Divers and good numbers of duck. If time allows we’ll also check an area of nearby coastline, perhaps seeing Purple Sandpipers, more Red-throated Divers and raptors. By late afternoon we return to Schiphol airport, where the tour ends. There are regular trains which run from the airport into the centre of Amsterdam for those who want to take some time to explore the museums and sights of this vibrant city.
E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.
Last updated June 2011 |
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