Trip results
Hi,
unfortunately my trip wasn´t as I expected.
I try to make it short. I bought a Canon 100-400 from a German guy, who isn´t able until today to send me the lens, although I have send him the money more than one month before now. I sold my scope to buy this lens, so I only went with my old Eschenbach binoculars...
Although it was a nice trip (simply love the landscapes up there) and visit most towns in the area, I couldn`t really get an impression of the bird watching areas there.
But for sure I came along beautiful landscapes like the Kalmthoutse Heide, Oisterwijkse Bossen en Vennen and Kampina, which was one of my favourites. (we don´t have such moor in Austria)
The greatest places are all those (polders, and little lakes) along the roads, which connect the islands of Zeeland. We drove along them on our last day and every five minutes my dad had to stop, but Dutch drivers are really nice and have no problem with tourists stopping at the roadside.
I will not mention the exact name of the areas where I found each bird, but some species: enormous numbers of oystercatchers and grey leg goose, as well as canada and barnacle goose. (my first)
There were also a few waders but with my equipment I had no chance to identify most of them. I was a bit confused when I noticed two black swans, but for sure they escaped somewhere.
Another good polder was near Terneuzen, about 10km west, with ducks, goose and Slavonian grebe.
I´m sorry that I have to mention but for me Het Zwin was a complete waste of time and sadly also money. I don´t pay 6,35 euros to get into a reservation which is more like a zoo than a area for bird watching. Maybe just took the wrong entrance, or it´s just because I prefer bird watching on my own and not with hundreds of others, who seem even not to care about the wildlife.
Anyway, except Het Zwin surely there are many great areas.
@ temmie: Really like your page, unfortunately I didn´t see your post before I left. If I look at it now I eat my face, you really do a great job on it! Keep going, it´s quite informing
But so I have at least a reason to return to Zuid-Holland and test the advices form your page.
Due to the fact that I am still travelling with my family I could spend "only" about one and a half day bird watching if my list of areas seems a bit short to you, which was also negative influenced by the missing equipment. (so I won't give you the short list of my seen arts here)
We lived in a bungalow in Scheldeoord, so the Schelde was only five minutes away, which provided great sceneries also without birds.
All the best,
Fabian
Attachments: sea at low tide - part of a group of oysterncatchers - polder near Terneuzen - goose next to the road N59 on Schouwen-Duiveland - group of sandwitch terns