Overview
Once open to the sea, Ringkobing Fjord has long been enclosed by a coastal sand-bar which has cut off the entrance. Sand continuing to drift over the bar has formed the extensive peninsulas of Tippersande and Vaernsande, now vegetated and used as grazing land.
Much of the land is now under some form of protection and one of the best areas is the Tipperne -Vaernengene - Nymindestrom complex of reserves in the south of Ringkobing Fjord.
Birds
Notable Species
The remaining lakes are shallow and brackish and there are saltmarshes and sandy beaches, more established vegetated areas have extensive conifer plantations where Crested Tit breeds.
Gulls, terns (including Gull-billed Tern) and waders, including Pied Avocet, Ruff and Black-tailed Godwit, various waterfowl species such as Northern Shoveler, Common Teal and Garganey.
The area is exceptional during passage periods when virtually every wader and waterfowl species in western Europe can be seen. Among the most important are Whooper Swan and Bewick's Swan, and most of the Svalbard population of Pink-footed Goose are present. Nymindestrom Reserve, further south, is mainly dunes and has breeding Crested Lark and Short-eared Owl.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Great Bittern, Grey Heron, White Stork, Mute Swan, Bewick's Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, White-tailed Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Rough-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Corncrake, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pied Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Eurasian Dotterel, Eurasian Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Northern Lapwing, Red Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, Short-eared Owl, Common Kingfisher, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Horned Lark, Meadow Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Crested Tit, Twite, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting
Other Wildlife
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Site Information
Ringkobing Fjord is a Ramsar Site and the entire area is excellent for birds.
History and Use
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Areas of Interest
Just inland the canalised river valley at Skjern has wet meadows with breeding duck, Marsh Harrier and Corn Crake, various waders, and Common Kingfisher. Passage White Stork often frequent this area.
Just east of Skjern is the heathland reserve of Borris with Black Grouse, Wood Sandpiper and Eurasian Curlew.
Access and Facilities
Tipperne is only open to the public on Sundays and access to other areas is limited but much of the fjord and surrounding areas can be seen from the roads
Ringkobing town has hotels and makes an ideal base to explore the area.
Contact Details
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External Links
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Content and images originally posted by Steve