Holland
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The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of return scheduled flights London*-Amsterdam, all accommodation, meals, entry fees, tips, airport taxes, map, bird checklist & services of the leaders.
The price excludes travel insurance, drinks and other personal expenses. *It may be possible for us to arrange flights from other UK regional airports. Please enquire for details and any supplement. For those that prefer not to fly, however, Amsterdam can also be reached by ferry or Eurostar. For further details check online at: http://www.seat61.com These trips will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays. Principal Leader: Arnoud van den Berg |
A superb short winter break packed with exceptional birdwatching and led by Dutch birdwatching expert, Arnoud van den Berg. Join us for great flocks of geese, raptors, Black Woodpeckers, Long-eared Owls and more in one of Europe's most birdwatcher-friendly countries. |
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With its immense flocks of geese and other waterfowl, impressive range of wintering raptors and every chance of the unexpected, Holland boasts some of the finest winter birding in Europe. Our November 2010 tour turned in 122 species, including a remarkable 9 Lesser White-fronted Geese, 20 Red-crested Pochard, 12 Red-necked, 70 Slavonian and 50 Black-necked Grebes, 85 Great White Egrets, White-tailed Eagle, Caspian Gull, 11 Long-eared Owls, Black-bellied Dipper, 2 Great Grey Shrikes and 11 Waxwing! Add the likes of Goshawk, Water Pipit, Crested Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper that we see most years, and you will find our Dutch Wild Goose Chase offers a perfect panacea to the dull days of winter back home.
From November through to March, the Netherland's low-lying fields are a haven for geese. All of Europe's recorded wild species have occurred in recent years - in fact our groups have seen the lot! - mingling with the tens of thousands of Barnacle, Brent, White-fronted and Bean Geese which flock to the Netherlands each winter. There are also large concentrations of ducks to enjoy, with parties of wild swans, smartly-dressed Goosanders and often a few Smew amidst masses of more familiar species. We usually see plenty of birds of prey, too. Goshawk, Hen Harrier and Rough-legged Buzzard are always on the cards and there's usually the odd Peregrine and White-tailed Eagle about. This part of Holland is also blessed with some excellent woodlands and one afternoon will find us waiting eagerly beside a Black Woodpecker's winter roost. With its crimson top-knot and staring white eye, close encounters with this magnificent bird have been a highlight on all our recent tours. Arnoud van den Berg knows the birds of his native Holland better than anyone, and has led our Dutch tours for us for nearly twenty years. We stay at an excellent new hotel in the forests near Harderwijk, with good food, comfortable rooms and a warm welcome assured. We usually manage the odd stop for hot chocolate and Dutch apple tart during our days in the field, too - something of a tradition on this tour. This is both a cracking trip for beginners as well as one that's just perfect for anyone in search of a rewarding short break that's simply crammed with great winter birding. Itinerary Day 1 Our Dutch Wild Goose Chase begins with a morning flight from London to Amsterdam, where Arnoud will be waiting to welcome us. Our route today will depend largely upon where the various flocks of geese and other wintering birds happen to be. Past tours have kicked off in fine style with a visit to a roost of Long-eared Owls. Wherever we go however, we should see our first big skeins of White-fronted and Barnacle Geese, as well as herds of vocal Whooper and Bewick's Swans. With luck, we may come across one or two scarcer surprises: Great Northern Diver, Great White Egret, Red-crested Pochard, dark-breasted Barn Owl, Water Pipit, Waxwing and Great Grey Shrike are among species that have come our way in recent years. Our destination this evening is an excellent new hotel situated in forests not far from the charming old town of Harderwijk. This will be our base for all four nights of the holiday. Overnight near Harderwijk Days 2 - 4 Harderwijk stands at the edge of what was formerly the Zuiderzee, which was enclosed in 1932 to form one vast, shallow lake - the IJsselmeer. Subsequent drainage and enclosure has led to the creation of the now famous Dutch polders. Largest of these is Flevoland, a patchwork of arable land, woods, marsh and open water that quickly earned a reputation as one of Europe's top birding spots. Winter birding on Flevoland is always varied and exciting. Marsh and Hen Harriers, Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard are likely at this season, while Bittern, Water Rail and Bearded Tit are typical of the more secretive marshland species awaiting our discovery. Noisy flocks of geese will be much in evidence and we should see plenty of European White-fronts, along with Barnacle, Greylag and Bean Geese. Golden Plover, Curlew and Ruff mingle with the grazing birds, only for the sudden appearance of a speculative Marsh Harrier - or the more purposeful and powerful Goshawk - to panic the whole lot into flight. An amazing sight! The variety of wintering raptors often comes as a welcome surprise to visiting British birdwatchers and we have excellent chances of seeing one or two of the scarcer species. Rough-legged Buzzard, Peregrine and the immense White-tailed Eagle have all been regular in recent years. Waterfowl are abundant too, especially Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Goldeneye. The four 'smaller' grebes, Scaup and other scarce duck are frequent visitors and we could see all three sawbills: Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser and the exquisite Smew. As we travel between the various wetlands, we'll be keeping an eye open for Water Pipits, as well as flocks of Redwings, Fieldfares, Brambling and the occasional Hawfinch, which are sometimes to be found feeding beside the quieter back roads. Close by our Harderwijk hotel, mixed woodlands of pine, oak and birch in the Leuvenumse Bos are home to an excellent range of forest birds. As we walk the trails looking for Crested and Willow Tits, Short-toed Treecreeper and possibly Raven, it's here that we shall hope to find an active Black Woodpecker roost... an incredible bird when seen up close. We've not missed them yet! During our November visit, one longer day trip out will take us north to Lauwersmeer, in the province of Friesland - arguably the best winter birding spot in all Holland. Amidst a classic Dutch landscape of meadows and pretty villages dotted with windmills, old and new, the noisy flocks of White-fronted, Bean and Barnacle Geese can run into tens of thousands. There are usually good numbers of Pink-footed and Greylag Geese, too. In the quiet fields around Anjum, rarities are seen annually, with perhaps a flight of Snow Geese or even a stunning Red-breasted Goose to find amidst the ranks of more common species. Wild swans graze the pastures and likely raptors include Hen Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard and Peregrine. Merlin is also present most years and, latterly, Great Egrets have latterly become a daily sight. If they're present again this winter, we'll also check a couple of established sites for roosting Long-eared Owls. In the past, we have sometimes found the odd Short-eared Owl in amongst them, too. Come the New Year, many of the big goose flocks have generally shifted south in Holland. So instead of travelling north on our February trip we may decide to venture south, to Zeeland. We should find Bewick's Swans (and perhaps a few Whoopers) today, along with many, many geese. Amidst the milling throngs of White-fronts and Barnacles, we will hope to encounter one of the Holland's small but regular winter parties of the very much rarer Lesser White-fronted Geese. We were successful on our 2010 visit, finding five of these beautiful little Ansers, as well as seeing a fine adult Red-breasted Goose in 2006, 2008 and again in 2010. An adult Ross's Goose and several 'Black Brants' have also been present in recent winters, and we were lucky with the latter on our February 2010 tour. Three nights near Harderwijk Day 5 We bid a reluctant farewell to our hotel after breakfast and set off for the North Sea coast. Red-throated Diver, Brent Goose and Common Eider are regularly present and we may see Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone and Mediterranean Gull. Rock Pipit, Common Crossbill and Snow Bunting also occur sparingly here throughout the winter months and, if the weather is mild, we might be lucky to find a lingering Chiffchaff, a stunning Firecrest or perhaps something rarer! Having enjoyed pretty much another full day in the field, we wend our way back to Amsterdam this afternoon and catch our flight home. And thanks to the time difference, getting back into London again at about the same time as we take off! Accommodation: We spend all four nights at an excellent new hotel set in the forests near Harderwijk. It's comfortable, warm and welcoming, with good food and all rooms en suite. Meals: All included in the price. Breakfasts and dinners at the hotel. Picnic lunches in the field during the day. And not forgetting our 'trademark' cafe stops for a mug of hot chocolate and a slice of Dutch apple pie - something of a Limosa tradition on this tour! Walking: Easy. Short walks over flat terrain (no hills!). Can sometimes be a little muddy or wet underfoot, so wellies or sturdy waterproof boots with corrugated soles for grip are advised. Principal Leader: Arnoud van den Berg Numbers: Max. 7 clients |
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