Private birding tour report Lauwersmeer March 16th 2022

This wednesday, from 9.00-16.30 hours, a birding excursion around the Lauwersmeer was planned for a women from the USA. She had neven been in the Netherlands before. She would like to see as much as new species and photograph them. The weather was very good, it was a dry sunny day, 7-12 °C and windforce 3-5.

Bearded Reedlings and the first White-tailed Eagle

We started at the train station in Groningen and drove to the Jaap Deensgat. Along the road we say different species of Gulls, some Rooks and a Grey Heron. The first species in the Lauwersmeer was the Barnacle Goose, there were lots of it. We also saw a Peregrine Falcon, which had just eaten a prey (white feathers were all around it). We only walked a few meters and hen we heared Bearded Reedlings. Four of them were flying in the reed, and showed themselves for a while.

When we walked to the shelter, we noticed a White-tailed Eagle and some duck-species. Also Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit flew were sitting in the grass. From the shelter we saw a Water Pipit. Most of the wading birds were still in Africa, so we only saw Oystercatcher on that spot.

Courtshipping Great Crested Grebes and a Red-necked Grebe in the harbour

We walked back to the car and drove a few kilometres. The next stop showed us two courtshipping Great Crested Grebes, while a Skylark was singing above us. Some Common Teals were sleeping on the edge of the water.

Then we drove to the harbour, where we found the Red-necked Grebe. On the other side of the harbour, a group of Redshanks was waiting for the low tide. In the meanwhile, a small group of Snow Buntings was looking for food on the stones. We also discovered a group of Turnstones when we drove back. Before we left the harbour, we ordered a sandwich and a drink for lunch.

Short stops with nice birds and a nice view

When we crossed the border between Groningen and Friesland, we had a short stop at the locks, where some Eiders were swimming in the Wadden Sea. A little further, on the dike, we saw Brent Geese and Curlew. We stopped at the Bant Polder, ate our sandwich and noticed a Pintail with a orange belly . Also the first Black-tailed Godwit and some Golden Plovers and Ruffs were seen.

Then we drove to Peasens for a short view over the salt marh. We were lucky, because the Long-eared Owl was also still staying in its tree in the village.

Spoonbills and lots of Black-tailed Godwits at the Ezumakeeg

After this intermezzo, we drove back to the Lauwersmeer and made a few stops at the Ezumakeeg. Spoonbills, Pied Avocets, Common Pochard, Buzzard and Kestrel were found and lots of Black-tailed Godwits were standing together in the water. Also another White-tailed Eagle showed itself.

Then we drove to the last stop, were we walked to a little hill. We saw a Northern Harrier and found the Stonechat. A little later also a Marsh Harrier came by. From the hill we found Little Grebe and Common Goldeneye and and we heared the shouts of a Waterrail. Beyond that, we enjoyed the beautiful view from this point.

We walked back to the car through the woods and then we drove to the trainstation in Groningen. Bianca had seen lots of lifers and we both had a very pleasent day.

Observed species of birds:

1 Brent Goose – Branta bernicla
2 Barnacle Goose – Branta leucopsis
3 Greylag Goose – Anser Anser
4 Mute Swan – Cygnus olor
5 Egyption Goose – Alopochen aegyptiaca
6 Common Shelduck – Tadorna tadorna
7 Northern Shoveler – Spatula clypeata
8 Gadwall – Mareca strepera
9 Eurasian Wigeon – Mareca penelope
10 Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos
11 Pintail – Anas acuta
12 Common Teal – Anas crecca
13 Common Pochard – Aythya ferina
14 Tufted duck – Aythya fuligula
15 Common Eider – Somateria mollissima
16 Common Goldeneye – Bucephala clangula
17 Common Pheasant – Phasianus colchicus
18 Stock Dove – Columba oenas
19 Common Wood Pigeon – Columba palumbus
20 Water Rail – Rallus aquaticus
21 Coot – Fulica atra
22 Little Grebe – Tachybaptus ruficollis
23 Red-necked Grebe – Podiceps grisegena
24 Great crested grebe – Podiceps cristatus
25 Oystercatcher – Haematopus ostralegus
26 Pied Avocet – Recurvirostra avosetta
27 Lapwing – Vanellus vanellus
28 European Golden Plover – Pluvialis apricaria
29 Eurasian Curlew – Numenius arquata
30 Black-tailed Godwit – Limosa Limosa
31 Turnstone – Arenaria interpres
32 Ruff – Calidris pugnax
33 Common Redshank – Tringa totanus
34 Black-headed Gull – Chroicocephalus ridibundus
35 Mew Gull – Larus canus
36 Herring Gull – Larus argentatus
37 Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus
38 Cormorant – Phalacrocorax carbo
39 Spoonbill – Platalea leucorodia
40 Grey Heron – Ardea cinerea
41 Great Egret – Ardea alba
42 Western Marsh Harrier – Circus aeruginosus
43 Northern Harrier – Circus cyaneus
44 White-tailed Eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla
45 Common Buzzard – Buteo buteo
46 Long-eared Owl – Asio otus
47 Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus
48 Peregrine Falcon – Falco peregrinus
49 Eurasian Magpie – Pica pica
50 Jackdaw – Coloeus monedula
51 Rook – Corvus frugilegus
52 Carrion Crow – Corvus corone
53 Great Tit – Parus major
54 Bearded Reedling – Panurus biarmicus
55 Skylark – Alauda arvensis
56 Common Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita
57 Wren – Troglodytes Troglodytes
58 Starling – Sturnus vulgaris
59 Blackbird – Turdus merula
60 Fieldfare – Turdus pilaris
61 Redwing – Turdus iliacus
62 Robin – Erithacus rubecula
63 Black Redstart – Phoenicurus ochruros
64 Stonechat – Saxicola rubicola
65 White Wagtail – Motacilla alba
66 Meadow Pipit – Anthus pratensis
67 Water pipit – Anthus spinoletta
68 Chaffinch – Fringilla coelebs
69 Goldfinch – Carduelis Carduelis
70 Snow Bunting – Plectrophenax nivalis
71 Reed Bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus

Other observed species:

European Roe Deer – Capreolus Capreolus