Private birdingtour Lauwersmeer September 22th 2024

This sunday, from 9.00-12.30 hours, a birding excursion Lauwersmeer has been given to a man from India. He had been in the Netherlands before, but had never been birdwatching here. He was an experienced birdwatcher in India. The weather couldn’t be better, it was a dry sunny morning, 17-22 °C and windforce 2.

A flock of Bearded Reedlings and two Caspian Terns

We started at a hotel in Groningen and drove to the Groninger side of the Lauwersmeer. Along the road we say a Grey Heron, an overflying Canada Goose and two Eurasian Collared Doves.

When we arrived on the parking place near the Jaap Deensgat, we saw a big group of Barnacle Geese, grazing in the grass. A little further away, a Great Egret, a Great Black-backed Gull and lots of Lapwings were standing on the grass. Then we went for a walk and made some stops to look for birds. In the water were Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Black-headed Gull, two Caspian Terns and three Ruddy Shelducks. In the reed, we found some Common Reed Buntings. Suddenly a nice flock of Bearded Reedlings flew by and landed in the reed. They showed themselves very nice trough the telescope.

A little later, we met some people with strong hands, who could help us with a stuck camera cap. Then we went in the bird hide, and saw Eurasian Teal, Common Shelduck, Meadow Pipit and a Common Snipe, a very close distance. Also a Western Marsh Harrier showed itself.

Then we walked back to the car while Barn Swallows were flying around us, looking for insects.

Common Kestrel very close and a White-tailed Eagle on the rocks

When we arrived near the next stop, we saw a Common Kestrel sitting on a sign. We walked carefully, so a photo could be made. After looking at the real size of an White-tailed Eagle, we saw one sitting on a rock, far away. Also Mute Swam, Tuffed Duck, Pintail and Cormorant were present. In the meanwhile, we heared a Cetti’s Warbler singing and a Waterrail shouting.

Along the road, a Common Buzzard was sitting on a hay roll, so we parked the car to make a photo, before continuing.

At the marina we walked to the boardwalk. in the trees we saw Blue Tit and Great Tit and we heard Eurasian Wren and European Robin singing. A Coot and Mallard could be photographed from the boardwalk.

Nice birds in the harbour

Then we drove to the harbour, and looked for birds along the road. We found a Black redstart and White Wagtail on a pile of ground and some House Starlings in the vegetation. On a fence was a Common Linnet and at the roof of a building we saw a Common Buzzard again.

We went on and found a Herring Gull and Oystercatcher at the end of the pier. The large group of Turnstones were sitting on the other side of the harbour again, and a young Common Tern was sitting in between.

A cultural stop and then birds again

For the last stop, we drove to the Frisian side of the Lauwersmeer. After a 15 minutes drive we were in Ezumazijl, were the old bridge with the lock was the next object for a picture.

A few minutes later we arrived at the Ezumakeeg, where we first tried to find the Red-necked Philarope. Unfurtunately, it wasn’t there, that day. Pied Avocet, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Ruff were present in large numbers and we also saw Dunlins.

We also had a look at the lookout hill. Lots of birds were swimming or standing in the water: Shelduck, Northern Shovelers and a nice group of Greenshanks. On the sand, Little Stint and Common Ringed Plover scurried around for food.

Because of the time, we then drove back to Groningen. At the station we really ended the tour and made a selfie as the final picture. It had been a very nice tour with lots of new birds for him.

Observed species list

1 Canada Goose – Branta canadensis
2 Barnacle Goose – Branta leucopsis
3 Greylag Goose – Anser anser
4 Mute Swan – Cygnus olor
5 Common Shelduck – Tadorna tadorna
6 Ruddy Shelduck – Tadorna ferruginea
7 Northern Shoveler – Spatula clypeata
8 Gadwall – Mareca strepera
9 Eurasian Wigeon – Mareca penelope
10 Northern Pintail – Anas acuta
11 Eurasian Teal – Anas crecca
12 Tufted Duck – Aythya fuligula
13 Common Wood Pigeon – Columba palumbus
14 Eurasian Collared Dove – Streptopelia decaocto
15 Water Rail – Rallus aquaticus
16 Eurasian Coot – Fulica atra
17 Great Crested Grebe – Podiceps cristatus
18 Eurasian Oystercatcher – Haematopus ostralegus
19 Pied Avocet – Recurvirostra avosetta
20 European Golden Plover – Pluvialis apricaria
21 Common Ringed Plover – Charadrius hiaticula
22 Northern Lapwing – Vanellus vanellus
23 Common Snipe – Gallinago gallinago
24 Common Greenshank – Tringa nebularia
25 Ruddy Turnstone – Arenaria interpres
26 Ruff – Calidris pugnax
27 Dunlin – Calidris alpina
28 Little Stint – Calidris minuta
29 Caspian Tern – Hydroprogne caspia
30 Common Tern – Sterna hirundo
31 Black-headed Gull – Chroicocephalus ridibundus
32 European Herring Gull – Larus argentatus
33 Great Black-backed Gull – Larus marinus
34 Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus
35 Great Cormorant – Phalacrocorax carbo
36 Great Egret – Ardea alba
37 Grey Heron – Ardea cinerea
38 Western Marsh Harrier – Circus aeruginosus
39 White-tailed Eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla
40 Common Buzzard – Buteo buteo
41 Common Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus
42 Eurasian Magpie – Pica pica
43 Western Jackdaw – Coloeus monedula
44 Rook – Corvus frugilegus
45 Carrion Crow – Corvus corone
46 Eurasian Blue Tit – Cyanistes caeruleus
47 Great Tit – Parus major
48 Bearded Reedling – Panurus biarmicus
49 Eurasian Skylark – Alauda arvensis
50 Barn Swallow – Hirundo rustica
51 Cetti’s Warbler – Cettia cetti
52 Common Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita
53 Eurasian Wren – Troglodytes troglodytes
54 Common Starling – Sturnus vulgaris
55 European Robin – Erithacus rubecula
56 Black Redstart – Phoenicurus ochruros
57 House Sparrow – Passer domesticus
58 White Wagtail – Motacilla alba
59 Meadow Pipit – Anthus pratensis
60 Common Linnet – Linaria cannabina
61 Common Reed Bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus