Birding Tour Lauwersmeer Mai 19th 2023

Report Private birding excursion Lauwersmeer 19-5-23

Private birding excursion Lauwersmeer 19th Mai 2023

This friday, a birding excursion around the Lauwersmeer was planned from 11.30-16.00 hours for a couple from the middle of the country. They had neven been in the most northern part of Netherlands before and it was there first time birding. The weather was good, it was a dry sunny day, 13-16 °C and windforce 3-4.

Hunting Marsh Harriers and a huge nest

They were picked up at the train station in Groningen and we started on the Frisian side of the Lauwersmeer with a walk. The first species that we saw were the Whitethroat in a tree and a White Wagtail on a pile of sand. When we looked for the Stonechat, we found it sitting in a little shrub. We walked on and saw Greylag Goose, Mute Swan and Shelduck near the water and a Reed Bunting in the reed.

We came to the hill and from there we saw Grebe, Crested Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, Lapwing and a hunting Marsh Harrier. We also looked at the huge nest of the White-tailed Eagle, but it was too far away to see the birds themselves.

We continued through the forest, where we heard Wren, Oriole, Cuckoo, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff and Blackcap sing and saw a Robin and a Great Tit. A little further on, above the water, Barn Swallow and Swift flew. Not much later we were back at the car and drove to the next place.

Enjoying the excursion
Enjoying the excursion

A Bonapartes Sandpiper has a good camouflage

At the Ezumakeeg we first looked in the middle and there we saw Ruff, Ringed Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Pochard and Black-tailed Godwit and heard the sound of the Bittern. We also took some time for a cup of tea with something to eat

Rarity in sight
Rarity in sight

A little further on, a group of bird watchers was watching, so there had to be something interesting there. It appeared to be a Bonapartes Sandpiper (rare!) between the Ringed Plovers, well camouflaged between the clods of earth.

In addition to this rarity, there were also Redshank, Wood Sandpiper and Temminck’s Sandpiper in the puddle-marshy area. On the other side of the road we saw Shovelers swimming and a Great Egret standing in the bush. A Spoonbill also flew overhead.

We drove to Ezumakeeg-Noord, where we found a Green-legged Sandpiper and a number of Avocets. There was also a Kestrel in the nest box and a hunting Common Tern above the water.

Next rarity: a Red Phalarope

Then we drove towards the Wadden Sea. On the way we came across a field with different types of seagulls. A little further on was another rarity: a Red Phalarope. The bird was busy looking for food and so we could take a good look through the telescope.

Then we drove to the dike and looked out over the mudflats. Several species of birds were looking for food, such as Lesser Sandpiper, Pied Sandpiper, Ringed Plovers and Silver Plover. A little further on the dike a Gray Phalarope had been reported, so we went to give it a try. Unfortunately we did not see this bird, so we walked back and drove on to the harbor of Lauwersoog.

In the harbour of Lauwersoog

On the harbor area the Black Redstart showed itself and we saw a Linnet. Because an excavator blocked the road, we drove on a sandy path for a while, so that we could continue our way. At the ‘Sternstee’, the breeding pontoon for terns, we saw Black-headed Gull, Common Tern and Oystercatcher. There was also a Turnstone walking around in a dry part of the harbor.

The excursion time was now over, so we set off for Groningen. Because we passed it anyway, we stopped at the piece of forest where there is a Wood Warb;er. This was heard extensively, but was in the middle of the forest plot, so we could not see it.

Groningen station was our last stop. The participants had a very nice day and learned a lot about the Dutch bird species.

Observed species of birds

1 Barnacle Goose – Branta leucopsis – Brandgans
2 Greylag Goose – Anser Anser – Grauwe Gans
3 Mute Swan – Cygnus olor – Knobbelzwaan
4 Common Shelduck – Tadorna tadorna – Bergeend
5 Northern Shoveler – Spatula clypeata – Slobeend
6 Gadwall – Mareca strepera -Krakeend
7 Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos – Wilde Eend
8 Common Pochard – Aythya ferina – Tafeleend
9 Tufted duck – Aythya fuligula – Kuifeend
10 Common Swift – Apus apus – Gierzwaluw
11 Common Cuckoo – Cuculus canorus – Koekoek
12 Coot – Fulica atra – Meerkoet
13 Great crested grebe – Podiceps cristatus – Fuut
14 Oystercatcher – Haematopus ostralegus – Scholekster
15 Black-winged Stilt – Himantopus himantopus – Steltkluut
16 Pied Avocet – Recurvirostra avosetta – Kluut
17 Lapwing – Vanellus vanellus – Kievit
18 Grey Plover – Pluvialis squatarola – Zilverplevier
19 Common Ringed Plover – Charadrius hiaticula – Bontbekplevier
20 Black-tailed Godwit – Limosa Limosa – Grutto
21 Turnstone – Arenaria interpres – Steenloper
22 Ruff – Calidris pugnax – Kemphaan
23 Temminck’s Stint – Calidris temminckii – Temmincks Strandloper
24 Dunlin – Calidris alpina – Bonte Strandloper
25 Little Stint – Calidris minuta – Kleine Strandloper
26 White-rumped Sandpiper – Calidris fuscicollis – Bonapartes Strandloper
27 Red Phalarope – Phalaropus fulicarius – Rosse Franjepoot
28 Common Redshank – Tringa totanus – Tureluur
29 Wood Sandpiper – Tringa glareola – Bosruiter
30 Common Greenshank – Tringa nebularia – Groenpootruiter
31 Black-headed Gull – Chroicocephalus ridibundus – Kokmeeuw
32 Mew Gull – Larus canus – Stormmeeuw
33 Herring Gull – Larus argentatus – Zilvermeeuw
34 Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus – Kleine Mantelmeeuw
35 Common Tern – Sterna hirundo – Visdief
36 Cormorant – Phalacrocorax carbo – Aalscholver
37 Spoonbill – Platalea leucorodia – Lepelaar
38 Great Egret – Ardea alba – Grote Zilverreiger
39 Eurasian Bittern – Botaurus stellaris – Roerdomp
40 Western Marsh Harrier – Circus aeruginosus – Bruine Kiekendief
41 Common Buzzard – Buteo buteo – Buizerd
42 Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus – Torenvalk
43 Golden Oriole – Oriolus oriolus – Wielewaal
44 Eurasian Magpie – Pica pica – Ekster
45 Jackdaw – Coloeus monedula – Kauw
46 Carrion Crow – Corvus corone – Zwarte Kraai
47 Great Tit – Parus major – Koolmees
48 Skylark – Alauda arvensis – Veldleeuwerik
49 Barn Swallow – Hirundo rustica – Boerenzwaluw
50 House Martin – Delichon urbicum – Huiszwaluw
51 Wood Warbler – Phylloscopus sibilatrix – Fluiter
52 Willow Warbler – Phylloscopus trochilus – Fitis
53 Common Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita – Tjiftjaf
54 Sedge Warbler – Acrocephalus schoenobaenus – Rietzanger
55 Eurasian Blackcap – Sylvia atricapilla – Zwartkop
56 Common Whitethroat – Curruca communis – Grasmus
57 Wren – Troglodytes Troglodytes – Winterkoning
58 Starling – Sturnus vulgaris – Spreeuw
59 Song Thrush – Turdus philomelos – Zanglijster
60 Robin – Erithacus rubecula – Roodborst
61 Black Redstart – Phoenicurus ochruros – Zwarte Roodstaart
62 Stonechat – Saxicola rubicola – Roodborsttapuit
63 House Sparrow – Passer domesticus – Huismus
64 White Wagtail – Motacilla alba – Witte Kwikstaart
65 Meadow Pipit – Anthus pratensis – Graspieper
66 Chaffinch – Fringilla coelebs – Vink
67 Common Linnet – Linaria cannabina – Kneu
68 Reed Bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus – Rietgors