Itinerary
22/03: Sint-Genesius-Rode (B) /Nordfriesland (Ockholm) (D) (814 km)
23/03: Ockholm/Eider-Sperrwerk/St. Peter-Ording/Nordstrandischmoor (Lütmoordamm)/Hauke-Haien-Koog/Ockholm (231 km)
24/03: Ockholm/Hamburger Hallig/Rickelsbüller Koog –Ny Frederiks Kog(DK)/Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit) (279 km)
25/03: Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit)/Stadil Fjord (Stadil)/Nissum Fjord (Fjandø, Thorsminde)/Fjaltring/ Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit) (204 km)
26/03: Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit)/Nissum Fjord (Bovling Klit)/Harboøre Tange (Thyborøn, Knopper Enge, Gammel Landvej)/ Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit) (176 km)
27/03: Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit)/Ringkøbing Fjord (Ringkøbing)/Skjern Enge (Fuglsandevej, Landkoervej)/Tipperne (Værnengene)/Ribe (187 km)
28/03: Ribe/Kammersluse/ Sneum Sluse/ Esbjerg/Mandø/Ribe (129 km)
29/3: Ribe/Romø – Departure SGR (913 km)
Average of 200 km per day without taking into account the first and the last day.
Total 2933 km from home to home, makes an average of 366,62 per day.
Accommodation
Gaststätte Bongsiel
Am Kanal 2
D-25842 Ockholm (Bongsiel)
www.bongsiel.de
Situated next to Hauke-Haien-Koog/Fahretfter Koog/Ockholmer Koog
The location is superb and food is great!
Mr. Vigo Bertelssen
Husby Klitvej 7
DK- Husby, Ulfborg
Situated next to Vest Stadil Fjord - Closer you can not get!
Danhostel
Ribe Vandrerhjem
Svt. Peders Gade 16
DK-6760 Ribe
www.danhostel-ribe.dk
Great Youth hostel, a 2-minutes-walk away from the historical centre of Ribe. In the vicinity of Kammersluse, Sneum Sluse and Mandø.
Price/quality: excellent!
Information on where to watch birds
On the Nordfriesland mainland between Husum and the Danish Border
A brochure strongly recommended: it gives good information on where to watch birds inclusive of a bird checklist which you can download from http://www.wattenmeer-nationalpark.de/wheretowatchbirds.pdf
More websites, though in German:
http://www.ornithologie-schleswig-holstein.de, the website of the Ornithological Study Group for Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg
http://www.wattenmeer-nationalpark.de, information on National Park and Biosphere Reserve
http://schleswig-holstein.nabu.de, website of NABU Schleswig-Holstein
From the German Border to Harboøre Tange (Thyborøn) – West Jylland
An excellent brochure/guide on bird watching in West Jutland: ‘Beaks & Breaks’. You can order it from their website: http://www.beaksandbreaks.com
For the latest bird observations in Denmark have a look at http://www.netfugl.dk/observations.php
Where to watch birds
Note: we visited the area at the end of March looking for Pink-footed Geese. Our main pursue was reading c-rings of geese. Though, some other birds did attract our attention and did spent some time observing them. It gave us new ticks on our birding sighting list.
23/03: Eider-Sperrwerk/St. Peter-Ording/Nordstrandischmoor (Lütmoordamm)/Hauke-Haien-Koog/Sönke-Haien-Koog (231 km)
Weather: 0°C, snow, frozen ponds and rivers.
Merry Easter! Happy Christmas! We said to each other. A white landscape for Easter
On our way from Tönning to Eider-Sperrwerk (South of Eider) close to the Wesselburnerkoog:
Gadwall, Smew, Goosander, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal
At the Eider-Sperrwerk: Avocet (120), Dunlin (600)
St. Peter-Ording to Westerhever: Barnacle Goose (2500) of which two c-ringed
At Lütmoordamm: Common Goldeneye, Dunlin, Red-breasted Merganser
Sönke-Nissen-Koog: Whooper Swan (6)
Hauke-Haien-Koog (Speicherbecken Süd): Black-tailed Godwit (84), Eurasian Curlew (300)
Hauke-Haien-Koog (Speicherbecken Nord): Common Shelduck (380), Northern Pintail, Hooded Crow (2)
24/03: Sönke-Nissen-Koog/Hamburger Hallig/Rickelsbüller Koog –Ny Frederiks Kog(DK)
Weather: 1°C, grey, snow. In the morning ponds were frozen.
Sönke-Nissen-Koog, next to Dirkshof, Sönke-Nissen-Koog, 58: Barnacle Goose (5000+)
Hamburger Hallig: Horned Lark, Twite (10), European Golden Plover, Peregrine Falcon, Reed Bunting, Redwing, Grey Partridge, White-tailed Eagle (1)
Rickelsbüller Koog –Ny Frederiks Kog(DK): Barnacle Goose (200), Hen Harrier
25/03: Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit)/Stadil Fjord (Stadil)/Nissum Fjord (Fjandø, Thorsminde)/Fjaltring/ Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit) (204 km)
Weather: -2°C, snowy spells and sun.
Vest Stadil Fjord, Husby Klitvej (the road between Søndervig and Husby), opposite Strandgarden on the west side of the fjord: giant flocks of Pink-footed Geese (5000+).
Geese are fed with corn in spring time, to keep them away from the farmers’ newly sown fields.
Stadilovej, the road that runs east of Vest Stadil Fjord, crosses a dike with a car park (start trail northwards, for cyclists and pedestrians): Rough-legged buzzard (hunting on the corn field), Common Stonechat.
Nissum Fjord (Fjandø, Thorsminde): Fjandø is not accessible for public, though from Norrø Fjand (small harbor) you have good views to Fjandø. From the main road, follow ‘Jollehavn’, drive right to the end : White-bellied Brent Goose, Brent Goose.
Thorsminde: On the main road from Nørre Fjand to Thorsminde: Sanderlings, Rock Pipit, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Eider
26/03: Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit)/Nissum Fjord (Bøvling Klit)/Harboøre Tange (Thyborøn, Knopper Enge, Gammel Landvej)/ Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit) (176 km)
Weather: -2°C, snowy spells and sun. Frost in the morning. Peel of ice on the car
The huge geese-traffic in the air (to the South) caught our attention. Change of weather? Indeed, in the evening our landlord did tell us that up North they had abundant snowfall even storms.
To the north of Thorsminde you have Bøvling Klit. From the main road Thorsmindevej, take right the Vråvej. On your right hand side you see windmills: Pink-footed Goose (161), Corn Bunting.
Harboøre Tange /Agger Tange: Snow bunting (4) / a large flock of Common Eider.
Harboøre Tange /Thyborøn, Knopper Enge, Gammel Landvej :
On our way back, we went visit to the Gammel Landvej/Knopper Enge, just opposite the industrial plant (Ronland) you can drive over the causeway/railway to get to Gammel Landvej/Knopper Enge . At the time of our visit there was not that many birds (3:25 pm) but it should be a wonderful resting place for migrating wading birds at the end of May.
Further southwards on the 181 you can easily pull in and walk across the railway line to look out over the lake and two islands: Mute Swans (400).
At Bovling Klit we had some colored-ringed Pink-footed Geese (11)
27/03: Vest Stadil Fjord (Husby Klit)/Ringkøbing Fjord (Ringkøbing)/Skjern (Skjern Enge: Fuglsandevej, Landkaervej)/Tipperne (Værnengene)/Ribe (187 km)
Weather: -2°C, windy, sunny
Skjern Enge: a vast wetland, with well posted walking paths, invited us to stretch our legs. At the moment of our visit we noticed the geese, swans, ducks, wading birds and other aquatic birds. We could not miss out on the black-headed gulls looking for nests. What a sound.
Fuglsandevej: More over a thousand of Pink-Footed Goose. Some c-rings have been read.
Landkaervej: Merlin (Male)
The Tipper peninsula: a couple of White-fronted goose.
A local birder showed us 3 Common Vipers (Adder) sunbathing.
28/03: Ribe/Kammersluse/ Sneum Sluse/ Esbjerg/Mandø/Ribe (129 km)
Weather: 2°C cloudy and a light cold wind.
Kammersluse: Sparrow Hawk, Kingfisher.
Sneum Sluse: Rough-legged Buzzard (3) (inner dike) /Brent Goose (250) (foreland).
Harbor of Esbjerg: Shag (1).
Mandø : Barnacle Goose (10.000), Pink footed Goose (10), Peregrine Falcon (Male).
29/3: Ribe/Romø – Departure SGR (913 km)
Weather: 6°C, cloudy and rainy spells.
Harbour of Romø: Iceland Gull (1)/Brent Goose
GAVIIDAE
1. Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata
PODICIPEDIDAE
2. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
3. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
SULIDAE
4. Northern Gannet Sula bassanus
PHALACROCORACIDAE
5. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
6. European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
ARDEIDAE
7. Great Egret Casmerodius albus
8. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
ANATIDAE
9. Mute Swan Cygnus olor
10. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus
11. Tundra Bean Goose Anser fabalis rossicus
12. Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus
13. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
14. Greylag Goose Anser anser
15. Snow Goose Anser caerulescens
16. Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
17. Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla bernicla
18. Ligh-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla nigricans
19. Egytian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus
20. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
21. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
22. Gadwall Anas strepera
23. Common Teal Anas crecca
24. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
25. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
26. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
27. Common Pochard Aythya ferina
28. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
29. Common Eider Somateria mollissima
30. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
31. Smew Mergellus albellus
32. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
33. Goosander Mergus merganser
ACCIPITRIDAE
34. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
35. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
36. Eurasian Sparrow Hawk Accipiter nisus
37. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
38. Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
39. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
40. Merlin Falco columbarius
41. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
PHASIANIDAE
42. Grey Partridge Perdix perdix
43. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
RALLIDAE
44. Common Coot Fulica atra
GRUIDAE
45. Common Crane Grus grus
HAEMATOPODIDAE
46. Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
RECURVIROSTRIDAE
47. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
CHARADRIIDAE
48. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
49. Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
50. European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
51. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
SCOLOPACIDAE
52. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
53. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
54. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
55. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
56. Common Redshank Tringa totanus
57. Sanderling Calidris alba
58. Dunlin Calidris alpina
59. Ruff Philomachus pugnax
LARIDAE
60. Mew Gull Larus canus
61. Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
62. Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
63. Herring Gull Larus argentatus
64. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
65. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
COLUMBIDAE
66. Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus
67. Eurasian Turtle-Dove Streptopelia turtur
ALCEDINIDAE
68. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
ALAUDIDAE
69. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
70. Skylark Alauda arvensis
MOTACILLIDAE
71. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
72. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta
73. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
REGULIDAE
74. Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla
TROGLODYTIDAE
75. Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
TURDIDAE
76. Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
77. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris
78. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
79. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
MUSCICAPIDAE
80. European Robin Erithacus rubecula
81. Stonechat Saxicola torquata
PARIDAE
82. Great Tit Parus major
83. Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
CERTHIIDAE
84. Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris
CORVIDAE
85. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
86. Black-billed Magpie Pica pica
87. Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
88. Rook Corvus frugilegus
89. Carrion Crow Corvus corone
90. Hooded Crow Corvus cornix
91. Common Raven Corvus corax
STURNIDAE
92. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
PASSERIDAE
93. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
94. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
FRINGILLIDAE
95. Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
96. European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
97. European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
98. Twite Carduelis flavirostris
EMBERIZIDAE
99. Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
100. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
101. Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra
102. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis