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10-11-12 MAY 2001 |
This
weekend in May brought us to the island of Texel which belongs to a string of
islands in the Dutch Wadden Sea. The island measures about 25 km in length and
is about 9 km wide. It has a wide variety of habitats and is very popular
amongst Dutch birdwatchers. The type of habitats meanly consist of dune areas
(along the western side), salt marshes, sandbanks, tidal pools, grasslands,
forested areas, pasture lands and swampy areas surrounded by reed beds. The
island can be reached via the town of Den Helder which is about 60km north of
Amsterdam. The crossing from Den Helder to Texel takes only 30 minutes and the
ferry runs about every hour. As a result of it’s popularity the island has a
wide variety of accomodations from campings to luxury hotels. We stayed in Den
Burg which is actually the main town of the island. It has enough choice of
hotels and restaurants, and is centrally located on the island. All birding
spots (see descriptions below) can be easily reached by car or even by bicycle.
For general info about the island you can check out the website of the Texel
Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast at www.vacationtechnician.com/texellighthousebandb.htm.
Other interesting reports about the island can be found at http://users.skynet.be/wielewaal/Texel%202001b.htm
and at www.realbirder.com/Texelreport.htm.
BIRDING
SITES
It is
not easy to point out the best birding spots of the island hence this is totally
dependent on the time of the year and the weather conditions. However the map
below shows an overview of some of the most interesting birding spots on the
island. For every site a short description is given describing the habitat and
the best time of the year for certain birds. Descriptions start in the northeast
at Zeeburg following the coast clockwise and finally ending up with the sites
located more inland.
Zeeburg:
a
farmhouse surrounded by extensive pieces of pasture land in the northeast. From
October untill the beginning of June the area holds large groups of Brent Goose.
During high tide the area holds a variety of roosting waders waiting for the
return of low tide at the mudflats. The area holds good birds year round but is
at its best during migration time.
De
Schorren: these
mudflats which can be overlooked from the coastal dike are an important year
round food source for large numbers of waders. In winter it is also good for
specialties like twite, rock pipit and snow bunting.
De
Bol: grasslands
and meadows which can be overlooked from the dike. Interesting site for roosting
waders and breeding redshanks, avocet, oystercatchers etc.
Wagejot:
brakish
pools on the east side of the island. From the road one can observe breeding
birds like terns, avocet and several species of plovers at very close
range.
Dijkmanshuizen:
coastal
bay wich can be overlooked from the dike. In spring it hosts terns and migrating
waders. Autumn is a good time for grebes. In winter the site is very good for
several duck species.
De
Geul, Mokbaai and Horspolders: excellent
year round birding site in the south of the island with a wide variety in
habitats consisting of dunes, lakes, pools,reedbeds and coastal mudflats. Good
for amongst ducks, herons, bittern, spoonbills, harriers and songbirds like
bluethroat, reedwarblers etc especially during migration.
Bolle
Kamer: an
area consiting of old dunes covered with lots of scrubs, grasses and heather.
Good for songbirds during migration. Two trails run through the area which makes
bird observation fairly easy.
De
Muy: lake
surrounded by dunes. The lake is good for spoonbill and herons whilst the
surrounding dunes are a good spot for songbirds during spring and
summer.
De
Slufter: a
unique coastal inlet that floods during high tide. During low tide the pools and
mudflats hold a variety of foraging waders, ducks and herons.
Eyerlandse
Duinen: an
area of old dry dunes with lots of vegetation in the north towards the
lighthouse. Good for songbirds and short-eared owl.
De
Dennen: an
area with mixed forests good for breeding birds like oriole, sparrowhawk, hobby,
cuckoo, crossbills etc.
Waal
en Burg: typical
polder landscape with meadows and canals in the middle of the island holding
amongst breeding redshanks, godwits and snipe. In winter flooded areas are good
for ducks and swans. Early spring it’s a important feeding site for ruff and
waders.
Species
List
Between brackets = approx. number of birds recorded
|
NR. |
ENGLISH
NAME |
NUMBERS |
COMMENTS |
|
1 |
Great Crested
Grebe |
10 |
several
sites |
|
2 |
Great
Cormorant |
15 |
several
sites |
|
3 |
Mute
Swan |
10 |
several
sites |
|
4 |
Pink-footed
Goose |
5 |
wagejot |
|
5 |
Bean
Goose |
25 |
several
sites |
|
6 |
Greylag
Goose |
50 |
several
sites |
|
7 |
Brant |
200 |
large groups at
zeeburg |
|
8 |
Egyptian
Goose |
5 |
horspolder |
|
9 |
Common
Shelduck |
50 |
several
sites |
|
10 |
Mallard |
100 |
several
sites |
|
11 |
Northern
Shoveler |
3 |
de
dennen |
|
12 |
Common
Pochard |
5 |
de
bol |
|
13 |
Common
Eider |
50 |
schorren and
slufter |
|
14 |
Gray
Heron |
15 |
several
sites |
|
15 |
Eurasian
Spoonbill |
15 |
schorren and
slufter |
|
16 |
Western
Marsh-Harrier |
25 |
de muy and
slufter |
|
17 |
Common
Buzzard |
1 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
18 |
Eurasian
Kestrel |
5 |
cultivated
fields |
|
19 |
Ring-necked
Pheasant |
15 |
several
sites |
|
20 |
Eurasian
Coot |
10 |
several
sites |
|
21 |
Black-tailed
Godwit |
50 |
pastures |
|
22 |
Bar-tailed
Godwit |
8 |
schorren and
slufter |
|
23 |
Eurasian
Curlew |
6 |
de muy and
wagejot |
|
24 |
Common
Redshank |
25 |
schorren and
wagejot |
|
25 |
Common
Greenshank |
1 |
pastures near zeeburg and de
bol |
|
26 |
Common
Sandpiper |
1 |
wagejot |
|
27 |
Ruddy
Turnstone |
6 |
wagejot |
|
28 |
Eurasian
Oystercatcher |
100 |
common |
|
29 |
Pied
Avocet |
15 |
schorren and
wagejot |
|
30 |
European
Golden-Plover |
4 |
schorren |
|
31 |
Black-bellied
Plover |
3 |
schorren |
|
32 |
Common Ringed
Plover |
10 |
schorren and de
bol |
|
33 |
Northern
Lapwing |
50 |
pastures |
|
34 |
Great Black-backed
Gull |
20 |
common |
|
35 |
Herring
Gull |
25 |
|
|
36 |
Lesser Black-backed
Gull |
10 |
schorren and
slufter |
|
37 |
Black-headed
Gull |
200 |
common |
|
38 |
Common
Tern |
25 |
several nesting at de bol
and wagejot |
|
39 |
Common Wood
Pigeon |
10 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
40 |
Eurasian
Collared-Dove |
10 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
41 |
Common
Cuckoo |
1 |
de muy (feeding on
caterpillar) |
|
42 |
Common
Swift |
10 |
several
sites |
|
43 |
Eurasian
Jay |
3 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
44 |
Black-billed
Magpie |
15 |
common |
|
45 |
Eurasian
Jackdaw |
15 |
common |
|
46 |
Rook |
10 |
pastures near zeeburg and de
bol |
|
47 |
Carrion
Crow |
15 |
common |
|
48 |
Eurasian
Blackbird |
50 |
common |
|
49 |
Song
Thrush |
1 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
50 |
European
Starling |
25 |
common |
|
51 |
European
Robin |
5 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
52 |
Common
Nightingale |
1 |
horspolder |
|
53 |
Stonechat |
1 |
de
muy |
|
54 |
Northern
Wheatear |
1 |
slufter |
|
55 |
Winter
Wren |
10 |
several
sites |
|
56 |
Bank
Swallow |
25 |
wagejot |
|
57 |
Barn
Swallow |
10 |
several
sites |
|
58 |
Common
House-Martin |
10 |
several
sites |
|
59 |
Icterine
Warbler |
1 |
zeeburg |
|
60 |
Willow
Warbler |
5 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
61 |
Common
Chiffchaff |
5 |
several
sites |
|
62 |
Greater
Whitethroat |
5 |
horspolder |
|
63 |
Lesser
Whitethroat |
1 |
horspolder |
|
64 |
Great
Tit |
10 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
65 |
Blue
Tit |
10 |
several
sites |
|
66 |
Sky
Lark |
5 |
de
slufter |
|
67 |
House
Sparrow |
100 |
common |
|
68 |
White
Wagtail |
6 |
several
sites |
|
69 |
Yellow
Wagtail |
1 |
slufter |
|
70 |
Meadow
Pipit |
5 |
de
muy |
|
71 |
Dunnock |
1 |
de
muy |
|
72 |
Common
Chaffinch |
25 |
common |
|
73 |
European
Greenfinch |
3 |
zeeburg |
|
74 |
European
Goldfinch |
1 |
zeeburg |
|
75 |
Eurasian
Linnet |
1 |
near
ecomare |
|
76 |
Red
Crossbill |
4 |
forest at de
dennen |
|
77 |
Reed
Bunting |
2 |
horspolder |
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