Proposal/programme

Day 1. Skjern River Delta – wetlands with fantastic birds – see area map.

See the result of the largest natural recovery project in Northern Europe . The western part of Skjern Å-dal, called Skjern River Delta West, is one of Denmark ’s most important natural areas for wading birds. Throughout the year, you will see mute swans, coots, cormorants, herons, greylag geese and many species of duck. The first breeding birds are greylag geese and mallards. These are followed by sheldrakes, shovelers, garganeys and gadwalls. The divers, the tufted duck and the pochard, breed here together with the black-necked grebe. In this area you may also see the spoonbill, which breeds here. The marsh harrier is a frequent visitor above the reed forest, where you may sometimes see the bittern. In spring you may see hundreds of ruffs, the males with resplendent feather collars, on the way from their overwintering areas in Africa to their breeding places to the north and east. The area also offers birds of prey, including hen harriers, common buzzards, rough-legged buzzards, kestrels, merlins, and occasionally white-tailed eagles, fish hawks and peregrine falcons.

During a four-day stay in the area, you can always return to Skjern River Delta, where new experiences will often be waiting for you. It’s a good idea to get information about the various birding shelters established in the area – in particular we recommend the shelter at Lønborggårdsvej. See map.

Day 2. Visit to Tipperne

You will find the Tipperne peninsula at the southern end of Ringkøbing Fjord. Depending on the season, there will always be exciting birds to watch, and the area also offers excellent possibilities of observing the birds from bird towers, paths and roads. The Tipperne peninsula is internationally known and one of the most important bird sanctuaries in Northern Europe . The area is flat, covers just over 3000 acres, and consists of numerous small lakes and meadows traversed by furrows and ditches. Large parts of the area are covered by reed forests. Tipperne is included in a conservation project for Ringkøbing Fjord, which has also been designated an area of international significance for water birds under the Ramsar Convention and the EU’s bird protection directive.

The migration reaches its peak in April and October, where you will find wading birds such as dunlins, lapwings, ruffs and golden plovers. In spring, the area is visited by lots of geese, such as pink-footed, greylag, barnacle and brent geese.

To protect the birds, access to the northern part of the Tipperne peninsula is limited. Access to the conservation area is available during the following periods: Sundays from 1 February – 31 March: 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon. Sundays from 1 April – 31 August: 8.00 a.m. – 10.00 a.m. Sundays from 1 September – 30 November: 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon. Closed 1 December – 31 January. Cars should follow the road right up to the parking area at Tipperhuset. Stops are not permitted on the way, and entry to the meadows along the road is prohibited.

Day 3. The Jutland Wadden Sea – Fanø. See map

One-day trip to Fanø – the northernmost island in the Jutland Wadden Sea . Fanø is situated off Esbjerg . The ferry will take you to Fanø in 12 minutes. See further information. Fanø is a wonderful place to observe the large flocks of migrating birds. It is estimated that between 10 and 12 million wading birds migrate across the Jutland Wadden Sea each year. Fanø has many possibilities for birding – you will find seabirds at the beach, small birds in bushes and forests, and thousands of geese, ducks and wading birds. The best time is during the rising tide when the birds have to move to higher sandbanks close to the beach. The enormous sandbank Keld Sand, to the east of Sønderho at the southernmost part of the island, has room for thousands of wading birds during high tide. Here you will also find sheldrakes, geese, and different wading birds in very large concentrations outside the breeding period. The southern part of Fanø is also excellent if you want to see migrating small birds. During the autumn months, the small scrubs and the gardens in Sønderho may be alive with tired birds which have been flying all night, and now want to spend the day recovering. Here you will find, among others, redstarts, blackcaps, willow warblers, goldcrests and robins – birds which may also migrate in large flocks. In October, all bushes will contain redwings and fieldfares. The reason why Sønderho has so many small birds is that the birds “end up at the bottom” of the island when they migrate from the north.

You should spend a day on Fanø. You can observe the birds on the tidal flats and along the shore from the top deck of the ferry on the way to the island. If you come by car, it’s a good idea to start by driving along the beach from the north (Fanø Bad) towards Sønderho in the south. Stop to the left of the beach route at Sønderho to look for bitterns and the various birds of prey which will be hunting for small birds in the reed forest or above the sea. Continue through the town to the old harbour and look across the tidal flats – the so-called Keld Sand. Binoculars or telescopes are an advantage. On the way, you can take a walk in the old town and look for small birds in bushes and trees. Finish by going north (towards the ferry). It’s a good idea to take one of the small roads on the east side of the island, where there’s a good chance of observing ducks and wading birds.      

 

Day 4. West Stadil Fjord See map

Take a day trip along the west coast and focus on the right side, where you will pass a number of inlet areas with many fascinating birds. West Stadil Fjord borders the North Sea to the northwest of Ringkøbing. Along the west coast between Søndervig and Vedersø, the road runs along the meadows straight towards the inlet, which is bounded to the east by a sea wall with a walking and bicycle path. Each spring and autumn, the vast fields and meadows around the inlet are a resting place for thousands of geese, ducks and wading birds. Various ducks, bitterns and marsh harriers breed in the reed forest. The best period for observing the birds is March, April and the beginning of May, when enormous flocks of geese meet before continuing their migration to their Arctic breeding places. From Husby Klitvej (the road between Søndervig and Husby) there are good possibilities of observing the birds in the fields. There are parking areas along this road and on Stadiløvej, which runs to the east of the area. You will also find a parking area on Skelmosevej, which will take you from Husby Klitvej to Stadiløvej. From Sidselbjerg and from the dunes at Strandgården you will have a fine view of the area.

West Stadil Fjord is particularly well-known for the thousands of geese resting in the area. When the geese flock in spring, you can see up to 25,000 pink-footed and barnacle geese. West Stadil Fjord is also an important resting place for ducks, wading birds and swans. At the inlet, you will see many different types of ducks – teals, widgeons, tufted ducks and others. In autumn, you can feel the whistling of the hundreds of Bewick’s swans which also use the open sea as a resting place. Among the breeding birds which like to remain in the area, you may see the great crested grebe.