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Haarrijnse plas

Utrecht  >  Netherlands

In order to build Utrecht's latest city expansion (Leidse Rijn) sand was won from two holes that now form the eastern en western bodies of water. 

Added by Just Romijn

Description

Great spot for "urban" birding. Especially in winter when impressive numbers of Eurasian Wigeon (2000-3000) and other waterbirds aggregate here.

I have have been a counter for SOVON (Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology) in this area for several years and these are among my special observations: Long-tailed Duck, Red-throated Diver, and Black-throated Diver (Arctic Loon), Red Phalarope, Great White Pelican,  Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe roodhalsfuut and Common Goldeneye.

Details

Access

You can reach the area by car. There are several parking spots nearby. The area itself is only accesible by foot. Only a short walk to the observation shelter on the southwest bank of the western lake.

Terrain and Habitat

Wetland, Lake, Scattered trees and bushes, Grassland, Reedbeds

Conditions

Flat, Swampy

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

No

Good birding season

Winter

Best time to visit

Winter

Route

Narrow trail, Wide path

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Foot

Birdwatching hide / platform

Yes

View birdingplaces in the area that are published on Birdingplaces.eu

Map

Top 5 birds

Eurasian Wigeon
1. Eurasian Wigeon
(Mareca penelope)
Northern Shoveler
2. Northern Shoveler
(Spatula clypeata)
Gadwall
3. Gadwall
(Mareca strepera)
Tufted Duck
4. Tufted Duck
(Aythya fuligula)
Greylag Goose
5. Greylag Goose
(Anser anser)

Other birds you can see here

Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
(Anser albifrons)
Northern Pintail
Northern Pintail
(Anas acuta)
Barnacle Goose
Barnacle Goose
(Branta leucopsis)
Common Pochard
Common Pochard
(Aythya ferina)
Common Teal
Common Teal
(Anas crecca)
Common Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
(Bucephala clangula)
Mallard
Mallard
(Anas platyrhynchos)
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Goose
(Alopochen aegyptiaca)
Mute Swan
Mute Swan
(Cygnus olor)
Canada Goose
Canada Goose
(Branta canadensis)
Common Pheasant
Common Pheasant
(Phasianus colchicus)
Little Grebe
Little Grebe
(Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
(Podiceps cristatus)
Black-necked Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
(Podiceps nigricollis)
Stock Dove
Stock Dove
(Columba oenas)
Common Wood Pigeon
Common Wood Pigeon
(Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
(Streptopelia decaocto)
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
(Cuculus canorus)
Common Swift
Common Swift
(Apus apus)
Eurasian Coot
Eurasian Coot
(Fulica atra)
Eurasian Moorhen
Eurasian Moorhen
(Gallinula chloropus)
Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing
(Vanellus vanellus)
Snipe
Snipe
(Gallinago gallinago)
Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
(Actitis hypoleucos)
Green Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
(Tringa ochropus)
Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank
(Tringa nebularia)
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Larus fuscus)
Common Tern
Common Tern
(Sterna hirundo)
Herring Gull
Herring Gull
(Larus argentatus)
Common Gull
Common Gull
(Larus canus)
Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull
(Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax carbo)
Grey Heron
Grey Heron
(Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret
Great Egret
(Ardea alba)
Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
(Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard
Common Buzzard
(Buteo buteo)
Common Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
(Alcedo atthis)
Eurasian Kestrel
Eurasian Kestrel
(Falco tinnunculus)
Eurasian Hobby
Eurasian Hobby
(Falco subbuteo)
Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
(Falco peregrinus)
Carrion Crow
Carrion Crow
(Corvus corone)
Jackdaw
Jackdaw
(Coloeus monedula)
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Magpie
(Pica pica)
Great Tit
Great Tit
(Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit
Eurasian Blue Tit
(Cyanistes caeruleus)
Skylark
Skylark
(Alauda arvensis)
Reed Warbler
Reed Warbler
(Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Sand Martin
Sand Martin
(Riparia riparia)
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow
(Hirundo rustica)
House Martin
House Martin
(Delichon urbicum)
Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
(Phylloscopus trochilus)
Common Chiffchaff
Common Chiffchaff
(Phylloscopus collybita)
Long-tailed Tit
Long-tailed Tit
(Aegithalos caudatus)
Greater Whitethroat
Greater Whitethroat
(Sylvia communis)
Blackcap
Blackcap
(Sylvia atricapilla)
Lesser Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
(Curruca curruca)
Garden Warbler
Garden Warbler
(Sylvia borin)
Goldcrest
Goldcrest
(Regulus regulus)
Firecrest
Firecrest
(Regulus ignicapilla)
Short-toed Treecreeper
Short-toed Treecreeper
(Certhia brachydactyla)
Wren
Wren
(Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling
Common Starling
(Sturnus vulgaris)
Blackbird
Blackbird
(Turdus merula)
Fieldfare
Fieldfare
(Turdus pilaris)
Mistle Thrush
Mistle Thrush
(Turdus viscivorus)
Song Thrush
Song Thrush
(Turdus philomelos)
Redwing
Redwing
(Turdus iliacus)
European Robin
European Robin
(Erithacus rubecula)
Dunnock
Dunnock
(Prunella modularis)
Tree Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
(Passer montanus)
Meadow Pipit
Meadow Pipit
(Anthus pratensis)
Water Pipit
Water Pipit
(Anthus spinoletta)
Tree Pipit
Tree Pipit
(Anthus trivialis)
White Wagtail
White Wagtail
(Motacilla alba)
Western Yellow Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
(Motacilla flava)
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
(Motacilla cinerea)
Chaffinch
Chaffinch
(Fringilla coelebs)
Brambling
Brambling
(Fringilla montifringilla)
Greenfinch
Greenfinch
(Chloris chloris)
Linnet
Linnet
(Linaria cannabina)
European Goldfinch
European Goldfinch
(Carduelis carduelis)
Siskin
Siskin
(Spinus spinus)
Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
(Emberiza schoeniclus)

Comments

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