Few sights are as breath-taking as thousands of geese lifting against the winter sun and few places as good as The Netherlands to witness this at its best.

About the tour

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Price

8 days from

per person

Tour Date:

14^th January 2023 -
21^st January 2023

Price Includes

Return economy class flights from regional airports within the UK
Air passenger duty, passenger service charge, airline security charges, airport taxes and fuel surcharges where applicable
Accommodation throughout and all meals
All entrance fees, visits, excursions and transportation as per the itinerary
The services of your tour leader(s) throughout

Price Excludes

Travel insurance
Items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.)
Government levies or taxes introduced after costing and publication of this programme on 25 July 2022

Tour Leader

Keith and Linda Offord

Keith and Linda Offord are both zoology graduates, very experienced field ornithologists and have run countless wildlife watching holidays around the world. Together, they set up Wild Insights in 2004 and have operated a consistently sold-out UK and overseas programme with a substantial level of repeat bookings – a reflection of their consistent professionalism, care and attention.

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The Netherlands with Wild Insights

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Day 1 UK / AMSTERDAM / RIJS

We make a short early morning flight from Heathrow (regional options to be confirmed) to Amsterdam from where, we will head north west by comfortable minibuses. We will cross the enormous Afsluitdijk enclosing the former Zuiderzee which is now a huge shallow lake called the Ijsselmeer. The dyke is again an excellent watch-point, not only for wintering wildfowl (including Smew), divers, grebes and waders. We will then continue on the short distance to our first accommodation at the small village of Rijs. Hotel Jans is very conveniently placed, provides comfortable rooms and excellent cuisine. It is directly adjacent to the Rijsterbos forest and very close to the edge of the Ijsellmeer enabling easy access to both the forest and the low-lying fields and dykes.

Day 2-4 RIJS / FRIESLAND

From Rijs we will be taking daily excursions to enjoy the best offerings of North Holland and Friesland. Returning over the Afsluitdijk towards Den Helder, will give us a second opportunity to scan for sea-duck, divers and grebes. Further south we will be exploring open polder country which is exceptionally rich in birdlife. Here the sea is kept at bay by a huge dyke which is an excellent vantage point for sea-watching and scanning for waders. Flocks of Whitefronted, Barnacle and Greylag Geese graze the low fields against a backdrop of windmills and the lagoon at De Putten reserve attracts a wide variety of waders and wildfowl.

On other days, a network of small roads running around the coast of Friesland provides the perfect means by which we can view more vast flocks of wild geese including Whitefronted, Barnacle, Pink-footed, Brent plus the occasional, Tundra Bean, Red-breasted, and if we are very lucky, Lesser White-fronted Goose. We will also take a day-trip further north to Lauwersmeer where a vast reed fringed lagoon provides ideal wintering habitat for wild swans, wildfowl, and waders. This is also very good raptor country with the possibility of Rough-legged Buzzard, Goshawk, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Merlin and White-tailed Eagle.

Day 5-7 VIERHOUTEN / FLEVOLAND

We say goodbye to Friesland and head south to Flevoland where we spend the next two full days exploring the fabulously bird-rich reclaimed polders and dykes of this area. Water Rail, Bittern, Bearded and Willow Tits are present along with Marsh Harriers and Great White Egret. Amongst our destinations is one of The Netherlands finest reserves, the Oostvaardersplassen, on the edge of the Ijsselmeeer, where huge lagoons are separated by equally huge reedbeds. This has also been a site for breeding White-tailed Eagle for many years. The conifer and beech forests near our hotel also provide excellent bird watching with Crested Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Hawfinch, Black Woodpecker and Goshawk all present. We will also look over the heathland near to the hotel which regularly holds wintering Great Grey Shrike and Hen Harrier. We check in to the Hotel de Mallejan where three nights are spent. Nestled in extensive pine forests with heathland nearby, the hotel has a traditional feel with a high standard of cuisine. We are within easy travelling distance of Flevoland.

Day 8 AMSTERDAM / UK

After breakfast we will make the most of our remaining time in the conifer and beech forests near our hotel with the hope of sighting Black Woodpecker, Crested Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper. After this it will be time to head back to Schiphol for the short hop back to the UK.

THE ITINERARY

Day 1

UK / AMSTERDAM / RIJS

Days 2 - 4

RIJS / FRIESLAND

Days 5 - 7

VIERHOUTEN / FLEVOLAND

Day 8

AMSTERDAM / UK

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