Birdwatching in the Netherlands
For a small country like Holland it properly has more Birdingpals per capita than anywhere else indicating the interest and knowledge available to a visiting birder.
With more than 700 km of costal line, plenty of wet land and on one of the main European flyways the Netherlands is a birders paradise, when it comes to waders and waterfowl. Storks, Spoonbills and Herons are common in the many draining canals throughout the country.
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport being a main transfer point for international travelers, a traveling birder should consider a stopover for a day or two to bird this delightful country with more than 450 recorded bird species. Holland is well known for good facilities, roads and easy access to most reserves and a local Birdingpal will make sure you get the most out of your stopover.
Local Birdingpal Contacts
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Local Birdwatchers
Using the Birdingpal resources you must agree to the following: If you contact a local Birdingpal and make arrangement to go birding, you should note it is common courtesy to make sure you show up for the appointment. If for any reason you are unable to do this, the least you must do is contacting the local Pal right away. Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Initial | Last Name | Area | Available | Language | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | Vermeulen | Chaam, Noord Brabant | Weekend | Dutch/English German/French Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| H | Vennix | Rosmalen, Noord Brabant | Anytime | Dutch/English German/French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I'm not working anymore and almost retired and enjoy spending my time in nature with birdwatching, butter-flymonitoring and nature-photography. I also like to meet people from other countries and cultures; so mail me if you are going to visit Rosmalen's-Hertogenbosch. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| P | van Els | Uden, Noord Brabant | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | Twort | Bergen op Zoom, West Brabant | Weekend | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For me it's a hobby. I do not keep lists. I am member of the local bird club which does hold some very serious birders. Some of whom are wel known through there work on breeding atlases and so on. I take part in counting birds in our area. I do not own a car or drive and do nearly all my birding on a bycicle also in other Eropean lands Spain, Hungary, Turkey and Portugal. In this part of Netherlands are the most diffrent sort of birds seen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| NY | Jimenez | Dronten, Flevoland | Weekend | English/Spannish Dutch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I started to bird when I was 12 years old. There are a lot of good birding places around where I live, like the: Oostvaardersplassen, Vossemeer, IJsseldelta, Roggebodzand etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| W | Glas | Lelystad, Flevoland | Weekend | Dutch/English German/French Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I live around the most beautiful wetland of Europe, De Oostvaardersplassen an beautiful natural area that nature took back from humanity. This because only humanity could not decide what do with this area. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | Bosch | Dokkum, Friesland/Lauwersmeer | Anytime | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| L | Dijkstra | Arnhem, Gelderland | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| R | Skjelnes | Nijmegen, Gelderland | Weekend | Dutch/Norwegian English/Finnish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| G | Ottens | Utrecht, Gelderland | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | van Bruggen | Veluwe, Gelderland | Weekend | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| R | Vermoolen | Wageningen, Gelderland | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birdwatcher (20y), -counter (15y) and - twitcher (10y), living in Wageningen since 1998. Wageningen area holds, depending on season, a nice set of 'targets' including Bluethroat, Marsh Warbler, Spoonbill, Black Woodpecker (nearby), Crested Tit, Firecrest, Owls (4 sp), Meadow birds and Wildfowl. The large birdwatcher community in Wageningen produces finds of scarce and rare birds on regular basis as well. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | Noback | Groningen | Anytime | Dutch/English German/French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| D | Brinkhuizen | Groningen | Anytime | Dutch/English Serbian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| R | Dillerop | Schildwolde, Groningen | Anytime | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am a birdwatcher & do birdbanding-projects in Groningen and Drenthe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| A | Ovaa | Vaals, Limburg | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PC | Meijer | Noord Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English German/French Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter C. Meijer lives in the province North-Holland where very good birding possibilities are. The Island Texel, The north coast of North-Holland: the former island Wieringen, good possibilities in the first Zuiderzee - polder Wieringermeer. Good possibilities to go the provinces Groningen and Friesland via the Afsluitdijk. I am a birder since 1964 and are still daily practicing this nice hobby. I am one of the editors of a Dutch Journal and have a series in this magazine (het Vogeljaar) on ‘Birding along the digital highway’. Read my website: www.petercmeijer.nl. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| C | van Deursen | Aerdenhout, Noord-Holland | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | Argeloo | Amsterdam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| R | van Ouwerkerk | Amsterdam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| D | de Vre | Amsterdam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | van den Bergh | Amsterdam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am a young and keen birdwatcher, who likes to help serious foreign birders with birding in the Netherlands. Amsterdam is a good starting point to get to nice areas with many target birds for foreign birders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | Voorvelt | Amsterdam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English German/French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I live in an old town called Weesp, close to Amsterdam and many wonderful birding sites. Birding on my own is nice, but I prefer to go together and to show others what the area has to offer. I usually take the bicycle to go birding, but will have my driving licence soon..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| E | Boven | Amsterdam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English German Serbo-Croatian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Erik Boven lives part of the year in Amsterdam and part in the friendly mountains of the north of Montenegro. He likes it to go out for birding with people from all over the world to exchange experiences and to observe the birds flying around without visa obligations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| S | Wytema | Amsterdam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | English/Nederlands Francais/Deutsch y un pocito Espanol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I mainly bird Noord- and Zuid-Holland. But the Netherlands is not that big so for a nice trip other parts can also be visited. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| P | van der Wielen | Heerhugowaard, Noord-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| N | Graafsma | Hoofddorp, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Just contact me if you want some birding fun. Dunes, seawatching, woodlands, forests, march, etc. Just tell me your wishlist and maybe we can find them. I like any place to bird and am known thoughout the Netherlands, so maybe we can meet your wishes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | Beijk | IJsselstein/Utrecht, Noord Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English some German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am an ecologist and interested in reptiles, amphibians and of course birds. If you are interested in birding in the Netherlands, please contact me. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| O | Zijlstra | Nw. Niedorp, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| H | Kiewiet | De Cocksdorp/Texel, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/German English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I like watching birds and there are a lot of them on the island of Texel in the north-west of the Netherlands. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| R | Kampf | Schermerhorn, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English German/French Norwegian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | Verhulst | Utrecht, Noord Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| GM | Kohn | Utrecht, Noord Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English some German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am a student at Utrecht University studying animal behavior (mainly animal social learning and personalities), from Montana/New York in the United States. Looking fellow birders in my area who are willing to share there knowledge of the local avifauna, as well as go on low-income birding trips (aka ride-sharein, hitchhiking and couchsurfing). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | Scholte | Vinkeveen/Utrecht, Noord Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | van Meer | Vught, Noord Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vught is a small town between Eindhoven and Hertogenbosch in the province Noord-Brabant. For the local birding group I arrange excursions to Zeeland, Limburg, Flevoland (oostvaardersplassen). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| E | Groenewoud | Zaandam, Noord Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| GP | Langedijk | Zuid-Scharwoude, Noord-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German/French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I live in the north western part of Holland in the province of Noord-Holland. In this part of the country you have some good places to go birding. Close to the Northsea (15 km) where there is always a lot to see. In spring and automn there is the migration of shorebirds, ducks and seabirds you can see from several lookout spots at the coast. On land there are some good places too, The dunes along the coast, some wetlands behind the dikes. A special good place is Zwanewater with contents two sweetwater lakes and is situated in the coastal dunes near Callantsoog. There are breeding Spoonbills and all kind of marshbirds such as Harriers, Reedwarblers, Bluethroats and for the third year we have breeding Cetti warbler. For 20 years I monitor birds in Zwanewater which gives much satisfaction. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | Hoksberg | Deventer, Overijssel | Anytime | Dutch/English some German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I bird the River Ijssel with lots of marshbirds. Also woodlands and birds connected with farming. Very beautiful area. Both interesting in summer and winter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| A | van Essen | Zwolle, Overijssel | Anytime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| H | Pohlmann | Zwolle, Overijssel | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| M | Bunskoek | Zwolle, Overijssel | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am a enthusiastic birder with over 15 years of birding experience. Zwolle is situated near many good birding areas (river IJssel, Oostvaardersplassen, Veluwe, Sallandse heuvelrug, Wieden and Weeribben). Tell me your wished for birdspecies and I will try to help you find them! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| H | Bouman | Zwolle, Veluwe, Utrecht, Overijssel | Anytime | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| A | Binsbergen | Oosterend/Texel | Anytime | Dutch/English French/German Spanish/Danish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| P | Boelee | Goes, Zeeland | Anytime | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zeeland, the part of the netherlands, where you easy can find 60 species of birds on one day. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| N | Oele | Goes, Zeeland | Anytime | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zeeland is in the south-west of the Netherlands, a very important place for all kind of birds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| T | Plug | Bodegraven, Zuid-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English French/German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am a retired person, 65 years old and used to be head of the Biology Dept. of a Teacher's training College. I have been birding all my life, in the neighbourhood as well as abroad. Besides birding I am collecting used birdstamps worldwide. The little village were I am living is located between some lakes and swamps, so birding is excellent. Mostly I am doing this by bike. I have had contact with some other Birdingpals a couple of times. Depending of the season I usually taking them to the shore in the part of Holland called Zeeland. It is about an hour's drive from my village. Most of the time we are able to watch over 50 species. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| C | Walta | The Hague, Zuid-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If you would like to go birdwatching in the Hague or The Netherlands you can contact me. I usually go birding with the The Hague Birding Association, www.haagsevogels.nl (in Dutch) and you are welcome to join an excursion (no costs, only payment of car miles). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| E | Kleyheeg | Gouda, Zuid-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am a biology student and for many years enthusiastic birdwatcher and nature photographer. Please contact me if you want to visit the characteristic polder landscape of the low western parts of the Netherlands (e.g. the Krimpenerwaard) for a successful birding experience. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| KP | Hendriks | Leiden, Zuid-Holland | Weekend | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | van den Berg | Oostvoorne, Zuid-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German/French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| I | Goedbloed | Schiedam, near Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| A | de Hoon | Voorburg/The Hague, Zuid-Holland | Weekend | Dutch/English German/French Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Professional Guides If you contact a professional Birdingpal guide you must be prepared to pay a fee for guiding services. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| L | Treadgold | Alkmaar, Noord-Holland | Anytime | English/Dutch German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| K | de Jong | De Cocksdorp (Texel), Noord-Holland | Anytime | Nederlands/English Deutsch/Francais poco Espainol lit Norsk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texel is the hot spot birding area of the Netherlands. Over 360 species of birds have been recorded and in May or October there are good chances to find over 100 species in one day. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| E | Dirks | Zaandam, Noord-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English German/Spanish French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| JJ | de Vries | Oosterend/Island of Terschelling, Friesland | Anytime | Dutch/English French/German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With more than 40 years of experience, he is a well trained birdwatcher. In weekends, during the period October till May he leads excursions for private groups up to 6 persons, in combination with sleeping facility all-in in a characteristic cottage " Heemst" on the Island of Terschelling in the Wadden Sea. Basic guiding fee for an individual euro 80 per day, each extra person 20 euro plus expenses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| P | van der Luit | Alphen aan den Rijn, Zuid-Holland | Anytime | Dutch/English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Local Information
| Name | Description
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| Dutch Birding Association | Club |
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| Netherlands Ornithologists' Union | Club |
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| Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology | Club |
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| Schiermonnikoog Station | Banding/Ringing |
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| Birding Hotspots around the world | Sites |
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| Gert and Rommert Cazemier's | Lauwersmeer |
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| Vincent van der Spek | Scheveningen |
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| Birdpix.nl | Bird Photos |
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| Nederpix.nl | Nature photos |
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| X Havix's | Owls |
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| Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | Netherlands |
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| Local weather | Yahoo |
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| Electronic maps | MapQuest |
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| Find lowest prices for field guides, books, maps etc. | |
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| Field guides recommended by Birdingpals. | |
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| Printable bird check list | |
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| Trip Reports from Netherlands. | |
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| Read a Birdingpal's Trip Report from the Netherlands | |
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| C van Deursen's guide to the Netherlands. |
Last update 08/01/2010