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The group consisted of the guide Matt Collins and seven guests. Matt located us at London St Pancras and saw us on to the Eurostar for our journey to Rotterdam. Once we arrived and met up with one guest who had flown direct we walked a short distance to collect our mini-bus. Matt had excellent knowledge of where to locate birds and on route to our first hotel took us to a location where flamingos were feeding. This also coincided with sunset and the seeing the flamingos flying in the setting sunlight was fantastic. The first hotel we stayed in was very comfortable with excellent food and very friendly staff who made us very welcome. The second day we left the hotel and went to various locations on route to our second hotel where we would send the remaining three nights. On route we saw numerous species of wildfowl which I had never seen before including Spoonbills. The second hotel was again very comfortable and set in mature woodland which meant we could go for early morning walks before we set out for a day of birding. Matt managed to locate some great locations where we saw numerous birds and for me even more exciting was that they were species I had not seen before such a Goshawk, Smew, Cranes, White-Tailed Eagles & Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. Being a very amateur bird watcher it was great to be in the company of some very experienced bird watchers who made my holiday a great short break holiday. I found Naturetrek and in particular their guide Matt excellent in looking after the group and his extensive knowledge of birds and natural history. The hotels used were very good and I particularly enjoyed taking our lunch breaks at local eateries which offered a great selection of food. I was so impressed with the holiday on my return I have booked another birding and flora 8 day break “Crete in Spring”.
M.G. Hampshire, Feb 22
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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The Netherlands in Winter
Tour Code: NLD01A 5-day holiday to the Netherlands, focusing on two localities, in search of wildfowl, raptors and other wintering birds.
£1,045 (Inc train)
£1,045
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
On this short break we will go in search of wintering geese, ducks and other birdlife. Focusing on two main localities, and with key birding sites linked by an impressive network of roads and motorways, it is possible to see a great deal within a couple of days in a variety of habitats. We begin in Zeeland, where we’ll be hoping to see large flocks of geese (including a few rarities!) as well as raptors. We will cross to the island of Schouwen-Duiveland - one of the top winter birding spots in Holland - where we will be hoping to see large rafts of Red-throated Diver, Red-necked and Black-necked Grebes, Long-tailed Duck, Eider, Common Scoter, Greater Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser. Huge numbers of duck winter in the open water and reedbeds of Flevoland including Greylag, Bean and White-fronted Geese. We’ll also explore the surrounding woodland in search of species such as Long-eared Owl and Hawfinch. Lastly we’ll visit Friesland where further vast flocks of geese and duck await, and at IJsselmeer vast flocks of Smew, Scaup, Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck and Goosander are to be found at this time of year.
- Flocks of Tundra Bean, White-fronted, Greylag, Barnacle & Brent Geese, Zeeland
- Look for rarities such as Snow, Lesser White-fronted & Red-breasted Geese
- Bittern plus raptors such as Hen & Marsh Harriers plus Peregrine
- Dunlin, Ruff, Curlew, Sanderling, Grey Plover, Knot, Oystercatcher & Bar-tailed Godwit
- Vast numbers of duck, IJsselmeerdyke
- Goshawk, Short-toed Treecreeper, Crested Tit, Black Woodpecker & Bearded Reedling possible
- Raptors may include Rough-legged Buzzard & White-tailed Eagle
- Pink-footed Goose plus Bewick's, Whooper & Mute Swans, Friesland
- Led by expert naturalist guides
Grading
Grade A.
Although the Netherlands has a higher population density than any other European country, an impressively large part of its area has been set aside as nature reserves. These protected areas consist mainly of polders, mudflats, marshes, reed-beds and sand dunes and are home to a large number of wintering birds. An excellent network of roads and motorways makes it possible to explore many of these superlative birding sites within a couple of days and, during this long weekend, we will concentrate mainly on the Zeeland and Flevo areas.
Zeeland hit the world headlines in February 1953 when many of the dykes collapsed and large parts of the low-lying islands were flooded, causing great loss of life. To ensure that a disaster on this huge scale would never happen again the Dutch planned the Delta-works. This is the largest construction of its kind in the world, connecting the islands and islets of southern Holland with large dams which have resulted in the formation of many large saline and brackish lakes, attracting up to half a million birds in winter! To the north lies Flevoland, the second focus of our attention. These polders were only formed about 40 years ago by draining part of the IJsselmeer and are now considered to be among Europe’s
finest wetlands.
Beginning in Zeeland, we will search the extensive farm and grasslands of Goeree for geese and ducks. Every winter large numbers of geese can be found feeding here; Tundra Bean, White-fronted, Greylag, Barnacle and Brent form the largest flocks through which we will search for such rarities as Snow, Lesser White-fronted and Red-breasted Goose, which are all regularly recorded. The marshy areas conceal Bitterns and are patrolled by Hen and Marsh Harriers, and Peregrine Falcons. Flocks of Dunlin, Ruff, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit can be found on the muddy shores of the large inland seas, and seals are often seen basking on the mudflats.
We will cross to the island of Schouwen Duiveland via the seven-kilometre-long Brouwersdam. This is one of the top birding spots in Holland in winter. On the seaward side large rafts of Red-throated Divers, Red-necked and Black-necked Grebes, Long-tailed Duck, Eider, Common Scoter, Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser are usually to be found bobbing in the waves. The small sandy beaches along the dam, provide feeding for Sanderling, Grey Plover, Knot and Oystercatchers.
Three large polders form the area of Flevoland, all of them reclaimed from the IJsselmeer. Here we will visit the famous marshland reserve of Oostvaardersplassen. Although difficult to cover due to its large size (70 square kilometres) we will search the open water and the extensive reed-beds from the IJsselmeerdyke or from one of the many hides that overlook this large wetland. Depending on the water level, vast numbers of duck are usually present. Rough-legged Buzzards often hover overhead and the surrounding meadows are grazed by numbers of Whooper Swans, Greylag, Bean and White-fronted Geese. Roe and Red Deer can also be seen feeding here in the early morning or late afternoon. The surrounding woodlands provide a contrast in habitat and may enable us to add Hawfinch, Goshawk, Short-toed Tree-creeper and Long-eared Owl to our weekend bird list.
Next we will check the Lepelaarsplassen Reserve. This large, reed-fringed lake is home to huge numbers of duck and is often the best spot in Holland to see over-wintering White-tailed Sea Eagles, causing panic among the wildfowl as they soar over the water. In the broad reed-bed fringes, Bearded Reedlings announce their presence with distinctive ‘pinging’ calls. Friesland, just to the north of Flevoland, is a major wintering area for geese and swans; Tundra Bean Goose, Pink-footed Goose, White-fronted and Barnacle Geese are present in large numbers, and Bewick’s, Whooper and Mute Swans often feed here side by side. The nearby IJsselmeer is favoured by vast flocks of Smew, Scaup, Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck and Goosander.
On our return to Brussels, we will visit a delightful mixed woodland where we hope to see Hawfinch, Crested Tit, Nuthatch, Firecrest and the impressive Black Woodpecker to conclude this varied and entertaining trip.
This tour can be combined with our 'Belgium in Winter' holiday (BEL02).
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Trains
- Accommodation: Comfortable tourist hotels with private facilities.
- Food: All included in the price, except for meals required on train journeys.
Reviews
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: Tom Brereton
Tom has had a lifelong passion for all forms of natural history, and a varied career in wildlife research and nature conservation spanning the last 15 years. After graduating in Environmental Science, Tom spent several years working for the RSPB on a number of bird, botanical and invertebrate survey and research projects. Following an MSc in Conservation at University College, he worked as an independent ecological consultant specialising in botanical surveys. Tom returned to academia in 1993, to complete a PhD on the ecology and conservation of the Grizzled Skipper butterfly. Tom currently works for Butterfly Conservation, as a monitoring and species ecologist, but remains an enthusiastic all-round naturalist, through extensive travel and involvement in a number of voluntary wildlife projects. Tom is active in local botanical, insect and bird surveys, and pursues his interest in seabirds and cetaceans as a founding director of the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme (now Marinelife), which carries out research, conservation and educational work in the English Channel and Bay of Biscay.
2026
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Among our programme is a significant range of short breaks, designed specially for those wishing to enjoy some of Europe’s top natural history highlights at the best time of year. All of these holidays have the bonus of being short-haul and supported by like-minded wildlife enthusiasts.
Naturetrek Short Break Wildlife Tours
Short breaks are becoming increasingly popular and in response to the high demand for this type of holiday we are continuing to increase our programme both within the UK and abroad. Most of our short breaks are within Europe, for convenience of travel.
For some of our mini-breaks there is an option to travel by plane or train, and we offer a choice of duration and type of break, from a weekend’s birdwatching in the Somerset Levels to a 6-day whale watching tour in the Azores.
A selection of our UK short breaks:
- A winter bird watching break in Norfolk
- An autumn holiday to enjoy the Red Deer rut in Ardnamurchan, Scotland
- A wildlife weekend in the New Forest
A selection of our overseas short breaks:
- In Spain we look for the world’s rarest cat, the Iberian Lynx
- Wolves on the plains in rural northern Spain
- An exploration of La Brenne’s exceptionally rich butterfly-life in northern France
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer two superb short breaks to the lovely island of Madeira in search of whales, dolphins and seabirds. It’s hard to beat our Just Brown Bears trip for families, while if you fancy something off the beaten track, try Estonia in Early Spring for some excellent spring birdwatching."
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Flight-free Wildlife Holidays
At Naturetrek we make full use of the Eurostar rail service through the channel tunnel, and of the ferry routes between England’s south coast and France and Spain, to offer a range of ‘flightless’ wildlife holidays in Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. In addition, we also offer the widest selection of wildlife holidays within the UK, none of which require a flight to participate in. Therefore, if you prefer not to fly, for whatever reason, we have a range of varied and exciting wildlife holidays for you to choose from, and we are committed to regularly adding more.
It is also the case that many of our other holidays within Europe are also accessible by rail. Generally, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we’d be pleased to offer advice to anybody who wishes to join any of our tours within Europe by a means other than flying!
Our specialist recommends...
Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
