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De Zig

Limburg  >  Belgium

This former fishing pond complex is now a 66 hectare nature reserve and is part of the Kempen-Broek Cross-Border Park

Added* by Team Birdingplaces
Most recent update 31 May 2024

Description

The Zig was once part of a vast marsh area along the Belgian-Dutch border. The area with groves, meadows, fields and low peat marshes is wedged between the two streams Abeek and Lossing. The reed-edged ponds and marsh zones in particular make this area attractive for birds. You cannot enter the pond area itself, but you can walk around it. It is a beautiful circular walk of 7.5 km. You do not always have a good view of the fish ponds and unfortunately there is no high viewpoint, but during the walk along the reed collars, marshes and ditches you can sometimes see the birds up close. Birds you may encounter in the area include: Water Rail, Common Kingfisher, Common Cuckoo, Golden Oriole, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Eurasian Bullfinch, Willow Tit, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Little Grebe.

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Nederlands: De Zig was ooit onderdeel van een uitgestrekt moerasgebied langs de Belgisch-Nederlandse grens. Het gebied van 66 hectare met bosjes, weilanden, akkers en laagveenmoerassen ligt ingeklemd tussen de twee beken Abeek en Lossing en maakt deel uit van het Grenspark Kempen-Broek. Vooral de vijvers met rietkanten en moeraszones maken dit gebied aantrekkelijk voor vogels. Je kunt het vijvergebied zelf niet in, maar je kunt er wel omheen lopen. Het is een mooie rondwandeling van 7,5 km. Je hebt niet altijd goed zicht op de visvijvers en helaas ontbreekt een hoog uitzichtpunt, maar de tijdens de wandeling langs de rietkragen, moerassen en sloten zie je de vogels wel soms mooi van heel dichtbij. Vogels die je in het gebied onder meer kunt tegenkomen zijn Water Rail, Common Kingfisher, Common Cuckoo, Golden Oriole, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Eurasian Bullfinch, Willow Tit, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker en Little Grebe.

Details

Access

The Zig is located between the towns of Kinrooi and Molenbeersel. Parking is available at Doorslagstraat in Kinrooi. Click on the P in the map for directions. From the parking lot it is about a 600 meter walk to the start of the walking route. The 7 km circular walk is marked in yellow. The bird hide that you encounter on the route is usually not very productive in terms of birds. It is especially the circular walk itself that ia nice. In any case, wear good waterproof shoes and in very wet periods boots are necessary to walk the route because of the sometimes deep puddles and muddy parts here and there after a lot of rain.

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Nederlands: De Zig ligt tussen Kinrooi en Molenbeersel. Parkeren kan aan de Doorslagstraat in Kinrooi. Klik op de P in de kaart voor een routebeschrijving. Vanaf de parkeerplaats is het zo'n 600 meter lopen naar het begin van de wandelroute. De rondwandeling van 7 km is met geel gemarkeerd. De vogelkijkhut die je op de route tegenkomt is meestal niet erg productief qua vogels. Het is vooral de rondwandeling zelf die de moeite waard is. Trek hoe dan ook goede waterdichte schoenen aan en in zeer natte periodes zijn laarzen noodzakelijk om de route te kunnen lopen vanwege de soms diepe plassen en modderige gedeelten die dan op een enkele plek kunnen ontstaan.

Terrain and Habitat

Forest , Scattered trees and bushes , Grassland , Wetland , Pond , Reedbeds

Conditions

Flat , Wet

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

Can be useful

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Spring

Route

Wide path , Narrow trail

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Foot

Birdwatching hide / platform

Yes

Links

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

Top 5 birds

Other birds you can see here

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Comments & Tips

Place to stay

Vosseven Nature Park

Kempen-Broek  >  Netherlands

Vosseven Nature Park in Stramproy is ideally located for bird watching in the cross-border nature park of Kempen-Broek. Immersed in nature Vosseven is a perfect base for exploring the beautiful wetlands, fields and forests of this bird-rich nature park on the border of Belgium and The Netherlands. Especially since Kempen-Broek has been restored to it's former glory many rare birds can be observed. Quote from a birder that stayed recently in Vosseven Nature Park “We visited many of the bird areas in the Kempen-Broek that are described on Birdingplaces. Most of them we could easily reach on foot or by bike from Vosseven Nature Park, it's all quite close. Beautiful sites like Wijffelterbroek, Smeetshof, Kettingdijk, Tungelerwallen, Laurabossen and the outstanding De Luysen - Mariahof. We saw many special birds such as Golden Oriole, Great Bittern, Little Bittern, Kingfisher, Hobby, European Turtle Dove, Spoonbill and Red-backed Shrike and lots of other bird species.”

Offer

Vosseven Nature Park has several bungalows for 2 to 6 people. On www.natuurparkvosseven.nl you can see which bungalows are available and you can make a booking directly.

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