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Description
A nature reserve with several types of marsh habitat, including wet woodland, shrubland, reedbeds and meadows. A local hotspot for several wetland birds in the wider region. The reserve is managed by Natuurpunt, the main nature conservation NGO in Flanders.
Spring is definitely the best time to visit. The Boelaremeersen have quite dense vegetation, and birding here is mostly dependent on being able to hear the birds when they call or sing, which is often easier in spring than in other seasons. Interesting breeding birds are káně lesní, krahujec obecný, Chřástal vodní, ledňáček říční, strakapoud malý, slavík modráček, rákosník proužkovaný, rákosník zpěvný, cvrčilka zelená, cetie jižní, sýkora lužní and strnad rákosní. slavík obecný has bred in recent years, but is not annual. Since 2016, a pair of čáp bílý has bred annually on an articial nesting platform at the eastern edge of the reserve. včelojed lesní from a nearby wood can be seen during spring and especially summer.
As an area with a variety of good habitats, it is also atractive to migrant birds, but as it is situated far inland and with a lot of cover, birds are elusive and difficult to observe. On some days, good numbers of thrushes, mist notable drozd cvrčala, can be present. bekasina otavní and slučka malá are regular but occurs in parts of the area that are not accessible to visitors.
Winter can be a good time to visit. There is still a lot of cover to keep birds hidden from sight, but with the leaves off the trees, birds can be more visible now. Interesting species at this time of year are Chřástal vodní, cetie jižní, linduška horská, sýkora lužní and strnad rákosní. The many alder trees and other seed bearing trees make this also a good area for čížek lesní and stehlík obecný and during influx years also hýl obecný and čečetka tmavá.
Not an easy site to cover, but with patience and some luck, this can be a good little birding area. The species list contains 160 species as of 2019.
Details
Access
There is long walking trail around and through the reserve, the most part being a narrow trail for walkers only. Some parts of the trail can be under water during wetter parts of the year, so it is adviseable to wear waterproof boots during these times.
There is no real parking lot, but you can parking along the road by the parking signs on the map.
The site is not so far from the center of the town of Geraardsbergen, which as a train station. It is about 20 minutes walking from the train station to start of the walking trail of the reserve.