Description
The "Goudse Hout" is a large city park on the northern part of Gouda en consists of an old peat meadow area with many high bushes, forested areas, ditches and ponds. There's a large body of water in the western part of the area. Many species of waterfowl can be found here, like kopřivka obecná, polák chocholačka, lžičák pestrý and berneška bělolící. Also, scarce species like zrzohlávka rudozobá can be found here. In summer, rybák obecný uses the water body as foraging area. Large areas of reedbeds surround the water body, which are being used as breeding habitat for rákosník obecný, rákosník proužkovaný and rákosník zpěvný. Also, scarce species like cetie jižní, cvrčilka slavíková and cvrčilka zelená can be found here.
The "Goudse Hout" mainly consists of old pastures with high bushes and forested areas. Within these areas, species like pěnice pokřovní and sedmihlásek hajní breed. Other species, like kukačka obecná and žluna zelená can also be found here. ostříž lesní and moták pochop use the area as hunting ground. If you're lucky, small groups of rybák černý, racek černohlavý or even an orlovec říční pass overhead.
In winter, the area is mainly used by large flocks of mixed songbirds, like finches and thrushes. Large groups of čížek lesní and stehlík obecný use the area as foraging area. In the ditches, volavka bílá can be found.
Details
Access
There's a large parking spot in the southern part of the park. You're able to walk a circular route around the park on (mostly) paved roads. You can either choose to go on foot or by bike and is about 5 km long. There are several information boards in the park telling about the old peat landscape. In the central part of the park, just south of the large water body, a wildlife garden is located. You can enter it for free and walk around the garden.

