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Utopia

Island of Texel  >  Netherlands

Bird-rich nature reserve within the dikes on the east coast of the island of Texel. Many birds can be seen all year round and birds nesting in the spring.

Added* by Jan Heijink
Most recent update 4 juli 2024

Description

Utopia is a creek area with mudflats and shell banks. Splitterne and waders nest here on the shell beaches. From the wadden dike you have a good view of the birds in the creek area. In the event of spring or storm tide, the birds move from the salt marshes and the mud flats in the Wadden Sea to Utopia, which is safely behind the dike. In Utopia they can wait quietly until the salt marshes and mud flats are dry again. The reed collars of Utopia are home to birds such as Rørsanger, Skægmejse and Rørhøg. On the grasslands Knortegås and Pibeand feed in winter. In spring and summer, Utopia is the spectacular breeding ground for thousands of meadow birds, waders and a large colony of Splitterne.

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Nederlands: Utopia is een krekengebied met slikranden en schelpenbanken van Natuurmonumenten. Hier broeden grote sterns en steltlopers op de schelpenstrandjes. Vanaf de wadden dijk heb je goed zicht op de vogels in het krekengebied. Bij spring- of stormvloed verplaatsen de vogels zich van de kwelders en de wadplaten in de Waddenzee naar Utopia dat veilig achter de dijk ligt. In Utopia kunnen ze rustig wachten tot de kwelders en wadplaten weer droog liggen. In de rietkragen van Utopia leven vogels zoals kleine karekiet, baardmannetje en bruine kiekendief.’ s Winters eten rotganzen en smienten op de graslanden. Tijdens de lente en zomer is Utopia het broedterrein voor duizenden weidevogels, steltlopers en een grote kolonie van de grote stern. Spectaculair om te zien!

Details

Access

Easily accessible by bicycle via the wadden dike. The nature reserve itself is not accessible. From the wadden dike you have a good view of the birds in Utopia.

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Nederlands: Gemakkelijk te bereiken per fiets via de waddendijk. Het natuurgebied zelf is niet toegankelijk. Vanaf de waddendijk heb je goed zicht op de vogels in Utopia.

Terrain and Habitat

Wetland , Mud flats , Grassland , Sea

Conditions

Flat , Open landscape

Circular trail

No

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Spring

Route

Paved road

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Foot , Bicycle

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

Links

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

Map

Top 5 birds

Knortegås
1. Knortegås
(Branta bernicla)
Strandskade
2. Strandskade
(Haematopus ostralegus)
Splitterne
3. Splitterne
(Thalasseus sandvicensis)
Klyde
4. Klyde
(Recurvirostra avosetta)
Skægmejse
5. Skægmejse
(Panurus biarmicus)

Other birds you can see here

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Comments & Tips

Local guide

Discover the birds of Texel with Klaas de Jong

Island of Texel  >  Netherlands

Texel is one of the best bird watching destinations in the Netherlands. Bird watchers from all over Europe come to this Wadden Sea island to watch birds. Rare birds and vagrants are often seen on Texel and interesting birds can be observed all year round.  Klaas de Jong - one of the most reputed bird guides in the Netherlands - lives on Texel and knows the island as no other. Klaas offers full day or half day birding tours. Klaas shows you countless bird species and always searches for the most recent rarities on the island.

Handy pick-up-service

One of the great services Klaas provides, is the pick-up-service. His minibus can pick you up at your hotel or at the ferry port. A very convenient service if you only have a day to explore the island. Directly from the ferry you you can start off and from there Klaas takes you to the best birding areas of the island.

For more information about Klaas' bird tours, times and prices visit his website.

Website Klaas de Jong
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