Description
Vejlen was previously a fjord connected to the sea, but in 1765 a dyke and sluice were built, cutting off the fjord. Vejlen was drained to create pastureland. In 1905, the sea broke through the dyke. Even though the dyke was reconstructed, Vejlen never became completely drained again. A very shallow lake was formed, that is now brackish and very rich in nutrients, due to pollution from the surrounding farmland. Different waterbirds breed in Vejlen, including (Κοκκινόλαιμο) Νανοβουτηχτάρι, Κοκκινοβουτηχτάρι, (Ευρωπαϊκή) Αβοκέτα and Κοκκινοσκέλης. Καλαμόκιρκος breed here just about every year. Μουστακαλής nest here, and (Ευρωπαϊκή) Αλκυόνη can be seen throughout the year. In summer Καλαμοποταμίδα, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα, Θαμνοτσιροβάκος and (Μεγάλο) Καλαμοτσίχλονο can be heard singing in the scrub. During migration the lake and the shallow waters off the coast hold many species of wader. (Ευρωπαϊκό) Βροχοπούλι can be seen both spring and autumn in flocks of up to several thousand birds standing on the fields in the vicinity. Other waders include (Ευρωπαϊκή) Καλημάνα and (Ευρασιατική) Τουρλίδα in quite large numbers, and smaller numbers of (Ευρωπαϊκός) Στρειδοφάγος, Λασποσκαλίδρα, Μαχητής, (Κοινό) Μπεκατσίνι, Μαυρότρυγγας and Πρασινοσκέλης. In winter several hundred Αγριόκυκνος and a few Νανόκυκνος turn up.
Details
Access
From Svendborg, drive south on route 9 in the direction of Rudkøbing. In Bregninge, turn off to the the right and follow the signs to Nørre Vornæs. In Sønder Vornæs, turn onto Sønder Vornæsvej and after a few hundred metres onto the Vejlenvej, where there is a lay-by. From here, a path leads to a bird hide.
