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Description
Werk aan het Spoel is a historical location near the Lek river and is part if the Dutch Water Line. It consists of a sluice that is surrounded by multiple bunkers and was once used to protect the land against invations by inundating the polders. Nowadays, the area is surrounded with natural areas.
The bunkers are surrounded by a fairly broad canal, which is directly connected to the Lek river. Adjacent to the canal, large trees make up the landscape and, on the southern side of the area, small reedbeds are present. Furthermore, Werk aan het Spoel is located near the Lek river and its floodplains that consists of an open landscape with scattered trees, bushes and multiple ponds.
The canal is a great spot for multiple Vodomar and they can be seen and heard best from the bridge on the northern side of the area. Also, the banks are great for Mala Prutka and Crnokrila Prutka. The canal itself is also one of the best spots to observe beavers. They tend to swim around, leaving the canal to the river by swimming underneath the bridge.
The trees are home to multiple species of common songbird during the breeding season, like Crnokapa Grmuša and Brezov Zviždak. During Autumn migration the trees are great for migrants, like Muharica, Šumska Crvenperka and Vatroglavi Kraljić. Rarer species are Vuga, Crnoglava Muharica and, with a bit of luck, Šarenokrili azijski zviždak.
The reedbeds on the southern side of the area are a good spot for common reedbirds, like Trstenjak cvrkutić and Močvarna Strnadica. Furthermore, the scattered bushes surrounding the canal are great for scarcer species, like Pjegavi Cvrčić, Veliki Cvrčić and multiple breeding Svilorepa.
The Lek river is a good spot for many species of waterbird. Waterbirds tend to exchange between the Steenwaard on the northern side of the river to the ponds in the Goilberdingerwaard on the southern side of the river. Also, one of the small dykes in the river is used as a bird migration area to count migrating birds during both Spring and Autuhm migration.
On the western side of the area, a small orchard is present. This is a good spot for Sivi Ćuk.
Details
Access
The area is easy accessible by the hiking trail surround the Werk aan het Spoel area. Also, from here you can hike in multiple directions following hiking trails to the west, south and east. There is a parking lot at the center of the area and a small restaurant.