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 Серая утка, Хохлатая чернеть, Широконоска and Белощекая казарка. Also, scarce species like Красноносый нырок can be found here. In summer, Речная крачка uses the water body as foraging area. Large areas of reedbeds surround the water body, which are being used as breeding habitat for Тростниковая камышевка, Камышевка-барсучок and Болотная камышевка. Also, scarce species like Соловьиная широкохвостка, Соловьиный сверчок and Обыкновенный сверчок can be found here.
The "Goudse Hout" mainly consists of old pastures with high bushes and forested areas. Within these areas, species like Славка-мельничек and Зелёная пересмешка breed. Other species, like Обыкновенная кукушка and Зелёный дятел can also be found here. Чеглок and Болотный лунь use the area as hunting ground. If you're lucky, small groups of Чёрная крачка, Черноголовая чайка or even an Скопа pass overhead.
In winter, the area is mainly used by large flocks of mixed songbirds, like finches and thrushes. Large groups of Чиж and Черноголовый щегол use the area as foraging area. In the ditches, Большая белая цапля 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.

