Vogelmeer

Be sure to bring your binoculars to Bird Lake. You can discover dozens of species here. Depending on the season, you will see geese, woodpeckers, a nightingale or kingfishers.

Lake with some islands dug in the 1950s surrounded by reeds. There is an open dune area on the west side of the lake, and pine and birch forests on the east side. The Parnassia entrance is the closest entrance and can be reached from Haarlem or Zandvoort with the bus line Connexxion 81. Get off at the end of Zeeweg in Bloemendaal aan Zee.

Species: Spring / Summer: Great Cormorant, Dead Kill, Common Geese, Greylag Goose, Canadian Goose, Common Goose, Little Goose with a white front and red-backed bunting. Nearby dune birds such as green woodpecker, tree lark, stonechat, nightingale, warbler and black-tailed sniper. Fluent during the brewing period. Autumn: Geoorde Grebe, Osprey, Kingfisher, Klapekster and Baardmannetje. Winter: Nonnetje, common Goldeneye.

Details: 'Schoutens vergezicht' bird watching hut on the south side of the lake. The other dune lakes in the Kennemer dunes (Oosterplas and Spartelmeer) are also worth a visit.

National Park De Kennemerduinen at Haarlem. Extensive dune terrain with ever-changing paths in a varied landscape. To explore this requires quite a few visits. Very rewarding.