In the spring of 2023, a pair of sea eagles landed in the Blankaart.
At first it was thought that it was a short visit: a few days of rest, a hearty meal and then moving on. But more than a year later, the couple, who have since been given the names Betty and Paul, are still there. On the (northern) edge of the Blankaartvijver they have chosen a favourite tree where they rest and sleep. A little further on they built a nest... where they are now hatching two young: Gloria arrived on 18 April; Guido three days later.
An absolute first for Belgium!
Gloria refers to the glorious moment for De Blankaart and Guido is the name of the current curator Guido Vandenbroucke.
The names of the parents, Paul and Betty, refer to the former co-owners of De Blankaart. The Kempynck family, brothers Paul and Luk and their mother Eliane Kempynck-Verhaeghe, managed this nature reserve until the end of the 1950s. Because he wanted to open up the valuable nature to the general public and was sensitive to nature conservation, Paul Kempynck ensured that the area was first rented to the Belgian Nature and Bird Reserves and later became the property of the current Natuurpunt around 1978. Paul and Betty Kempynck-Daenen lived at De Blankaart continuously from 1960: Paul died in 2012, his wife Betty left their home near the castle park in April 2023.
With a bit of luck (and I was) you can spot the 'animals' (with a wingspan of 2 to 2.5 m...).