Best places for wildlife in February

January 4, 2023January 29, 2023 Annie H9 Comments

How do you find the best places to visit in February? I’ve trawled the internet and come to the following conclusion:

Start with the brochures/websites of companies offering nature-based trips. Even if you don’t want to go on an organised trip, these will at least give you ideas of the top places.

Disclaimer – I have no connections with these tour companies, and have not used their services. However, as their websites have provided me with useful information, the least I can do is mention them.

Bulgaria

The northernmost part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is famous for being the wintering ground for hundreds of thousands of wild geese, among which almost the whole population of the globally threatened Red-breasted Goose. February may be the best time to see them as the hunting season is over, and birds generally are more settled. Branta and Neophron both offer winter birding and winter photography tours.

Neophron – Wolves & Vultures of Bulgaria. The Eastern part of the Rhodope Mountains is locked between the valleys of the big rivers Arda and Maritsa in southern Bulgaria, near the border with Greece. This area hosts exceptional biodiversity – a result of the mixture of Mediterranean and continental climate. This is the realm of the wolf packs, as here is one of the densest populations of the Wolf in Bulgaria. The most spectacular birds of the region in winter are the vultures – Eurasian Griffon and Eurasian Black vultures.

Photo of landscape at the Somerset Levels

England

Naturetrek – Somerset Levels – The magical movements and acrobatics of a million roosting Starlings. Bitterns. Huge congregations of wintering wildfowl, Lapwings and Golden Plovers. Birds of prey; amongst them the possibility of Barn Owls, Marsh and Hen Harriers, Peregrine and for the very fortunate Merlin. These are just some of the possible highlights on offer at this special expanse of seasonally inundated lowlands that spans 650 square kilometres between the Quantock and Mendip Hills. This ancient habitat, which until recently had fallen victim to drainage and other modern farming demands, has now been restored to much of its former glory by the RSPB and other conservation bodies. It is a heartening modern-day conservation ‘success story’! The photo above shows old pollarded willows marking ancient field boundaries.

Naturetrek – The Forest of Dean covers an area of about 100 square kilometres and is England’s second-largest expanse of ancient woodland. From our comfortable hotel base in the heart of the forest, we will make daily walks exploring the surrounding trails during the day, and on one evening head out in search of Wild Boar! We will hope to see flocks of Siskin and Redpoll as well as Brambling and one of the stars of the forest – the Hawfinch. Mandarin Duck and Goosander should be present and we’ll also look for Dippers on the rivers.

Estonia

January-February – the best time to observe Steller’s Eider when flocks can reach 1000 or more. Saaremaa, the biggest island in Estonia, and the most north-eastern point of the mainland at Cape Põõsaspea are the best places to see them, along with thousands of long-tailed ducks (below), goldeneye, goosanders and white-tailed eagles. Can’t see any trips advertised, but Natourest are probably the best people to advise – they also provide self-guided tours which can be tailored to your requirements.

France

All the big estuaries of the north and west coast are worth visiting, as is the Rhône Delta on the Mediterranean coast.

Winter birds on the Gulf of Morbihan

The Golfe du Morbihan provides a huge feast for wintering waders and wildfowl. Here are a few suggestions for places to watch them.

Greece

Neophron – Dalmatian Pelican Photography – Nestled picturesquely between two separate mountain ranges, Lake Kerkini is one of the true jewels of European birding and the core of a nature reserve that is a relatively unexplored wonderland of beauty and biological diversity. Plenty of Great White Pelicans, Dalmatian Pelicans, Greater Flamingos, Pygmy Cormorants, herons, ducks and other waterbirds, riverside forests and fantastic panoramic view from the mountains of Belasitsa and Krousia give it a characteristic atmosphere. The combination of wildfowl, flora and fauna, good weather for a large part of the year and a virtually traffic-free track around the lake make it ideal for birding and bird photography.

Neophron – Winter Photography in Bulgaria and Greece – To take photos of Dalmatian Pelican we visit either the Bourgas wetlands in the South-eastern Bulgaria or Lake Kerkini in Northern Greece, depending on the winter conditions and your preferences, and for Eurasian Griffon Vultures we visit the Eastern Rhodope Mountains in Southern Bulgaria, where we manage several fixed hides.

Neophron – Winter Birding in Northern Greece. In winter the wetlands of Northern Greece hold huge numbers of birds that have escaped from the harsh weather in Central and Eastern Europe. Join us for a great birding experience with opportunities to see a variety of highly sought-after species! This tour starts from Thessaloniki on the Aegean Sea. If time allows, we visit Kalohori Lagoon in the vicinity of Thessaloniki, which is a very good site for waterfowl and shore-birds in winter. Then goes on to various lakes, the Dadia Forest National Park (for vultures especially), and the Evros Delta.

Iceland

Most tours to Iceland in winter concentrate on the Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights, but this Naturetrek one crosses the country from south-west to north-east and includes the specialist winter birds too.

Pulsing green, blue & red glows & dancing patterns of the Northern Lights
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Snow Bunting & Ptarmigan
Stay in scenic Skútustaðir, under the flight path of a Gyrfalcon!
Glaucous & Iceland Gulls
Wintering sea-ducks near Husavik
Boiling mud pools, cinder cones, black lava fields & steaming fumeroles

The Travelling Naturalist provides a great winter break searching for birds and whales in south and west Iceland, at a time when they struggle to survive the harsh winter conditions and often congregate around the coast or other sheltered areas. Travelling as part of a small group in a specially prepared winterised 4-wheel drive vehicle allows us to reach some out-of-the-way places.

Some excellent advice about photographing the Northern Lights here

Italy

The Po Delta is good once the hunting season is over.

Norway

Skua Wild – Eider Special – In February, the King Eiders, one of the North Sea’s wonders, exhibit their colourful plumage over the icy, snow-covered waters. With it, the Steller’s Eider, the smallest of the Eider family, which is seriously threatened by a decline in its breeding range, primarily owing to climate change. These two unusual seabirds spend most of the winter in the Barents Sea, which stretches from northern Norway to Arctic Russia, but they begin their journey to the Siberian Peninsula in late March. Common Eiders and Long-tailed Ducks can be observed all year in the Varanger Peninsula, and they congregate with the two species listed above in February.

Poland

The Travelling Naturalist has a tour that focuses on the large, yet elusive mammals of the Biebrza Marshes and Bialowieza Forest. Studying tracks in the snow, we look for European bison, wild boar, elk, red deer and, if we are extremely lucky, some the country’s predators. We also search for the smaller, yet equally fascinating species such as otter, beaver, red squirrel (above), pine marten and up to ten species of bat.

Portugal

Classic places for winter birdwatching in Portugal include several wetlands in the Algarve easily accessible by public transport and from tourist resorts, and the Tejo estuary near Lisbon where a car is definitely needed.

Scotland

Oriole Birding – Islay is perhaps best known for its geese, and watching flocks of Barnacle and Greenland White-fronted Geese will certainly be a major focus as we search for rarer species that can include Cackling Goose or Snow Goose from across the Atlantic. In fact we can view geese from the sun room of our fantastic accommodation near Port Ellen in the south of the island, where we hire two self-catering houses for the tour and enjoy a house party experience which is perfectly suited to this holiday. Over the few days we will enjoy wintering divers and seaduck in secluded bays, both species of Eagle over the hills and such Hebridean specialities as Red-billed Chough, Twite, Black Guillemot, Hen Harrier, Merlin and of course Otter (below) around Islay’s varied coastline.

Spain

Naturetrek – The Coto Doñana is regarded as one of the best birdwatching sites in Europe and rightly so. At all times of year this superb wilderness of wetlands and woodland is teeming with birds! On this short winter break we explore a great range of habitats and birds will range from the great numbers of wintering wildfowl and waders to a whole host of raptors including Spanish Imperial Eagle and Black-winged Kite. Bluethroat winter here and are another highlight, while mammals may even include the Iberian Lynx if we are lucky within the private reserve! With so much to offer a visit to Coto Doñana is a must!

Read my recommendations for getting the most out of the The Doñana National Park

Naturetrek – On this wildlife holiday we visit three of the Canary Islands – Tenerife, Gomera and Fuerteventura – in search of the five endemic birds, many of the 600+ species of endemic plants, and other wildlife. On Tenerife we explore the pine forest and high slopes of Teide National Park, then we cross by ferry to the tranquil island of Gomera, where we will spend a full day exploring the marvellous Garajonay National Park. We finish with three nights on Fuerteventura, flatter and more arid than the other islands, and home to a totally different flora and fauna, more African than European. The unusual, exotic and magnificent subtropical Canary Islands with their endemic flora and fauna, and spectacular volcanic scenery will make this a memorable and rewarding tour.

For the botanist visiting the Canary Islands, flowering depends more on rainfall than on date, but Febuary is considered a good month for botanising in Lanzarote.

My best February trip to Spain has to be the Laguna Gallocanta and its tens of thousands of Eurasian Cranes (below). Several companies offer trips to the area, usually combining it with looking for wallcreepers and other species in the mountains.

Also take a look at this round-up of the best of Spain in January – most of the information applies to February too.

Sweden

NatureTrek – Winter birdwatching in northern Scandinavia is very special. Though there are a limited number of species present, such beautiful species as Waxwing and Bullfinch look even more exquisite in the magical winter light of the far north and against a backdrop of snow, and keen photographers will be in their element. We’ll be based in the lowlands of Svartadalen in central Sweden and make daily excursions to look for finches, tits, Nutcracker and woodpeckers (including Grey-headed) in the forest and at bird feeding stations. We should be able to get very close to some of our target species on this trip; this, combined with a stunning quality of light, hearty local food, log fires and hospitable hosts, make this a very memorable holiday.

More nature-watching in Europe calendars

Best places for wildlife in March

A round-up of some of the best places for nature-watching in Europe in March.

Best places for wildlife in January

Europe can be as fascinating for wildlife in winter as it is in the warmer months. Here are some ideas on the best places to go in January

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Best places for wildlife in January

October 23, 2022January 29, 2023 Annie H4 Comments

When I first travelled around Europe, in the days before the internet, finding out about the best places and when to visit relied mainly on word-of-mouth and a couple of ‘where-to-watch’ type books. My instinct was to head south, to Andalucia, but I discovered a lot of interesting places en route. Going north, to colder climes did not appeal, yet there is so much to see if only you know where to go.

Start with the brochures/websites of companies offering nature-based trips. Even if you don’t want to go on an organised trip, these will at least give you ideas of the top places.

photo of a red-breasted goose — Red-breasted Goose

Bulgaria

NatureTrek – Winter Wildlife of Bulgaria & Romania – On the Trail of the Red-breasted Goose. A 9-day winter tour in search of geese, ducks and other wildlife, taking in the Black Sea coast in both Bulgaria and Romania as well as some forest and steppe habitats.

Neophron – The northernmost part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast – Coastal Dobroudzha – is famous for being the wintering ground for hundreds of thousands of wild geese, among which almost the whole population of the globally threatened Red-breasted Goose. In the recent 20 years up to 62 000 Red-breasted Geese have been spending the winter in the area of the lakes of Durankulak and Shabla.

Estonia

January-February – the best time to observe Steller’s Eider when flocks can reach 1000 or more. Saaremaa, the biggest island in Estonia, and the most north-eastern point of the mainland at Cape Põõsaspea are the best places to see them, along with thousands of long-tailed ducks, goldeneye, goosanders and white-tailed eagles. Can’t see any trips advertised, but Natourest are probably the best people to advise.

France

All the big estuaries of the north and west coast are worth visiting, as is the Rhône Delta on the Mediterranean coast.

Best places for wildlife in February

Europe can be as fascinating for wildlife in winter as it is in the warmer months. Here are some ideas on the best places to go in February

Greece

Greentours – Lake Kerkini National Park is a winter bird-watching paradise and a haven for Pelicans, Waterfowl & Eagles! Let us take you on a week-long exploration of the Lake and the surrounding fields, forests, mountains and coastal lagoons to enjoy diverse and bountiful bird life!

Neophron – Winter Birding in Northern Greece. In winter the wetlands of Northern Greece hold huge numbers of birds that have escaped from the harsh weather in Central and Eastern Europe. Join us for a great birding experience with opportunities to see a variety of highly sought-after species! This tour starts from Thessaloniki on the Aegean Sea. If time allows, we visit Kalohori Lagoon in the vicinity of Thessaloniki, which is a very good site for waterfowl and shore-birds in winter.

Spain

See my round-up of the best of Spain in Winter

If it’s plants you’re after, then the Canary Islands can be good at this time of year. Flowering depends more on rainfall than on date, and earlier is often better, as I discovered when visiting Lanzarote.

Sweden

NatureTrek – Northern Lights & Winter Wildlife. A 6-day holiday, including one night of “glamping” in Swedish Lapland, in search of spectacular winter scenery, wildlife and the Northern Lights.

Portugal

Classic places for winter birdwatching in Portugal include several wetlands in the Algarve easily accessible by public transport and from tourist resorts, and the Tejo estuary near Lisbon where a car is definitely needed.

Poland

NatureTrek – Poland in Winter. A 7-day winter adventure to Poland in search of large mammals rare or even extinct in much of western Europe.

UK

Oriolebirding – An action-packed five days birding in Norfolk maximising the daylight hours in the field. We normally walk around 3-4 miles per day and it can be wet and muddy at this time of year. At least two evenings finish with a roost for raptors and wildfowl.

More nature-watching calendars

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The Lauwersmeer in winter

August 12, 2021August 25, 2021 Annie H10 Comments

It was cold, bitterly cold. The Dutch birdwatchers apologised for the cold – it wasn’t usually like this in November. The gas stove in the camper froze overnight and I had to wait for the sun to warm things up, just to get a cup of coffee. But, it was the cold that brought the barnacle geese southwards to winter here. And that was what I had come to see. (November 1989)

Why the Lauwersmeer in winter?

68,000 barnacle geese
25,000 white-fronted geese
33,000 greylag geese
650 Bewick swans
2,450 pintail
1,350 shoveler
5,700 gadwall
2,350 black-tailed godwit
1,200 spotted redshank
380 Eurasian spoonbill

The spectacle of the geese alone is enough of a reason to visit, but there is plenty more to see. Those listed are present in internationally important numbers, and the numbers are the average peak between 2006-2010.

This has also been designated a ‘Dark Skies’ area, so if there is a reasonably strong aurora borealis, there is a good chance of seeing it here in winter – if there is no moon or cloud.

Lauwersmeer

History of the Lauwersmeer

With much of the Netherlands at or below sea-level, repeated flooding was a common occurrence throughout history, especially as sea levels have changed naturally. The Lauwerszee formed after a flood in 1280, and took its name from the river Lauwers that used flow through the area. Since Medieval times, farmers have reclaimed bits of this flooded landscape on a piecemeal basis. It was only after the disastrous floods of 1953 that a large scale scheme for the area became a reality.

The options were to reinforce the existing 32km of dykes around the Lauwerszee, or to build a new 13km dam to separate it from the vast mudflats of the Waddenzee. Local people preferred the latter (more expensive) option. The new dam, incorporating a new harbour at Lauwerzoog, was closed on 25th May 1969.

Since then, it has been called the Lauwersmeer, which is more appropriate for a freshwater lake. New flora and fauna moved into the site, and to protect this new nature area, the Dutch authorities declared it a national park in 2003.

Ecological development

Within a few years Salicornia had covered over half of the of the 5000ha of sand-flats around the Lauwersmeer. This provided a huge stock of food for autumn waterfowl. Up to 60,000 teal Anas crecca (photo above), 65,000 wigeon A penelope, and 50,000 barnacle geese Branta leucopsis took advantage of the bounty each autumn in the 1970s.

In addition to providing food for wintering and migratory wildfowl, the Lauwersmeer has become an important breeding area for many waders.eg lapwing Vanellus vanellus, avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, black tailed godwit Limosa limosa and redshank Tringa totanus, and for raptors such as kestrel Falco tinunculus, short eared owl Asio flammeus and marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus.

As the level of salt in the soils fell, so the vegetation changed. Perennial grasses replaced much of the Salicornia by the 1980s. In autumn this provided food for the 30,000 greylag geese Anser anser (below) which pass through on migration. They strip the seed-heads but left the grass blades untouched. Then they moved on south, leaving the grasslands to the barnacle geese.

Some of the brackish areas were extensively colonised by Phragmites and Salix as they dried out. Nowadays management is aimed at a fairly constant high water table with much of the area flooded during the winter. Waterfowl and breeding waders don’t like this taller vegetation, so cattle graze the area to to keep the vegetation open and low.

As the creeks and channels of the old inlet became fresh water, water plants such as Potamogeton pondweeds start to colonise. Coot, wigeon and gadwall consume the leaves and seeds of this submerged vegetation. Then, in mid October, up to 600 Bewick swans Cygnus columbianus (below) arrive in the area to feed on the tubers, before moving on to farmland to feed on the remains of sugar beet and potatoes after harvest.

Bewick/Tundra Swans (*Cygnus columbianus*

Arrival of the Geese at Lauwersmeer

Now, in November, huge flocks of barnacle geese begin to arrive from the north.

The Barnacle geese had previously wintered in western Germany, despite being hunted there. However, increased disturbance plus drainage of their traditional wintering grounds forced them to move. Damming the Lauwersmeer created a large area of suitable grazing, so the geese, sensibly, moved to the Netherlands, where they were protected.

The geese can recognise the most nutritious vegetation, perhaps by its colour, and so large flocks will descend on the best fields available. You’d think you were looking at a domestic flock in a field surrounded with wire netting. . . . Until they take flight.

Barnacle geese, with their small bills, graze on short grassland that is regularly cut or grazed in summer. They like the fine leaves of meadow grasses, but feed principally on stolons of clover (starch rich storage roots), probing their short bills into the mat of grass stems for the stolons lying beneath.

Geese of all species commonly graze young sprouts of autumn grown cereals, moving onto such fields as soon as growing shoots are a few centimetres high. After a few days a field appears brown, but the crop is not destroyed – the shoots sprout again, often more strongly than if geese had not been there. Sheep grazing and mechanical rolling have the same effect, so the geese are saving the farmer a job!. If grazing takes places later when the plants are taller, the crop can be set back permanently but, fortunately, geese are less attracted to taller growth.

When the other species of geese have finished with arable crops they, too, switch to grass. As the grass is hardly growing at this time of year, they cause little damage, but it is common practice for farmers to fertilise a few fields each winter to encourage early growth. Such fields look brighter green and the geese recognise them as good feeding, then there is conflict between farmer and goose.

It is not easy to assess damage to crops; experiments use domestic geese penned on plots to simulate effect of wild flock. The results show no measurable differences when the crop starts growing again. Much of the vegetation passes straight through the bird and back onto the ground, with only a small amount digested and the rest recycled as fertiliser.

Often several thousand geese occupy in a single field, though counting is next to impossible when you are faced with such a seething mass. They keep up a constant bickering, threatening any neighbour that comes too close. The birds on guard duty (usually males) watch carefully as other large birds flew overhead. They believe in safety in numbers, so if one bird is spooked, the whole flock is spooked. It is much more difficult for a predator to pick a victim out of a moving flock.

Watching Geese at the Lauwersmeer

It is possible to drive all the way around the Lauwersmeer, sometimes in sight of the water, sometimes just through farmland. However, the geese spend a lot of the day on the fields, away from the water, so can usually be seen quite easily from the road.

And if you are on the road across the dam, look out at the Waddenzee to, as the mudflats teem with birds – probably best watched on an incoming tide.

Other skeins of barnacles flew in, the groups getting larger as the light faded. Eventually the cold got the better of us again and we prepared to leave. Suddenly the noise increased and half the flock took to the air in a swirling cloud, victims of their own nervousness. Within a few minutes, they settled back into the field to feed again.

Lauwersmeer: resources for visitors

Lauwersmeer National Park website mostly in Dutch, but Google will translate!
Dutch national parks website general information in English & Dutch
Ramsar sites in the Netherlands
Lauwersmeer tourist website includes accommodation, transport and other info
Wikitravel general information for visitors to the Netherlands
Sovon for information about Dutch birds – mostly in Dutch, but the tables, maps and graphs are useful.

Bookshop

A Birdwatching Guide to the Netherlands

With information to over 100 sites, this is a complete guide for birdwatchers visiting the Netherlands.

PS. I haven’t seen this book myself, but it is the only one I can find in English. And also www.birdingholland.com recommended it on their facebook page.

Note: Buying books through these links brings me a small commission (at no extra cost to you) which helps with the costs of maintaining this website.

Other Barnacle Goose winter sites

Barnacle geese breed in four main areas: Svarlbard, Greenland, Arctic Russia, and the Baltic.
They move south in winter with the main areas being the Waddensee (including Lauwersmeer) for the Russian birds.
Other populations head for the Solway Firth (eg Caerlaverock) and Islay in Scotland, the RSPB Ynys-hir reserve in Wales, and the north-west of Ireland.
You can also see smaller numbers elsewhere in Britain and Ireland, and across the northern and central Europe.