North Holland is incredibly important for migratory birds in Europe. Birds from Scandinavia and northern Russia migrate along our coast to their wintering areas in the south. Climb to the top of a dune on a good day, and with a little luck you will see the most special specimens. NH watched with bird expert Lars Buckx.
The Olympic Games are nothing compared to the achievements of many birds. Take the goldcrest: the creature measures barely eight centimeters, but travels thousands of kilometers to survive the winter.
With binoculars you can see the little athletes with their characteristic yellow stripe passing by in the dunes. And much more: from the high dune at Parnassia in Kennemerland we see starlings, meadow pipits, sparrowhawks, wigeons and various other birds.
Loneliest bird
The most special of them all floats on the bird lake; a duck named little topper. There is probably only one of them to admire in the whole of the Netherlands, because the small scallop is originally only found in North America.
This lonely specimen was blown in the wrong direction in a storm. Sad for him, but an excellent opportunity for bird-loving North Holland.