Birdlife Damme

It would lead us too far to sum up all the species, but we will not deprive you of some of the most common.

The bird migration is an spectacular annual phenomenon in Damme.  In the whole of Damme and especially in the wet meadows you will find thousands of migratory birds on their halting-place.  Geese, ducks and wild swans land in large numbers especially around the Romboutswervedijk before they continue their journey.  Each December nature association "Natuurpunt" organizes for this occasion their birdfestival.  An ideal oportunity to use the tele-objective and the binoculars.  

Damme is being cut by three canals: the "Damse Vaart", the Leopoldcanal and the Schipdonkcanal.  These waterways, the creeks and the wet meadows attrackt lots of waterbirds all year through: various ducks, geese and even cormorants.  The largest under the hunting birds is the blue heron.  The reeds are an ideal hiding-place and base for a surpise attack on ignorant fish and amphibia.  

The woods arount Sijsele attrackt different kinds of birds.  The wood is important as a safe-haven, a source of food and as nesting-place.  The following species can be found: green woodpecker, woodpigeons, robin redbreast, tomtit, jackdaw, cockoo, starling, mavis ... and even the long-eared owl.      

And so now and then we have a special visitor from the neighbouring Zwin: the stork.