Birdwatching walk at Bleeke Heide, Chaam
Winter visitors
Summer visitors
The cuckoo always heralds the arrival of spring. However, as soon as summer really sets in, it has already moved on; after all, it does not need to look after its young. Fortunately, most summer visitors do allow us to enjoy their presence for a longer period. When the days start to get shorter and there is less food for them to find, they too head south again.
Winter visitors
This by no means implies that there are no birds to be seen during the winter months. The robin sings in spring and summer, but we can also spot it in the snow during the colder months. It may not be the same bird, but rather a fellow robin from Scandinavia seeking refuge a little further south. Countless geese flee the bitter cold and come here from the north or east to spend the winter. The fieldfare and the redwing are only found in our region during the darker months. The buzzard and the kestrel can be spotted all year round.
Bleeke Heide
For centuries, Bleeke Heide was a wet, barren, undulating heathland dotted with numerous ponds. Due to the high water table and frequent flooding from the streams, it was truly ‘wild land’, virtually unusable for agriculture. During the 19th century, the heathland was drained and afforested. Only a few pools remained of the original ponds. Around 1900, the woodland was cleared and the terrain levelled, making the area suitable for arable farming and livestock rearing. In the 1990s, the Bleeke Heide was designated by the Province of North Brabant as a area for geese and meadow birds. A few of the fens were re-excavated and the old differences in ground level were restored using the excavated soil. During the winter months, it is once again an important stopover for all manner of migratory birds, particularly waders, ducks and geese. From the birdwatching point, you have a lovely view of the area.
