Vogelkijkhut De Kiekkaaste
Birdwatching and seal-spotting outside the dykes
The water ripples across the mudflats, whilst birds peck for their food. You can enjoy a magnificent view of this dynamic natural landscape from vogelkijkhut De Kiekkaaste near Nieuwe Statenzijl. This is the only birdwatching hut in the Netherlands located outside the dykes.
A borderland between fresh and salt water
At Nieuwe Statenzijl in the east of Groningen, the sea dyke comes to an end. On the border between the Netherlands and Germany, the tidal river Eems flows into the Wadden Sea. Fresh and salt water meet in this part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This creates a unique landscape with plants, birds, fish and other animals found nowhere else in the Wadden Sea. From the birdwatching hut, you can see how water and land merge and how the salt marsh is regularly flooded. Hundreds of dunlins gather on the mudflats of the Dollard. Also regularly spotted: common terns, seals and porpoises.
Put on your boots and pack your binoculars
You’ll have to make a bit of an effort to enjoy the fantastic view from De Kiekkaaste. It’s a fifteen-minute walk from the dyke. The path to the birdwatching hide can be rather muddy. What’s more, if the wind is very strong, you’re better off doing something else. Ready for the walk? Don’t forget your binoculars and brave the mud. The horizon filled with countless breeding and migratory birds is more than worth it.
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