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Large numbers of wintering waterfowl and waders of many species, a fine sampling of northern European landbirds, and several afternoons spent discovering the art and cultural riches of this wonderful country are the goal of this new itinerary in our "Birds &..." tour series. We are delighted to have Godfried Schreur at the helm, and how appropriate that he'll be joined by co-leader Jay VanderGaast...just a touch of Dutch in the family name there!

Godfried has blended the perfect mix of exciting birding with arts and culture into our itinerary. We'll begin at the famous birding sites of Lauwersmeer and Afsluitdijk (yes, we'll teach you how to pronounce these and other Dutch names!) for waterbirds (Smew, Barnacle Goose, Red-breasted Goose, and Whooper and Bewick's swans are among the numerous possibilities, as well as White-tailed Eagle), explore a beautiful woodland and heathland (for the impressive Black Woodpecker and other landbirds from Tawny Owl to Great Gray Shrike), and delve into the famous Rijksmuseum to be awed by the works of Rembrandt (including his expansive and famous canvas, The Night Watch) and Vermeer.

Moving from Amsterdam to The Hague, we'll bird an immense wetland created by the deltas of the Rhine and Waal rivers (Black Guillemot, Red-throated Loon, geese, Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs), check out the massive engineering works that keep the sea from invading these nederlande (the Netherlands, or low-lying lands), have the chance to see Vermeer's Girl With a Pearl Earring first-hand at the Mauritshuis, then visit Texel, largest of the Wadden Islands and a magnet to birders from across Europe for rarities among the many different species present (it's often good for vagrants like Yellow-browed Warbler, redpolls, crossbills, and arctic gulls).

We'll continue our trip birding at the famous Ijsselmeer nature reserve, then back in Amsterdam we'll have the chance to visit the Van Gogh Museum, featuring the largest collection in the world of his works, including the Sunflowers series and numerous others. Our birding will wind up along the coast northwest of Amsterdam for some final highlights (Water Rail and Razorbill and Dovekie are possibilities). It will be a week rich in birding and art --join us!

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment
"This was a wonderful experience! Five gold stars. Great leaders in Godfried Schreur and Jay VanderGaast, a beautiful country, many new birds, paintings by Vermeer. I know I can expect an excellent experience from Field Guides." B.K., HOLLAND: BIRDS & ART 2019