Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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Mörzer Bruijns M.F. & Braaksma S. (1954) Vogeltellingen in het staatsnatuurreservaat Boschplaat van 1951 t/m 1953. ARDEA 42 (1-2): 175-211
Bird-counts 1951-1953 in the nature reserve Boschplaat on the Island Terschelling (Netherlands) Bird-counting done in the nature reserve Boschplaat in 1951, 1952 and 1953 informs us about the birdlife of the reserve throughout the year. Co-operation of 30 observers made regular visits possible during the years of observation, twice or at least once a month, each visit lasting a few days. The numbers of birds counted are comparable because the censuses were made in the same way each time and on the same route. The birds feeding and resting in the dunes, the salt marshes and the tidal flats were counted separately. For practical reasons, however, in the tables I-XVII are summarized all the birds seen in all three habitats. The figures give the highest numbers seen in the nature reserve as a whole per month on one day. The observers counted only the birds present in the environment of the route and missed the flocks feeding or resting elsewhere in the reserve. Therefore the numbers given represent to a certain extent a minimum' but as far as could be ascertained, a large percentage of the birds staying in the reserve. The number of pairs known as breeding birds in the reserve is mentioned on the tables between parentheses. Among the 165 species observed, there are about 40 breeding ones. The flocks feeding on the tidal flats during the different months are given in table XVIII. They vary between 11000 in May and 60000 in March. Characteristic migrants feeding mainly, or always, on the tidal flats are Brent, Shelduck, Widgeon, Eider, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Curlew, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Greenshank, Knot, Dunlin, Curlew-Sandpiper, Little Stint and Sanderling and most of the gulls; Ringed Plover and Kentish Plover stay mainly on the highest and sandy parts of the tidal flats, the Spoonbills in the creeks. The salt marshes are important as feeding grounds for Greylag, Bean-Goose, Pink-footed, Brent, Widgeon, the creeks and freshwater pools for Mallard, Pintail, Teal and other ducks. Lapwing, Snipe, Jack-Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and Reeve, and Avocet were also feeding almost without exception on the salt marshes and the same can be said for Shore-Lark, Twite and Snow-Bunting and for the Skylark and Meadow-Pipit as far as winter guests of this species are concerned. Redshank, Avocet, Common Tern, Common Gull and Southern Dunlin breed mainly in the saltmarshes. Owing to the fresh water, Ruff and Reeve, Black-tailed Godwit and Black-headed Gull prefer the moist and wet localities in the dune meadow area of the 'Groede'. Ringed Plover and Kentish Plover breed only in the strips of the high sandy beaches between saltings and dunes, just like a number of Curlews and Oystercatchers. The Lapwing is another breeder of the saltings with the Skylark, the Blue-headed Wagtail and the Meadow-Pipit. Herring Gull and Eider breed chiefly in the dunes but occasionally nests are found in the saltings. The Boschplaat dunes are famous as a breeding area for Herring-Gull and British Lesser Black-backed Gull. The Marsh-Harrier, the Montague's Harrier and the Hen-Harrier all three breed in the shrub vegetations of the dune valleys. About 200 pairs of Eider and Shelduck and several pairs of Mallard, Teal, Pintail and Shoveler have their nests in the dunes. The nesting of a single pair of Hooded Crows in the shrubs or trees at the southern side of the reserve is remarkable for Holland. One or two pairs of the Short-eared Owl and several pairs of Curlew and Oystercatcher are mentioned as living in the dunes. The breeding of some Lapwing, Wood-Pigeon, Stock-Dove (in rabbit holes), Cuckoo, Wheatear, Whinchat, Whitethroat, Willow-Warbler, Grasshopper-Warbler, Icterine Warbler, White Wagtail, Red-backed Shrike, Carrion-Crow, Linnet and Reed-Buntings is also confined to the dune area. The 'Grie', the meadow area with salting character forms, with the woody parts of four duck-decoys and alder hedges, an area of a special character at the south-western border of the nature reserve. Black-bellied Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher were observed there near the narrow creeks, by which the fresh water from the dunes runs to the Waddenzee. Many of the small songbirds mentioned in the tables XIII, XV and XVII were seen there near the decoys and in the hedges, especially -Robin, Continental Hedge-Sparrow, Blackcap, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Goldcrest, Siskin, Mealy Redpoll, Linnet, Common Crossbill, Greenfinch and Yellow Bunting. The sandy beach of the North Sea is characterised by its own birdlife. Little Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Tern and Oystercatcher regularly breed there in the open sand. The Sanderling is more frequently seen there, feeding in the wet sand, than along the muddy south coast. Migrating Terns and Gulls (e.g. the Scandinavian Lesser Black-backed Gull) often rest on the beach, which is never reported from the south coast; Skuas are regularly seen along the beach, but seldom farther inland. The nature reserve Boschplaat is compared with other areas with tidal flats, saltmarshes and dune formations along the Waddenzee. For migrating waterfowl and waders it is an area of the utmost importance. The same holds good for breeding birds.


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