De Alde Feanen

We are in Eernewoude, a small village in the middle of a national park called the 'Alde Feanen' in the Frisian language. It means something like the 'old peat grounds'. The soil here consists of peat, which when dried yields a good solid fuel, called 'turf' in Dutch. In the 19th century, turf was an important fuel and therefore the industry surrounding it was profitable and important (although the people digging up the peat were and remained desperately poor). Peat was dug up and dried and what is left after that is a very swampy terrain with lots of ditches and pools and that now provides a wonderful habitual forup to a hundred species of birds.

This is an areal shot of the area:





We arrived here yesterday and spent today walking, a total of about 15km's. the weather really cooperated, it was by far the best day in the three weeks we have been on board. We soon took off the pullovers and rolled up the sleeves. Has spring really finally arrived?









It's difficult to get good shots of birds, but this stork did not bat an eyelid:




Lots of goats around here too:




And lambs of course:





Finally a shot from a bird watching tower:




We'll probably move on tomorrow, not quite sure where. Maybe a night or two 'in the wild'. But it could be the village of Grou too.

Location:Ds. Bolleman van der Veenweg,Tytsjerksteradiel,The Netherlands