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Springtime in Denmark is quite an experience with millions of birds heading north to their Scandinavian and Arctic breeding grounds. Visible migration is exciting to watch, be it a large flock of birds heading along the coast, or a single passerine coming in off the sea. With an impressive 349 species, the area known as Skagen has the largest species list for any given area in Denmark. From April large numbers of birds can be found in the area, many are just passing through, but 118 species have been found breeding in the area, so many stay making use of the different habitats to nest and rear their young. So spring is a great time to be there, not only have you got thousands of migrants passing by, you also have the chance to see and hear a large selection of the commoner breeding species.

Skagen has several good and exciting localities within the region. This means that we can chose how to do our bird watching depending on bird movements or weather conditions. Hopefully we will get out to Grenen (The Spit) or Nordstrand (The Northshore) for some seawatching during our trip. It can be most rewarding, especially if weather conditions are good. All four species of diver have been recorded though White-billed Diver must be regarded as rare. Spring is also the time for geese. Eight species have been recorded, and there is always something special checking flocks of grazing geese, or watching a flock of Barnacle or Brent Geese heading north. Seaduck should be plentiful. Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter and Velvet Scoter are usually present in varying numbers and there will be plenty of waders and gulls for us to test our identification skills.

Away from the coast we will be turning our attention to the salt meadows, wetlands, farmlands and wooded areas. There are usually some raptors to watch, by spring European Marsh Harriers will be starting their breeding season and there is always a chance of seeing both Palid and Montague’s Harriers. Spring is always a good time to see some of the rarer birds of prey like Lesser-spotted Eagle. We won’t be the only ones on the lookout for birds of prey. The many passerines to be found will also be keeping an eye open for potential danger. Here we will spend time checking the fields, marshes and heathlands. The list of rarities that have been recorded at Skagen would make any bird watchers heart beat a little faster. Though we will always be on the lookout for that extra special species, it will be the common migrants and the areas breeding species that we will spend most time studying. Some of the breeding species will be of great interest to the visiting birder, species like Crested Lark, Tawny Pipit and Common Rosefinch can all be found. The variety of species is outstanding and there is always something to watch at one of Scandinavia's main migration points.