Nieuw Land National Park

National Park · Netherlands

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Photo © Dominicus Johannes Bergsma

Photo © Dominicus Johannes Bergsma — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikidata / Wikimedia Commons

Across the reclaimed flatlands of Flevoland, where water-management engineering and natural succession have converged into an unlikely wilderness, lies a landscape of profound ecological dynamism. Nieuw Land National Park occupies terrain that was submerged beneath the Zuiderzee less than a century ago; its polder foundations support an intricate mosaic of reed beds, willow carr, open water, and wet grassland that has matured into a temperate wetland of considerable biodiversity. The climate here is oceanic and mild, with precipitation distributed year-round and no pronounced dry season—conditions that sustain vigorous growth of aquatic vegetation and create ideal breeding grounds for waders, waterfowl, and wetland specialists. Small mammals thrive in the emergent scrub and grassland margins, whilst birds of prey hunt across the open expanses, and passerines exploit the growing woodland edges that now border these young habitats.

For wildlife photographers and birdwatchers, Nieuw Land offers a rare Dutch paradox: genuine wilderness in a landscape of human creation, where the absence of centuries of management allows natural processes to unfold at remarkable speed. The transitional seasons—spring and autumn—bring waves of migratory birds, whilst the soft, diffused light of the temperate maritime climate favours early-morning and late-afternoon work. Access via well-maintained observation routes and hides allows intimate viewing without disturbance, and the park's proximity to urban centres makes it an indispensable destination for anyone seeking to understand how European wetland ecology regenerates once management hands are loosened. Here, on land that existed only as water within living memory, nature writes its own narrative.

Website npnieuwland.nl

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Branta canadensis

Branta leucopsis

Bar-headed Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Tadorna ferruginea

Spatula querquedula

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail

Aythya fuligula

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Bucephala albeola

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Mergellus albellus

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Cuculus canorus

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

Rallus aquaticus

Gallinula chloropus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Pluvialis squatarola

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Black-tailed Godwit

Lymnocryptes minimus

Gallinago gallinago

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Tringa glareola

Common Redshank

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris pugnax

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Calidris alpina

Calidris minuta

Sternula albifrons

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias niger

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Larus cachinnans

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Great Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Ciconia ciconia

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Plegadis falcinellus

Egretta garzetta

Ardeola ralloides

Pandion haliaetus

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Common Kingfisher

Eurasian Wryneck

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Falco tinnunculus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Poecile montanus

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Bearded Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

Riparia riparia

Hirundo rustica

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Cetti's Warbler

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Phylloscopus trochilus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Acrocephalus palustris

Locustella fluviatilis

Locustella luscinioides

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Nuthatch

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Turdus philomelos

Common Blackbird

Turdus torquatus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Luscinia svecica

Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Saxicola rubetra

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Passer domesticus

Prunella modularis

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Anthus spinoletta

European Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosus

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Linaria cannabina

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Eurasian Siskin

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Cygnus columbianus

Branta bernicla

Red-breasted Goose

Branta ruficollis

Branta hutchinsii

Anser canagicus

Anser caerulescens

Taiga Bean Goose

Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Tundra Bean Goose

Anser serrirostris

Lesser White-fronted Goose

Anser erythropus

Cairina moschata

Aix galericulata

Mareca sibilatrix

Red-crested Pochard

Ferruginous Duck

Somateria mollissima

Melanitta fusca

Melanitta nigra

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Oxyura jamaicensis

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Coturnix coturnix

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Porzana porzana

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Chilean Flamingo

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Phalaropus fulicarius

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris canutus

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Calidris falcinellus

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollis

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Sterna paradisaea

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Long-tailed Jaeger

Stercorarius longicaudus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Red-throated Loon

Black-throated Loon

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Greater Spotted Eagle

Circus macrourus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Rough-legged Buzzard

Western Barn Owl

Short-eared Owl

Bubo scandiacus

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

European Green Woodpecker

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Falco columbarius

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Corvus frugilegus

Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

Poecile palustris

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Lullula arborea

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Galerida cristata

Eremophila alpestris

Melanocorypha calandra

Hume's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus humei

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Pallas's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus proregulus

Phylloscopus fuscatus

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Blyth's Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus dumetorum

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Turdus viscivorus

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Motacilla cinerea

Anthus pratensis

Anthus trivialis

Fringilla montifringilla

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinus

Linaria flavirostris

Acanthis flammea

Loxia curvirostra

Serinus serinus

Atlantic Canary

Serinus canaria

Plectrophenax nivalis

Emberiza citrinella

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Anser cygnoides

Callonetta leucophrys

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Geopelia cuneata

Purple Sandpiper

Calidris maritima

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Stercorarius skua

Northern Gannet

Eudocimus ruber

Dalmatian Pelican

Pelecanus crispus

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

Lesser Grey Shrike

Woodchat Shrike

Curruca nisoria

Thrush Nightingale

Luscinia luscinia

Lapland Longspur

Calcarius lapponicus

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Lepus europaeus

Eurasian Beaver

Microtus arvalis

Ondatra zibethicus

Rattus norvegicus

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Western Red Deer

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Eurasian Water Vole

Arvicola amphibius

Short-tailed Field Vole

Microtus agrestis

Clethrionomys glareolus

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Eurasian Harvest Mouse

Micromys minutus

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Myotis dasycneme

Nyctalus noctula

Nathusius's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus nathusii

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Eurasian Particolored Bat

Vespertilio murinus

European Pine Marten

Mustela erminea

Mustela nivalis

European Polecat

Mustela putorius

Common Raccoon Dog

Nyctereutes procyonoides

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