bird sanctuary winter Rijskampen s-Hertogenbosch Netherlands 1151 am 260116_0068

City-park ambiance in winter.
Bird sanctuary in city pasture Rijskampen in the winter, January 16, 2026. the south of the Netherlands

West of the outskirts of 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, between the city and the villages of Vught, Cromvoirt and Vlijmen, lies a vast polder that has been completely reclaimed by nature. The first building, a car park, is only 50 metres away, but thanks to the old railway embankment between us, you cannot hear the cars there. You can hear the traffic in the distance, though. Occasionally, a plane flies overhead very high up.
This is the north-western border of the large ‘Van Gogh National Park’ between ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Tilburg and Eindhoven.

About the picture
You are looking at a flat polder with two duck decoys. A duck decoy was originally a place where wild ducks were caught for consumption. It is a pond surrounded by trees. In front, you can see a sandy path with a wire fence. On the right, you can see overgrown shrubbery. The sky is partly cloudy and the sun is peeking through.

Birds detected by Merlin Bird ID app ver. 3.8 - 266 – 2025. I cannot guarantee results.
#0:05 #0:16 #0:19 #0:37 #0:43 #0:51 #0:58 #1:06 #1:11 #1:27 #1:44 #1:49 #1:57 #2:05 #2:15 #2:26 #2:42 #2:46 #2:53 #3:14 #3:22 Eurasian Blue Tit
#0:25 #0:39 #0:58 #1:43 #1:50 #1:55 #2:44 #2:52 #3:17 Carrion Crow
#0:23 #0:36 #0:55 #1:04 #1:13 #1:18 #1:53 #2:01 #2:10 #2:19 #2:43 #3:09 Eurasian Jackdaw
#1:23 #1:54 #2:04 #2:08 #2:18 #2:30 #2:37 #2:46 Great Tit
#2:33 #2:39 Rook
#0:00 #0:09 #0:13 #0:33 #0:50 Greater White-fronted Goose
#1:59 Gadwall
#1:16 #1:20 #1:31 #1:33 Common magpie
#0:06 #1:26 Pink-footed Goose
#1:16 Common Chaffinch
#0:42 European Goldfinch

More tracks today / More recordings around here / Most beautiful recordings in Van Gogh Nationaal Park
About the environment
This bird sanctuary De Rijskampen is part of a vast “Gement” polder between village Vlijmen, city 's-Hertogenbosch and Vught in the province of Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands. It has been transformed into an inundation area for the Maas, Aa, Dommel and Dieze rivers that surround the city.
The Rijskampen nature reserve is a small area connected to Maij, Honderdmorgen and the larger Vlijmens Ven, all located south and west of 's-Hertogenbosch. The fields, grasslands and meadows attract many different birds. In winter, you will see different migratory birds than in summer.

Honderdmorgen and Maij are located metres below the Rijskampen. The first area is being excavated to give blue grasslands a chance to develop. Nature will soon be able to flourish here. The entire area serves as a water storage area for Den Bosch and can be flooded if the Meuse and Dommel rivers threaten to overflow.

In the Rijskampen, you will find a piece of cultural history in the form of duck decoys. Hundreds of ducks used to be caught here. Nowadays, the duck decoys are still in use on a very small scale. To avoid disturbing the ducks and to preserve the decoys, they are not accessible to the public.

Date/time: January 16, 2026, 11:51 am

Weather: 9 ºc, clouds 50%, wind E 10-15 km/h, 1023 hPa, humidity 90%, visibility 50 km, dew point 7 ºc, cloud ceiling 12 km,

Location; Bird sanctuary Rijskampen, Gement Polder, Honderdmorgensedijk Deutersestraat, Halvezolenlijntje, Deuteren, Van Gogh Nationaal Park, Vught - ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (Holland), Europe. Geotag 51.68436 5.26904

Gear chain: Sennheiser mkh30/50 MS with pointed S 176 degree, in Rycote cyclone small, windjammer > Tascam FR-AV2. Post editing: Decoded Mid-side to STEREO. EQ correction for the blimp and limiter on -3 dB when necessary.

Original 71 minute MS-track 48/32 bit-float available for motivated pro's and artists.

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