Woodlark field forest NL 1127AM 230302_0565.wav

Woodlark singing in the air. Farmland with birds in trees and shrubs in March. Wind in trees from the forest.
(Weidelandschap Biezenmortel)

If you see a lark with a very short tail somewhere on the sandy soils, heaths or shifting sands of Northwest Europe, it is almost certainly a woodlark. But the woodlark usually makes itself heard before you see it. During the song it flies in undulating flight in large circles above its territory. At the end of the song, he spirals downwards. And so he lures his wife. Together they make a nest on the poor sandy soil with some protection from grasses and heather.

About the area, national park Loonse en Drunense Duinen

(Text by Irma de Potter,Ranger of this area) Dutch website: https://www.natuurmonumenten.nl/natuurgebieden/nationaal-park-loonse-en-drunense-duinen

In the Loonse en Drunense Duinen you will find forest, heathland and especially a lot of sand. It is one of the largest shifting sand areas in Western Europe. The wind can blow undisturbed in many places, resulting in an ever-changing landscape. By purchasing it in 1921, it has been protected for 100 years and we can still enjoy this Brabant Sahara today.

You can roam freely on the sand plain. So there is plenty of room to explore extensively. Marvel at the submerged trees, enjoy the chirping field crickets and quench your thirst at one of the many cafes or restaurants on the edge of this nature reserve. Walking, cycling or on horseback: it's all possible here. With the wind in your hair and the sand in your shoes. You may even come across the sheep herd. The sheep keep the heath short and eat away saplings. This is how they keep the area open.

The Loonse en Drunense Duinen still has 270 hectares of shifting sand. That sand creates rather extreme conditions: the soil is dry and nutrient-poor. The difference in temperature between day and night can be as much as 50 degrees Celsius. This ensures a unique flora and fauna. The animals and plants have adapted or feel at home in drought, aridity and temperature fluctuations. Sand sedge and various lichens, for example. And the viviparous lizard, sandpit beetles and sand bees. All species that love sand.

In the last Ice Age, the polar winds blew sand from the north to Brabant, where it remained in thick packages. For a long time this sandy plain was covered with primeval forests. Until the fourteenth century the trees were felled by people. They used the wood as fuel. The bare plain was filled with heather, where the farmers grazed their cattle. This intensive grazing and the sod cutting of the soil depleted the soil. This gave the sand free play. For a long time, the sand was a major problem for the residents. Villages and fields threatened to disappear under it. Trees were planted to stop the advancing sand. You can still see the traces of this today: find the submerged trees that only peak above the sand hills with their crowns.

More on this spot / More around here close to Biezenmortel/ More around the Loonse en Drunense Duinen

Date/time: March 2nd 2023, 11:27 AM

Weather: 5c, sun clear sky 469 W/m2, wind NE 19 km/h with gusts to 28 km/h, 1025 hPa, humidity 63%.

Location; Zandkant South-East from national park Loonse en Drunense Duinen, Oude Bosschebaan, Biezenmortel (Tilburg), Van Gogh Nationaal Park, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (Holland), Europe. GPS 51.64486 5.16264

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