Roofvogeltelling in de Hoeksche Waard in 1996

In January 1996, a census of wintering raptors was performed in the Hoeksche Waard, an area of 290 km2 (mainly farmland) in the delta of the southwestern Netherlands. Nine species of raptors were observed (Table 1). The total of 299 raptors was the highest ever recorded since 1986. Presumably, the prolonged and severe winter of 1995/95, coinciding with peak numbers of voles, played an important role. At least five White-tailed Eagles wintered in the northern delta area, of which two stayed along the banks of the Hollandsch Diep-Haringvliet in the Hoeksche Waard.