Day excursion Averbode Forest and heath

On Sunday, September 27, 2026, we will visit the historic nature reserve, Averbode Bos and Heide, with bird working group De Stadsmus. This valuable area in Tessenderlo is mainly known for the abbey of Averbode but also has an important migration counting post where Koen Leysen has been counting migratory birds for many years. We therefore offer you the unique opportunity to visit this migration counting post and the area with Koen Leysen as a guide. Koen Leysen is a well-known name within the community of bird experts. For example, he is the coordinator of the migration counts in Flanders, he takes care of the Belgian part of Eurobirdwatch and has given bird courses at Natuuracademie for years. At the migration counting post he will tell us extensively about the wonderful phenomenon, bird migration. Meanwhile, we try to follow the bird migration with telescopes and binoculars. Make sure to bring a portable chair if you cannot stand for long. Depending on the duration of the passage in terms of bird migration, this will be combined with a walk in the area. In doing so, we will actively look for birds again and take the time to find them. We will have our lunch in the Bierhoeve, after which we will continue our journey with our guide Koen Leysen. The walk is about 5 kilometers. More information about this beautiful area can be found via this link: Averbode Bos and Heide | Natuurpunt We can already tell you that many birds feel at home here such as, for example, nightjar, woodcock, European stonechat, tree pipit, raven, black woodpecker, honey buzzard but also black stork has been seen here several times in the summer. The month of September is full migration and we will mainly see the migration of numerous other special bird species. Meeting place: We leave at 7:15 a.m. at the Flixbus stop, Borsbeeksebrug in Berchem and are back in Berchem between 4:45 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Practical: A portable chair can be useful if you cannot stand for long. Telescope and binoculars come in handy here. Waterproof walking shoes & appropriate clothing, your lunch & drink. No dogs are allowed on our bird excursions. Carpooling: Parking is limited so we organize, as usual, carpooling for this trip. We ask passengers for a mileage allowance of 0.20 euros/km for the driver of the car. We will share the exact amount in an email a few days before the trip. Don't forget to mention to vwgdestadsmus@gmail.com whether you want to ride with someone or can possibly drive your own car and take passengers. Registration mandatory via: https://www.natuurpunt.be/agenda/dagexcursie-averbode-bos-en-heide-30770 Ticket price (for the guide): 3 euros/member of Natuurpunt, 4 euros/non-members of Natuurpunt. Please mention name, activity and date of the activity with your transfer. Attention: We kindly ask you to pay the tickets immediately after registration so that your reservation is fixed. If you cannot make it after all, please notify us in time so that we can still fill your vacated spot. As soon as the places are full, we will open a waiting list.