De Griend

De Griend is a small uninhabited island in the Wadden Sea, and it is one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the Netherlands. It is listed here with Schiermonnikoog, but it actually lies further west, in the Wadden Sea between Terschelling and the Frisian mainland, and it is managed as a nature reserve by the conservation organisation Natuurmonumenten. It is a low island of sand and mud, barely above the water, shaped by tides and storms, and in the past it has been partly washed away and rebuilt. Few places in the country feel as remote.

The island is closed to the public to protect its birds. It is above all a breeding ground for colonial seabirds, especially terns and gulls, which nest on the open sand in large numbers in spring and early summer, and the colonies are very sensitive to disturbance, since eggs and chicks are easily lost if the parents are frightened away. Other birds, such as waders and ducks, use the island at other times of year, and in autumn and winter many migrants stop here to rest and feed. Seals sometimes haul out on the sandbanks nearby. A warden stays on the island during the breeding season to monitor the birds and prevent anyone from landing, so visitors cannot walk on it.

The Wadden Sea itself is the key to its importance. This shallow, tidal sea along the coast of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark is the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats in the world, and it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2009. Its food-rich mud supports huge numbers of birds, and millions pass through each year on their migration between the Arctic and Africa. De Griend is one of the places that gives the sea its value, and protecting it is part of a long effort to keep human activity from damaging this fragile environment.

The island cannot be visited, but there are ways to see something of it. Excursion boats on the Wadden Sea sometimes pass within sight of the island, and observers stay at a distance so as not to disturb the birds, using binoculars to watch. On Schiermonnikoog, the national park offers guided walks across salt marsh and mudflats and information about the ecology of the Wadden Sea at the Het Baken centre, and the island has its own village, lighthouse and beaches. The two together give a good picture of the region.

The subject suits birdwatchers, nature lovers and those interested in conservation. Plan to see it from a distance, bring binoculars, and respect any rules and signs.