The second day of your birding holiday is a fascinating trip to the different bird areas in Thy. The trip starts in the morning at the harbour in Hanstholm, where a number of interesting seabirds can be seen from the northernmost jetty. The trip then continues to the Hanstholm conservation area – a nature area of almost 4,000 hectares. The Hanstholm conservation area is one of the few remaining breeding areas in Denmark for the golden plover. Another feature of this site is that there are only a few of most species of breeding birds, but on the other hand, you will see species which are becoming rare in Denmark . The little wader, the wood sandpiper, breeds at the lakes and other wetlands in the conservation area. Like the golden plover, relatively few of these birds breed in Denmark . Mallards, teals, pintails, greylag geese and mute swans are among the members of the duck family breeding here. The conservation area as such is a breeding place for between 30 and 40 different species of birds, including also the marsh harrier and the common crane. Towards the end of summer you can see the autumn flights of curlews, and small flocks of mallards and teals will arrive over the following months. Red-breasted mergansers, goosanders, tufted ducks, goldeneyes, and pochards are also regular migration visitors in the conservation area. Small flocks of bean geese from breeding areas in northern Scandinavia and northwestern Russia can be seen migrating at the end of October, sometimes together with the pink-footed goose. Birding trips in the conservation area are generally on foot as large parts of the area are closed to cars.

After the Hanstholm conservation area, we head north to Bulbjerg – Denmark ’s only bird cliff. The steep inaccessible cliff is a breeding place for up to 500 pairs of the North Atlantic gull the kittiwake, also known as the three-toed seagull. The rare fulmar also breeds at Bulbjerg, although to a smaller extent. The fulmar is not a seagull like the kittiwake, but is related to the albatross. This is clear when it drifts across the water with stiffened wings, even in strong winds. Both birds have adapted to life at the sea and have specialised in building their nests on the small shelves and projections on rocks, hills and cliffs.