Nieuwkoopse Plassen, Strand Zomer (full flight DJI Mini 5 Pro)

The Nieuwkoopse Plassen originated from the 16th century onwards as a result of large-scale peat extraction. The peat was excavated for use as fuel. Dredging the peat created strips of water ('petgaten'), while the narrow strips of land between them ('legakkers') subsequently eroded due to wind and wave action, leading to the large lakes seen today. The reed beds serve as a habitat and breeding ground for numerous marsh birds, such as the great reed warbler, the reed warbler, and Savi's warbler. The increasingly rare black tern nests on patches of water soldier or on mats placed by nature conservationists. Gulls also occasionally nest on the floating mats of vegetation in the smaller pools. Hidden within the reeds, the rare bittern breeds alongside small birds like the reed warbler and Savi's warbler. In winter, the area attracts large numbers of geese and numerous species of ducks, grebes, and rails. Breeding colonies of one of the area's primary fish-eaters—the cormorant—can be found in large trees. The purple heron appears to favor thickets of chokeberry. The area has been designated as a Bird Directive site, a special protection area under the European Union's Birds Directive.