Join the many tours in the Skagen area during the Bird Festival at The Grey Lighthouse!
You'll have many opportunities at seeing large birds of prey in the sky, small songbirds up close or our winged creatures of the night.
All tours are free and do not require pre-booking.
The Festival Site at the Grey Lighthouse is also open to visitors all three days during the Bird Festival.
English-speaking festivalgoers are always welcome to join the tours, as many of the guides also speak English.
Bird Tours Program: 29th - 31st of May 2025
Walk Along the Grenen Path
11 AM – 1 PM
Meeting place: The courtyard at the Grey Lighthouse
Join us on this approx. 3 km long walk where we walk from the Lighthouse out to the Grenen car park, in through Ellekrattet, and then down through the Grenen path which leads us through Storsig. The tour ends again at the Grey Lighthouse. There will be great opportunities to see the local birds that are in the area, listen to bird voices and perhaps a chance at seeing a random bird migration that passes over Grenen.
Sensible footwear and clothing are recommended.
The tour is suitable for people with walking difficulties and children accompanied by adults.
Tour leader: Tue Baaner
The Eagle Club visits Skarvsøen
2.00 PM – 3.30 PM.
Meeting place: Nordstrand (Small car park at the end of Batterivej)
The bird ambassadors invite all children and adults to the Cormorant Colony at Skarvsøen where we will play "Cormorant Bingo"! At this time, the cormorants look after their baby birds and there will be a lot of life and sounds from the birds. It is also a very good place for watching other beautiful waterfowl.
Feel free to bring binoculars and good footwear.
On the tour, you can also get information about what DOF's Eagle Club is and how to become a member.
Tour leader: Søren Rain Johansen, DOF's Bird Ambassadors.
Evening walk in Skagen Dune Plantation
9.45 PM – approx. 11.45 PM.
Meeting place: The parking lot at Sandmilen, a little south of the main road to Skagen (Frederikshavnsvej). Coordin. 57°42'15.6"N 10°30'43.6"E
Evening walk in Skagen Dune Plantation, starting in the last rays of the sun. What can you experience in the plantation when the ruler of darkness takes over? Maybe a Night Raven or Sandpiper? We'll see.
Sensible footwear and clothing are recommended.
Tour leader: Henning Schmidt
Morning walk through the Reserve
7 AM – 11 AM
Meeting point: Nordstrand at the end of Batterivej, north of the Radar Station, Skagen
We will be take an approx. 6 km peaceful walk in the area between Nordstrand and Grenen. The trip starts at 7 am at Nordstrand and goes through the hilly dunes, past the lake with the cormorant colony and out to Grenen. There are good opportunities to see or hear local breeding birds, such as Grey-throated Grebe, Bittern, Crane and Water Ricket, as well as resting small birds in the Reserve and a beginning migration of birds of prey over Grenen as the trip progresses.
Solid and waterproof footwear is recommended.
Bring your own refreshments for the breaks during the approximately 4-hour tour.
Tour leaders: Ornithologists Knud Pedersen & Lars H. Mortensen
Bird of Prey Tour with The Eagle Club
1 PM – 3 PM
Meeting place: DOF-North Jutland's tent at the festival site, The Grey Lighthouse
The Bird Ambassadors invite all children and adults on a trip out to look for birds of prey. We hike out to a high dune in the area and from there, look for cool birds of prey in the sky. Maybe we are lucky to see the Great Buzzard or the Swift Lark. The trip also goes past Ellekrattet, where the small birds hide.
Feel free to bring binoculars.
On the tour, you can also get information about what DOF's Eagle Club is and how to become a member.
Tour leader: Gunnar Hansen & August Horsten, DOF's Bird Ambassadors
Afternoon at Gyvelmarkerne and Gyvelstien
4 PM – 6 PM.
Meeting place: The car park at the entrance to Gyvelstien on Frederikshavnsvej
Last year, the water level was raised in the dune plantation, which also meant that the previously dry Gyvelmarken turned into wet meadows, which has attracted lots of waders, wagtails and ducks. Rare birds such as Starlings and Lemon Wagtails were also seen here last year. Join us on an afternoon tour in Skagen's new natural gem, where we start by walking through Gyvelstien.
Tour leader: Anders Østerby
The Eagle Club visits the Ringing Station
8 AM – 10 AM.
Meeting place: The kiosk at Grenen car park
The bird ambassadors invite all children and adults on a trip to the cable drum at Grenen, where the Bird Observatory rings the small wild birds. On the way there, we will of course also watch and listen for the birds that hide in the thickets or fly over our heads.
Feel free to bring binoculars. The trip goes along a gravel road and is also suitable for people with prams, which can be parked 100m away from the ringing site.
On the tour, you can also get information about what DOF's Eagle Club is and how to become a member.
Tour leaders: Lasse Frederiksen, DOF's Bird Ambassadors.
Tour in Råbjerg Mile
10 AM – 1 PM.
Meeting place: Parking lot at Råbjerg Mile Vej.
The trip goes over Råbjerg Mile to the dune lakes and back. There will be lots of opportunities to see the local breeding birds such as curlew, crane and raven, but also birds of prey, waders and small birds on the move.
Sensible footwear is recommended for a walk in the sand.
Bring coffee and a snack for the break.
Tour leader: Ornithologist Kurt Rasmussen