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Nyord Enge Bird Reserve

Windy salt meadows, wide horizons and rich birdlife make Nyord Enge a standout coastal wetland and an international stopover for migratory ducks, geese and waders.

4.5

Nyord Enge is a wide, windswept coastal meadow on the little island of Nyord near Møn, protected as one of eastern Denmark’s most important wetlands for ducks, geese and waders. Never drained or cultivated, these salty pastures and shallow shorelines form a vital stopover and breeding ground for thousands of migratory birds. Raised viewing platforms, an accessible bird tower and information boards make it easy to experience the sweeping skies, rich birdlife and big, open landscape in all seasons.

A brief summary to Nyord Enge, fuglereservat

  • Ulvshalevej 401, Stege, 4780, DK
  • +4533283839
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 1 to 3 hours
  • Free
  • Environment icon Outdoor
  • Mobile reception: 3 out of 5
  • Monday 12 am-12 am
  • Tuesday 12 am-12 am
  • Wednesday 12 am-12 am
  • Thursday 12 am-12 am
  • Friday 12 am-12 am
  • Saturday 12 am-12 am
  • Sunday 12 am-12 am

Local tips

  • Bring binoculars or a spotting scope; many birds feed far out on the meadows and shallow water, especially at high tide.
  • Dress in windproof layers; the open landscape can feel chilly even on sunny days, and there is little natural shelter.
  • Check the season and time your visit for migration periods in spring or autumn if you want to see large flocks of ducks and geese.
  • Stay on paths and respect any fenced or signed-off areas during the breeding season to avoid disturbing nesting birds.
  • Consider an evening visit in clear weather to experience the Dark Sky and listen for calling birds at dusk.
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Getting There

  • Car from Stege (Møn)

    From Stege town centre, driving to Nyord Enge via the main road towards Ulvshale and continuing towards Nyord typically takes around 20–25 minutes, depending on traffic. The route uses normal paved roads suitable for all vehicles. There is roadside and small parking-area capacity near the bird tower, but spaces can fill at peak times in spring and autumn. Access is free; you only need to factor in fuel costs.

  • Bicycle from Stege and Ulvshale

    Cycling from Stege to Nyord Enge is a popular option in good weather and usually takes about 40–60 minutes each way from Stege, or 20–30 minutes from the Ulvshale area. You ride on a mix of smaller public roads and local lanes that are mostly flat but exposed to wind. There is no dedicated bike fee, and you can leave bicycles near the access paths, taking care not to block gateways or farm access.

  • Regional bus plus short walk

    Regional buses serving Stege connect the town to other parts of South Zealand, after which you can continue towards Ulvshale with local services when available. Total public-transport travel time within the region is commonly 1–2 hours depending on connections, and a typical single adult fare on regional buses is in the range of 30–70 DKK. From the nearest bus stop you should expect a longer walk along quiet roads in an exposed, flat landscape; this option is best in daylight and mild weather.

Nyord Enge, fuglereservat location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Clear Skies
  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures
  • Weather icon Cold Weather
  • Weather icon Windy Conditions
  • Weather icon Any Weather
  • Weather icon Hot Weather

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Discover more about Nyord Enge, fuglereservat

A wild meadow on the edge of the Baltic

Nyord Enge stretches out as a huge, flat carpet of salt meadow between the island of Nyord and the surrounding shallow waters. The landscape feels strikingly open: wide skies, low horizons and a constant play of light over grass, mudflats and sea. Dikes and grazing cattle hint at centuries of human use, yet the area has never been ploughed, drained or intensively farmed, leaving an unusually intact coastal ecosystem. The reserve is owned and managed by a Danish bird protection foundation, whose focus is to protect breeding and resting waterbirds. Traditional grazing keeps the grass short and varied, creating the mosaic of wet hollows and drier hummocks that waders and wildfowl need. From the moment you arrive, the soundscape – wind, distant surf and bird calls – tells you this is first and foremost a place for nature.

A haven for migratory and breeding birds

For many ducks, geese and waders following the Baltic-East Atlantic flyway, Nyord Enge is a refuelling station of international importance. In spring and autumn, large flocks of barnacle and brent geese, pintails, wigeons and other ducks gather on the flooded meadows and in the shallow bay, sometimes numbering in the thousands. When the tide is right, mudflats attract probing redshanks, dunlins and other small waders. In summer, parts of the meadows become a nursery for ground-nesting birds. Lapwings display over the short turf, redshanks call anxiously from fenceposts, and gulls and terns patrol overhead. Marsh harriers and other raptors cruise the edges, while skylarks pour song from high above. Winter brings a quieter, more austere scene, but you may still see whooper swans, diving ducks and hardy shorebirds using the ice-free shallows.

Watching wildlife without disturbing it

Facilities are designed so you can get close to the action while the birds keep their crucial sense of safety. A covered bird tower on Ulvshalevej offers two levels of viewing, with one platform built for wheelchair users and others with limited mobility. From here you can scan almost the entire meadow and coastline, sheltered from wind and rain. Elsewhere, low observation platforms and paths along the dikes give alternative perspectives on the landscape. Information boards explain seasonal highlights, key species and why water levels and grazing are carefully managed. In some periods, certain areas are off-limits during the breeding season to reduce disturbance, a reminder that the reserve’s first priority is the wildlife it protects.

Light, darkness and dramatic skies

The flatness of Nyord Enge makes the sky feel enormous. On clear days, long lines of clouds and migrating birds stretch across the horizon, while changing weather can transform the mood from bright and breezy to brooding in minutes. Sunsets often paint the water and wet grass in gold and pink, with silhouettes of geese flying to roost. After dark, the area forms part of a certified Dark Sky destination, meaning artificial light is kept to a minimum. On cloudless nights, stars appear in great numbers, and the Milky Way can arch over the meadows. Even if you visit in daylight, it is worth imagining how this open coastal landscape feels under a truly dark, starlit sky.

Learning from local stewardship

Nyord Enge also tells a story about how careful management can restore and safeguard nature. The foundation behind the reserve works nationally to acquire and protect key bird habitats, often with the help of volunteers from local bird clubs. Here that work is visible in the well-maintained grazing regimes, viewing structures and interpretive signs. On selected days, guided walks and birdwatching events introduce visitors to the ecology of coastal meadows, migration patterns and the challenges facing waterbirds in a changing climate. Spending time here, you get a sense of how modest interventions – letting water spread, avoiding fertilisers and pesticides, allowing cattle to graze in the traditional way – can bring back a richness of life that benefits birds, plants and people alike.

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