Date: Monday, April 27 - Friday, May 1, 2026

In this midweek we focus our attention on the birds around monastery Westerhûs and specifically on the meadow birds. We cannot escape the loss of the numbers of meadow birds in the Frisian landscape and we ask ourselves how we can deal with this in the perspective of spirituality and philosophy of life. This is a week around the spirituality of the Bird of God, as Noordmans once called the lapwing. So it is not just a week for "ordinary" birders, but for "unusual birders" who want to experience the meadow birds in spring and reflect on the relationship of meadow birds (greidefûgels) and spirituality. We will live this midweek to the rhythms of Klooster Westerhûs and of course go out a few times. We will listen to local farmers and bird watchers. And we hope to spot the BIG FIVE during our safari: Ljip (Kieviet), Skries (Grutto), Tsjirk (Tureluur), Strânljip (Oystercatcher) and Hoants (Kemphaan).

A few words from a meditation by Oepke Noordmans:

'I cannot believe that God's bird, the Kieviet, was created along with the other plumage on the fifth day. God must have released the Lapwing early on the second day, at the same time as the creation of the firmament. And this firstling, all wing, in immoderate delight at this possibility, tried the resistance of the air. In yawning and diving flight with tumbling and stamping and soaring, he tried before God the virtue of the firmament. Audibly he tore it into shreds, with the snapping sound, with which a kramer tears the cloth cloth. And behind him, laughing at the name this bird gave himself without waiting for Adam, the Creator mended the fractures with His hand, until He saw that it was good.

Dr. O. Noordmans, God's Gates

Guidance: Hinne Wagenaar