Marsk Camp · Marsk Tower · Restaurant Marsk
Marsk Camp offers unique experiences and camper van holidays at the magnificent Wadden Sea.
Black Sun in the Wadden Sea
Photo: Ulrik Pedersen
Just before settling down for the night, large flocks of starlings create fascinating patterns in the sky that almost eclipse the sun; hence the Danish name, Sort Sol (Black Sun).
Tøndermarsken is an area of marshland in the western part of Sønderjylland and is the ideal place to experience spectacular natural phenomena such as Sort Sol. During spring and autumn, millions of starlings migrate north or south respectively, and on their migratory route they make a brief stop to stock up on food, ready for their onward journey. The starlings come to the marshes to feed on crane fly and chafer grubs, large quantities of which are found on the wet grass fields. During the day they primarily search for food in the outer polders of the marsh, whilst at night they frequent the reeds, where they spend the night.
The areas in which the starlings spend the night change constantly – both as a means of deceiving the birds of prey in the area and because the reeds tend to break after a few days, leaving the starlings with wet feet. As a result, you can never be absolutely sure where the starlings will be spending the night. As such, we always recommend that you buy a ticket for a guided tour under the leadership of experienced nature guides.
Guided tour
The nature guides spend the daylight hours observing the starlings, so they have a good idea of where the starlings will spend the night. Although there’s no guarantee that you’ll experience murmurations of starlings on a guided tour, the chances of seeing the phenomenon are much better than if you head out on your own. Furthermore, on a guided tour you have plenty of opportunity to learn more about the Wadden Sea and some of the many other birds that are found in the area.
Via the links below, you can buy tickets for guided tours, as well as mini breaks that include a ticket to a so-called Sort Sol Safari.
Photo: Claire Droppert
Photo: Sort Safari
As mentioned above, murmurations of starlings can primarily be experienced in spring and autumn, when the starlings are migrating either north or south. The best chance of experiencing this natural phenomenon is in March/April and from the end of July until the beginning of November. Due to climate change and generally higher temperatures, however, there are a number of starlings that never migrate any further south than Tøndermarsken; as a result, you may be lucky enough to experience smaller flocks of starlings swooping and swirling across the sky at any time of the year.
Experiences in Sønderjylland
Combine your Sort Sol trip with more things to see and do in Sønderjylland. See, for example, the Wadden Sea from above with a visit to Marsk Tower or walk out onto the tidal flats and pick your own oysters. Experience the changing colours of the seasons on one of our many picturesque hiking trails or enjoy the huge spread of cakes that characterises a Sønderjysk Kaffebord.
The campaign is funded in part by Danmarks Erhvervsfremmebestyrelse
