Gedser Odde

Gedser Odde is the southern end of Denmark, a low spit of sand and shingle running out from Falster with a lighthouse, a wartime bunker and a marker stone, and on a clear day the German coast is visible across the water. Its real interest is migration. Because it is the last land before a sea crossing, birds funnel down the Falster peninsula and concentrate here before departing, and the bird observatory at Gedser has been counting them since 1958, recording very large movements of raptors, geese, waders, thrushes and finches in spring and autumn. Seawatching from the point produces divers, skuas and seaducks. The rest of the year it is a quiet spit with a beach, a caravan site and the ferry to Germany leaving from the harbour behind.

What you actually see

• The southernmost point marker - the end of Denmark on the spit.
• Migration counts - raptors, geese and passerines funnelling through.
• Seawatching - divers, skuas and seaducks from the point.
• The German coast on the horizon - visible across the water on clear days.

When to go

March to May and August to November for migration, which is the reason to come; peak raptor passage is in spring. Half a day, dawn onward. Summer is quiet and the spit is used as an ordinary beach.

Honest expectations

Outside migration seasons there is very little here. The point is exposed with no shelter and the wind is constant. Birdwatching needs a telescope and experience to get much from it. Facilities are limited to the harbour town behind.

Nearby

Gedser harbour and the German ferry are behind; Marielyst beach lies north.