[ad_1]
For some time I used to be contemplating along with Jacob, whom I met on Helgoland throughout my month of volunteering on the hen observatory there, to satisfy up for a brief birding outing on a weekend. Jacob urged the Wagbachniederung, a well known wetland that’s significantly well-liked amongst photographers for being one of many few areas in Germany the place Purple Herons breed. Though a pretty hen, this species was not of specific curiosity to me as I’ve seen it numerous occasions once I lived in South Africa (and isn’t current there at the moment of 12 months anyway), however the space has way more on provide. Particularly throughout spring, a lot of specials may be recorded within the wetland, and we have been hoping for some early passage migrants.
We strolled round fairly casually as we additionally loved merely updating one another about what we’ve been as much as provided that we hadn’t seen one another for 5 months. We nonetheless centered on the birds after all and noticed fairly a great variety of species, though few have been surprising. The varied waterbodies held Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Widespread Pochard, Gadwall, European Teal, Nice Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, and varied different waterbirds. We have been hoping for Bearded Reedling within the expansive reedbeds, however to no avail. We did nonetheless see a number of Widespread Reed Buntings, that are all the time pleasant birds. The spotlight nonetheless was a Black-necked Grebe in full breeding plumage at quick distance – simply my finest sighting of this very engaging hen. Eurasian Greenfinch, Widespread Chaffinch, Brambling, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk have been current within the extra wooded verges of the wetland. A Gray Heron seemed fairly comical because it appeared misplaced proper in the course of one of many ponds.
We determined to go to the Saalbachniederung as effectively, a close-by expanse of open meadow and wetland and a brief prepare experience away. Arriving on the Saalbachniederung after a scenic bike experience from the station of Graben-Neudorf, we have been greeted by displaying Eurasian Skylarks and White Storks in courtship. Meadow Pipits have been additionally round in good numbers, and a European Stonechat was utilizing a tree as a vantage level to scan the environment. A male Hen Harrier was a good looking sight because it quartered low over the grassland, and a Widespread Raven additionally flew previous. Just about all the similar waterbirds have been current within the small lake, however we additionally had Northern Lapwing and Widespread Snipe. A Gray-headed Woodpecker referred to as from a clump of timber that additionally held a Mistle Thrush.
Because it began to get darkish we cycled again to the station from the place I took the prepare to close by Heidelberg the place I stayed for the night time. Earlier than taking the prepare again to Bonn the subsequent morning, I watched a Pink Squirrel that one way or the other ended up on a ledge on a constructing wall and was misplaced for fairly some time till it managed to stability over a cable to get again right into a tree.
[ad_2]