Wagbachniederung & Saalbachniederung – 10,000 Birds

For some time I used to be contemplating along with Jacob, whom I met on Helgoland throughout my month of volunteering on the chicken observatory there, to fulfill up for a brief birding outing on a weekend. Jacob steered the Wagbachniederung, a widely 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 chicken, this species was not of specific curiosity to me as I’ve seen it numerous occasions after I lived in South Africa (and isn’t current there presently of 12 months anyway), however the space has rather more on supply. Particularly throughout spring, a lot of specials could 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 on condition that we hadn’t seen one another for 5 months. We nonetheless targeted on the birds after all and noticed fairly a superb variety of species, though few have been sudden. The assorted waterbodies held Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Frequent Pochard, Gadwall, European Teal, Nice Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, and numerous different waterbirds. We have been hoping for Bearded Reedling within the expansive reedbeds, however to no avail. We did nevertheless see a number of Frequent Reed Buntings, that are all the time pleasant birds. The spotlight nevertheless was a Black-necked Grebe in full breeding plumage at quick distance – simply my finest sighting of this very engaging chicken. Eurasian Greenfinch, Frequent Chaffinch, Brambling, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk have been current within the extra wooded verges of the wetland. A Gray Heron appeared fairly comical because it appeared misplaced proper in the midst of one of many ponds.

We determined to go to the Saalbachniederung as nicely, a close-by expanse of open meadow and wetland and a brief prepare trip away. Arriving on the Saalbachniederung after a scenic bike trip 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 Frequent Raven additionally flew previous. Just about all the identical waterbirds have been current within the small lake, however we additionally had Northern Lapwing and Frequent Snipe. A Gray-headed Woodpecker referred to as from a clump of bushes 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 evening. Earlier than taking the prepare again to Bonn the following morning, I watched a Crimson 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.