An excellent long weekend exploring the valley of the River Elbe in March 2008 persuaded us to return this year in May. The Elbe flows from the Czech Republic through Germany to the North Sea,  and forms part of the border between the old East and West Germany. In March there was extensive flooding of the surrounding polders. This time, in addition to visiting the Elbe, Nick Ayers, Robin Prytherch, Roger White, and Gordon Youdale travelled east as far as the River Oder which is the large river separating Germany from Poland. It flows north into the Baltic.

The polders around the Oder form part of the Lower Oder National Park, and are of international importance.

Having ticked Hoopoe as we landed in Berlin we called at the Great Bustard reserve near Buckow on our way to the Elbe valley.  Our  disappointment in not finding any Bustards was soon countered by seeing flocks of Black Terns  and a White-winged Black Tern at nearby Gülper See.

 

Black Kites, Red-backed Shrike, Marsh Warbler, Golden Oriole and Serin were soon added to the list.

White Storks were common and especially exciting were Black Stork sightings. There are only 2-3 pairs within the area, and we were privileged to be shown a Black Stork standing by its huge nest in an Oak Tree in the forest.

Gordon got some excellent shots of an Ortolan mimicking the opening of Beethoven’s fifth symphony.

Accompanying some Great White Egrets along the edge of the river was a single Little Egret. This caused excitement for a local German birder because it is a rare bird here and was only the second he had seen. Nick was taken by the rural milking scene outside our hotel.

Cranes were nesting in the reed beds and damp woodland and already had quite well grown young (pipers according to Robin). Some small flocks of non-breeding birds were still present.

Moving to the east our warbler count increased with the addition of Icterine and Savi’s. There are a lot of heathland areas in Brandenburg State which were formally military training grounds for the Russian army and these provide good habitat for Whinchats, Wheatears, Woodlarks, and Hoopoes.  Many of these are still restricted areas but in some you can have limited access. Tawny pipits are present but they eluded us.

The ponds at an old Sugar factory contained good numbers of duck, including Garganey and Red-crested Pochard, and several pairs of Red-necked Grebes. 

 

 

A Little Bittern was calling but failed to show. Near here we heard the first of many Thrush Nightingales and a Honey Buzzard flying north was added to the Raptor list. Close to the Polish border is a site favoured by Lesser Spotted Eagles, and after some patient waiting we were rewarded by the appearance of a single bird high in the air. It was joined by another and at one time there were three within the same telescope view, and we were entertained by typical plunging display behaviour.  We dragged ourselves away to the town of Schwedt on the border with Poland, ticking Great Grey Shrike on the way, and finished the day with an evening walk along the bank of the Oder, listening to Corncrakes and Grasshopper Warblers in the fading light.

The following morning started well with Lesser Spotted and Black Woodpecker in the woodland behind our hotel, and as we explored more polders the day continued to improve with the addition of singing Barred and River Warblers . Barred Warblers are usually very elusive and Gordon and Nick’s photos are therefore particularly creditable.

 

 

A Wryneck sat in a dead tree, and was probably nesting nearby.  A female Goosander had a crèche of 28 young in tow as it cruised along the Oder canal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had failed on a number of expected birds such as Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Dunnock, but with a final count of 140 which included 15 Warbler species, we could not complain about our six days birding!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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