This was a short visit by Roger and Christine White to see some of the sites on and around the Baltic coast that had not been visited in November 2015.

April in North Germany is often not very productive as far as bird numbers and variety are concerned. In April, many of the migrants have yet to arrive, and most of the winter visitors have departed.

 We based ourselves at Großenbrode, a seaside holiday resort on the Baltic coast just south of the island of Fehmarn. Visits made included Graswarder peninsula at Heiligenhafen,  Sehlendorfer See, Oldenburger Bruch, Barkauer See, Neustadt, the coast near Grömitz, and Rupersdorfer See at Lübeck.

Graswarder is a unique narrow peninsula with a sandy shore on the Baltic side and salt marsh on the ‘inland side.’ It is a NABU protected site, where breeding species include Common Gull, Little, Common, Arctic and Sandwich Tern, Avocet, Redshank. A tall hide gives views over the reserve. Sehlendorfer See is a wetland west of Heiligenhafen close to Lütjenburg. Viewing is better than at Graswarder and there is a good observation platform from where breeding Avocets, and a Common Tern platform can be viewed.White-tailed Eagles breed nearby.

Oldenburger Bruch, is a flat, wet valley through which a small waterway, Oldenburger Graben flows into the north sea. In later spring and summer there will be good numbers of birds, including Red-backed Shrike and wetland warblers. Barkauer See, south of Eutin,  was well worth a visit. Bluethroats were singing and there were several warblers, including Reed and Savi’s. Cranes were calling and Marsh Harriers were overhead.

Rupersdorfer See at Lübeck was full of duck, mainly Shoveler and Gadwall. Also Goosander, Egyptian Goose, Black-necked Grebe, Great Egret and a White-tailed Eagle, being chased by a Raven.

All these and other sites will be included in the next book describing bird sites in NW Germany.