Winter guests to Saxony
White-tailed Eagle and Pallas`s Gull

The region around Leipzig lies in the nature reserve of the north German flatland and loess belt. The diverse countryside with the Leipzigerbucht, north Sachsen heatherland, the renaturalized old mining areas and plains from the Elbe, Mulde and Weißer Elster, offer many possibilities for birds to overwinter. The many lakes offer resting and overwintering quarters for ducks, geese, sandpipers, terns, loons, swans and gulls. Sometimes they arrive in large numbers and it is possible to observe them in their sleeping areas.

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Dates

1. Sat., 21. Feb. 2009 - Sat., 28. Feb. 2009

Price includes

• All transport during trip
• 7 x Bed & Breakfast
• Birding guide
• Breach of warranty certificate

Number of participants

8 – 12 persons

Weather conditions

Cool, windy

Level of difficulty

Short, easy trips.

Note

- The tour is without flight. Flight assistance and transport from airport available on request.
- We recommend a travel insurance.

Alterations

The programme is subject to change.

Day 1

Arrival, Stöhna or Gutspark

Birding in Gutspark. Visit to an ecological farm. Excursion to Stöhna ca. 20 kms west of Leipzig. Here Whooper Swan, Red-crested Pochard, Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Bearded Tit, Large Curlew and various gulls and geese, all overwinter.

Day 2

Large pond at Torgau, ponds at Bennewitz, Schloß Torgau

A ca. 6 km hike to the forest ponds at Bennewitzer, large pond Torgau, walk-around ponds in Forst Pflückauf. First observations in the fields and meadows round Schloß Torgau. The first confrontation between the American and Russian armies in the II world war took place here. White-tailed Eagles, Bohemian Waxwings, various ducks and geese have their habitat and overwintering grounds here. You will also have the opportunity to watch the beavers.

Day 3

Ponds at Wermsdorf, Jagdschloß

A 50 km drive to the ponds at Wemsdorf. From the forest ponds (a breeding place for White-tailed Eagle) there is a good opportunity to make a 6 km hike to the Jagdschloß of August The Strong. Here you will be able to observe Goldcrests, various ducks and geese, Smews and Long-tailed Tits (here in 2004 also a Pallas‘s black-headed Gull).

Day 4

Around Bitterfeld

A 60 km drive to the Delitzscher, Goitzsche and Seelhauser lakes im the Bitterfeld area (former mining area) and the Muldestausee (reservoir). We will undertake a hike of about 8 kms to see Northern Ravens, various gulls, (Great Black-backed Gulls all the year). Possibly Whooper swans, Bean and Great White-fronted Geese, Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese, Common and Velvet Scoters, Arctic Loons, Smews, and Common Mergansers. (In 2002 and 2003 Great Black-headed Gulls were seen here).

Day 5

Open-cast mines Cospuden

A 60 km drive to the former open-cast mining area south of Leipzig (the craters are now filled over). Inspect the open-cast mining machinery such as excavators and conveyor-belts. In the woods at Hasselbach look for Black, Grey-headed and Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers. Because of the large selection of ponds and forest areas there is a larger variety of each particular species i.e. Common Mergansers, various ducks, Great Egrets. Apart from this there is also a sleeping area for up to 10,000 examples of various Sandpipers, Greyleg Geese, Loons and Horned Grebes.

Day 6

Open-cast Mining Schladitz, Delitzch

A 35 km drive to the open-cast mining areas of Schladitz/Delitzsch to see Black-headed Gulls, Mew Gulls, Herring Gulls, Red-necked Grebes. Resting and migrating waters for Arctic Loons, Red-throated Divers, Geese, Smews and Red-breasted Mergansers, Horned Grebes, Little Grebes, Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Geese, Common Shelduck, Golden Plovers, Northern Lapwings, White-tailed Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Merlins, Rough-footed Buzzards and Hen Harriers.

Day 7

Leipzig

Tour of the city with sight-seeing excursion. Opportunity for shopping and strolling round the city. Free day.

Day 8

Departure

Optional: birding in the vicinity. Private departure.