Army Ornithological SocietyAOS Eastern GermanyTrip
The intrepid travellers met at Hannover Airport and were soon heading east in their trusty Ford Transit to the old border zone and the Dromling nature reserve area. There were two stops in the afternoon in fabulous wet meadow habitat. Though we never found the target species of Grasshopper and Barred Warblers there were some other birds besides Mallard and Red-backed Shrike. As we walked down the first track Black Redstart and Tree Sparrow sat on the path ensuring all features were picked up. We saw plenty of White Stork and a Black Stork did a slow fly by. Common Cranes played hide and seek in the grass fields. Nightingales regaled us from too many bushes and good views were had. Cuckoos called all around us allowing us to see them. A Golden Ori0le called from a belt of trees, a Marsh Warbler flitted and a River Warbler sang. There were plenty of Chifchafs, Whitethroats and Blackcaps as well as Buzzards, Red Kites and Marsh Harriers. Our final bird was a Corncrake calling near the minibus and then it was a drive south in the rain to our hostel at Braunlager in the Harz. A total of 44 birds for the first afternoon was a respectable tally. A few beers helped our dinner go down.
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