Visiting Hannover (1 Viewer)

[Bungaybirder]

Hi, I'll soon be visiting Hannover (from the UK) and will have the opportunity for a day of birding within the city boundary (public transport or cycle hire). I'd be grateful for advice on the best places to go, and what birds I might expect to see (in October); particularly, birds that are relatively common in Germany but less so in the UK. Many thanks! BB

 

[Andy Hurley]

The Leineaue south of Hannover is a large wetland complex. I haven't been myself, but it gets a chapter in this book
Winter species include: Greater White-fronted, Bean, Greylag, (Barnacle and Pink-footed, both sporadic) geese, Dabbling ducks include Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail plus the usual suspects, Sea Duck include Velvet Scoter in limited numbers but regular, Goldeneye, Smew, Goosander, divers and grebes, (doesn't say which though), Great Cormorant, 90% of which are sinensis in Germany, Great Egrets, Hen Harriers and White tailed Eagles.
You might catch the migration still which includes waders at Clauen (mainly) and Lehrte. (Search the fields at Clauen for large flocks of Northen Lapwings and Starlings), Ospreys, Western Marsh Harriers, Golden Plover, Forster's Terns, Common Cranes, and other small birds are all possible. At Clauen there are often sightings of rarities.
I hope this helps. If you want directions for travel, let me know your travel options and I can give you directions from the book.

 

[Sangahyando]

Forster's Tern is a rare vagrant from America though, so I wouldn't count on seeing them there.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Forster's Tern is a rare vagrant from America though, so I wouldn't count on seeing them there.

I agree, but it is mentioned in "Vögel beobachtung Norddeutschland", so I thought I should mention it too.

 

[Bungaybirder]

Thankyou

The Leineaue south of Hannover is a large wetland complex.
I hope this helps. If you want directions for travel, let me know your travel options and I can give you directions from the book.

Andy, thankyou, much appreciated. A quick look at the map shows that it is within easy reach of Hannover, so it's a definite option!

I've read that there is an "urban forest" around Hannover, called Eilenriede. This would be a good option via cycle hire from the city centre, but I can't find any information about the Eilenriede birdlife; some urban parks can be quite sterile in this respect; or maybe it is full of interesting woodpeckers??

Thanks again for your help,

BB.

 

[Andy Hurley]

I just googled "Eilenriede vogelarten" which is bird species in German and got this pdf . I realise it isn't the most upto date list around (Dec 1892) but thought it interesting anyway. The species are listed using scientific names given at the time of writing and even if your German is limited, you can find all species in your bird guide. Also NABU will be able to give you a list. If you need help with the German, I could find out for you.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Also this pdf
lists the following:

more than 90 Species (60 breeding) in Eilenriede
Black, Green, Great Spotted, Middle Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Woodpeckers
Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk
Occasionally Mandarin and Wood Ducks, Cattle Egrets and Peacocks (see pdf for location)

 

[Bungaybirder]

I just googled "Eilenriede vogelarten" which is bird species in German and got this pdf . I realise it isn't the most upto date list around (Dec 1892)

Andy, many thanks for your help. 1892, fantastic! :O) I'll post a rudimentary trip report of what I find. As you have rightly surmised, I shamefully have little German beyond "bitte ein Bit"...

 

[Andy Hurley]

I just googled "Eilenriede vogelarten" which is bird species in German and got this pdf . I realise it isn't the most upto date list around (Dec 1892)

Andy, many thanks for your help. 1892, fantastic! :O) I'll post a rudimentary trip report of what I find. As you have rightly surmised, I shamefully have little German beyond "bitte ein Bit"...

It a start, and polite with it. Squaddies over here learn "Ein Bier Bitte" and then "Eine Bratwurst mit Pommes". And some leave it at that. I'm sure you'll pick some up when you come over. It might be worth your trouble look up common birds on wiki then scrolling down to Deutsch on the left hand side so you can see the German name. I have all my field guides with German names pencilled in above the English name. Well all except my new sub saharan africa one which arrived yesterday. It two inches thick with 2129 species, so it will be a very long project.