Cranes (Grus grus) at the Guenzer lake in Vorpommern

Vorpommersche Boddenküste, 18445 Altenpleen, Deutschland

Cranes at their resting places during migration are a great subject of photography. The biggest resting places of the Common Cranes in Germany can be found in Brandenburg on the Linumer fish ponds and in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern at the Guenzer lake. During migration time over 70,000 Common Cranes has been reported.

On the east side of the Guenzer lake a observation tower is erected, right next to the tree-lined chausee. This site is operated by the Crane Center in the little town of Groß Mohrdorf. Very nice observations are possible from this site or even right from the parking lot. To take account of the growing interest of nature lovers and wildlife photographers, ​​hides were set-up in the area of the meadows near the lake. The set-up times and other detailed information can be found their homepage.

The hides are wooden cabins which are larger than those which are set-up at the Lake Hornborga in southern Sweden. On behalf of Kranichschutz Deutschland (Crane Protection Germany) association some feeding areas were established. It is sown cereals to distract the cranes to feed on farmland. Therefore good numbers of cranes can be observed around this area.

The pictures in the gallery  were made in early November south of the so-called Fischland in northern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Except for one shot very close to the feeding area near the Guenzer lake. All images were not! shot from the hides mentioned above. The cranes obviously used to the many visitors passing by, parking the car, taking pictures with video cams or big photographic equipment. The Cranes allowed very close approach right from the street. Further observations were also made from a beautiful observation hut on stilts just in front of the Großer (Great) Werder a lagoon just 10km to the north. The above area is well known to the birders. The area described above is located between the cities of Stralsund and Barth. Nearby – in Gross Mohrhof – ther is also an information center, where you can aks for more information to the actual occurrence and behavior of the Cranes. The Guenzer lake itself is a nature reserve (NSG) and an important stopover for geese, shorebirds and other migratory birds.

Nearly 100 species of birds breed here and around 250 species have been identified.

To find more descriptions of good observation sites for Cranes see here