Where to find Eurasian dotterel on migration in Germany

MornellregenpfeiferA Eurasian dotterel (Charadrius morinellus or Eudromias morinellus) is a cute little bird of the northern landscapes of Scandinavia. The Dotterel is a member of the plover family which migrates between the breeding grounds in northern Europe to North Africa, where it winters. In a roosting place they often behave quite familiar and usually persist even on a few meters distance. However, larger flocks are sometimes shy and fly away even in case of low interference. In spring especially coastal areas are preferred. In fall Eurasian dotterel show-up at resting areas sometimes far inland. To find these interesting birds, you should obey to some findings.

Preferred habitat is usually characterized by open, exposed areas with short vegetation. A convincing reminiscent of Scandinavian countryside. In the cultural landscape with its large-scale agricultural shape of today harvested fields are the main resting places. Regular sightings are made on arable land on barren, wind-exposed plateaus with sweeping views in south and southwest direction. Eurasian dotterels preferably visit the upper slope area on the southwest flank of small hills. It should have taken place at least one stubble. Harvested, unprocessed fields with cereal stubble are apparently shunned. Large vertical structures have a negative impact, with single trees and embankments be tolerated. Especially worthwhile may be the search after a dramatic, spacious showers and thunderstorms, when weather conditions for “emergency landing” push the birds down on the ground and make them depart shortly after the thunderstorm pass by. Under such weather conditions sometimes areas are used for resting, which are not taken into account in good weather. These can be, for example, leveled, smaller arable areas near forest edges.

Because of the specific behavior of the birds, the observation conditions are best in the morning and evening. At this time, the search for food takes place. Later in the day, the motionless resting birds often escape detection. The chance to look for landing and departing birds in the evening or in the morning, increases the observation potential significantly.

The currently best-known and most important resting places for Dotterels in Germany are the North Rhine-Westphalian Hellweg Boerde in the district of Soest and the Maifeld in district Mayen-Koblenz and the hilly landscape near Partenheim and Ober-Hilbersheim close to state capital Mainz in Rhineland-Palatinate.

An alternative might be to look for Eurasian Dotterels in the Algarve. Eurasian Dotterels is a regular passage migrant for many years, mainly in the Sagres Peninsula. The flat fields of Vale Santo are the main area of occurrence of this tundra bird, which likes the steppe. It can be seen there with roughly a 3 weeks delay compared to the german staggering sites every year between September and October.

To cope with the growing demand for top shots of the rarer species of the Palearctic Bird-Lens.com is keen to enrich the range of pictures of birds you can find in the western Palearctic. Trips to productive locations in Germany but also to remote places in the world to capture images of rare birds of western Palearctic were very successful. The nice image of the blog was shot on the Maifeld in Germany and is only a first impression, what you will find in the gallery in the “Picture Shop” very soon. Just give a message, if bird-lens.com could serve you with an image needed before the new pictures are online.

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