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Courtship of (Common) Redshank; Tringa totanus. Male Shows pre copulation behavior with wing-lift display from male exposing silvery-white underside to female. Marken peninsula 2022. Netherlands
Tuz Gölü, Ankara / Türkiye
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Courtship of (Common) Redshank; Tringa totanus. Male Shows pre copulation behavior with wing-lift display exposing silvery-white underside to female. Marken peninsula 2022. Netherlands
Marker Wadden is a cluster of five new, uninhabited natural islands, which were artificially created in the Netherlands from 2016 to 2021 || Marker Wadden is een cluster van vijf nieuwe, onbewoonde natuureilanden, die van 2016 tot 2021 kunstmatig zijn aangelegd in Nederland
Marker Wadden is a cluster of five new, uninhabited natural islands, which were artificially created in the Netherlands from 2016 to 2021 || Marker Wadden is een cluster van vijf nieuwe, onbewoonde natuureilanden, die van 2016 tot 2021 kunstmatig zijn aangelegd in Nederland
Marker Wadden is a cluster of five new, uninhabited natural islands, which were artificially created in the Netherlands from 2016 to 2021 || Marker Wadden is een cluster van vijf nieuwe, onbewoonde natuureilanden, die van 2016 tot 2021 kunstmatig zijn aangelegd in Nederland
Marker Wadden is a cluster of five new, uninhabited natural islands, which were artificially created in the Netherlands from 2016 to 2021 || Marker Wadden is een cluster van vijf nieuwe, onbewoonde natuureilanden, die van 2016 tot 2021 kunstmatig zijn aangelegd in Nederland
Rondleiding op de Marker wadden onder leiding van een gids van Natuurmonumenten || Guided tour of the Marker wadden with a guide from Natuurmonumenten
I don't know how much you like this kind of high-key photo's. I know I've enjoyed every second of being together with these two (and sometimes more) Red-throated Divers swimming in milk-colored water together with no other distubing colors.
D300 600mm, only sliced of some of the bottom.
Marker Wadden is a cluster of five new, uninhabited natural islands, which were artificially created in the Netherlands from 2016 to 2021 || Marker Wadden is een cluster van vijf nieuwe, onbewoonde natuureilanden, die van 2016 tot 2021 kunstmatig zijn aangelegd in Nederland
Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus), older female_1082 _
Montagu's Harriers breed in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Birds from Eurasia spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa, while those from the eastern part of the range migrate to the Indian subcontinent. In Europe, they travel over a broad front, crossing the Mediterranean at various points, and only a small number are observed at migration choke points. Western birds don't go further south than the gulf of Guinea, but some eastern birds travel as far as South Africa. Montagu's Harriers nest mostly in broad river valleys, plains, and levels bordering lakes and the sea. They can breed in wetlands and also utilise heaths, dunes, moors, and can be found in the steppe. They adapt to shrub-lands in gorse or heather and to areas planted with young conifers. When no other suitable habitat is available these birds will nest in agricultural farmlands. For breeding, Montagu's Harriers require a large open area, with sufficiently tall ground vegetation.
Montagu's Harriers can be both solitary and gregarious at times, both during the breeding season and in winter quarters. They are diurnal and hunt by day. As these birds have a wide distribution, they will take whatever prey is available in the area where they are. Prey is caught while flying along fixed routes at low heights and constant low speeds. Their flight is considered lighter and more dexterous than other harriers enabling them to take more agile prey. When possible Montagu's Harriers often follow the edges of various vegetation to catch their prey by surprise. This is taken after a short stoop, though fast running animals and flying birds can be chased over a short distance. Montagu’s Harriers are generally silent birds, but during the breeding season and near the nests, they become noisy.
Montagu's Harriers are carnivores. They feed mainly on small rodents, small birds, bird eggs, reptiles (including small snakes) and large insects like Dragonflies and Damselflies.
The main threats to Montagu's Harriers include the massive use of agricultural pesticides such as DDT and other environmental poisons, as well as rarefying their prey, in particular large insects. The modification of agricultural practices, with an evolution towards more intensive farming, also puts pressure on Montagu's Harriers; many nests are destroyed by harvesting machines because the harvesting of crop fields is done during the breeding season. In some countries, Montagu's Harriers are still illegally killed during migration.
Lookout point, Het Amsterdamse Bos, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Panorama, 10 vertical shots
_MG_1651-60B
Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) flight_1918
Elegant, agile flier that looks like a cross between a plover and a swallow. Adult is warm gray-brown with an elegant "necklace" and red bill base. Juvenile is grayer, with white-fringed feathers. Very narrow (sometimes unnoticeable) white trailing edges to wings and dark rusty underwings distinguish this species from similar pratincoles.
The Collared Pratincole is a bird of open country, and is often seen near water in the evening, hawking for insects. It is found in the warmer parts of Europe, Southwest Asia and Africa. It is migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, and is rare north of the breeding range.
The male Chaffinch is a very pretty and colourful bird with orangey pink breasts and cheeks, a grey blue cap with orange brownish back and they are a similar size to the Robin. These birds enjoy eating invertebrates, but as the year goes on they will start eating seeds. The male Chaffinch starts looking for a breeding area in early February but the nest building will not begin until at least April, the nests are round in shape and are quite delicate they use moss, grass, spiders webs and they are lined with feathers, they favour nesting in trees, hedges and bushes. The female starts to lays her eggs between April to June with a clutch of four or five eggs and the young chicks fledge when they are about 13 days old.
Europe's smallest eagle and a European Rabbit - is quite a challenge for this particular bird of prey to fly off with such a prize!
We came across the eagle by a roadside meadow where the eagle was on top of the animal, working it's talons into its organs. Death came quickly for the rabbit, then the bird could lift the bird with a series of low deep wing flaps and some hopping away from us where it started to feed on its prey.
The Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) (formerly Hieraaetus pennatus) belongs to the family Accipitridae.
Recent genetic research resulted in the reclassification of this species to the genus Aquila from Hieraaetus. As it is the type species of Hieraaetus, should any of the hawk-eagles be retained in a distinct genus a new name for that group would be necessary.
Along with the Little Eagle this bird is one of the closest living relatives of the extinct Haast's Eagle of New Zealand.
DESCRIPTION
This is a medium-sized bird of prey, but the Booted is a small eagle, comparable to the Common Buzzard in size though more eagle-like in shape.
Males grow to about 700 grams (1.5 lbs) in weight, with females close to 1 kilogram (over 2 lb).It is about 47 centimeters (18 inches) in length and has a wingspan of 120 cm (almost 4 feet).
There are two relatively distinct plumage forms. Pale birds are mainly light grey with a darker head and flight feathers. The other form has mid-brown plumage with dark grey flight feathers.
DISTRIBUTION / RANGE
It breeds in southern Europe, North Africa and across Asia. It is migratory, wintering in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
This is a species of wooded, often hilly countryside with some open areas. It hunts small mammals, reptiles and birds.
This eagle lays 1-2 eggs in a tree or crag nest.
The call is a shrill kli-kli-kli.
Source: Wikipedia
Hope you like some color? The background is a ship loaded with containers just passing by....
D300 600VR handhold
Pratincoles are unusual among waders in that they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the ground.
The Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) is a bird of open country, and is often seen near water in the evening, hawking for insects. It is found in the warmer parts of Europe, southwest Asia and Africa. Its 2–4 eggs are laid on the ground. It is migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, and is rare north of the breeding range.
It is 24–28 centimetres (9.4–11 in) long with a 60–70 centimetres (24–28 in) wingspan. It has short legs, long pointed wings, a long forked tail, and a short bill, which is an adaptation to aerial feeding. The back and head are brown, and the wings are brown with darker flight feathers. The belly is white. The underwings are chestnut, but look dark below.
Very good views are needed to distinguish this species from other pratincoles, such as the Black-winged Pratincole and the Oriental Pratincole, which may occur in its range. The latter species also has a chestnut underwing, but is shorter-tailed.
When the sun became brighter he started singing too! Most of the time with the back faced towards me, but a few times with his beautiful blue breast pointed at me too (thanks).
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
For Dutch notions, the Vliehors is an exceptional region as far as landscape is concerned. The dimensions of the panorama here are in no proportion to man. One is surrounded by a sand plain stretching out to the horizon or to the endless surrounding sea. This sandbank was once a dune region in which the village West Vlieland was located. The northern border of that area and the location of West Vlieland now lie at least a kilometer further north in sea. Before 1950, the Vliehors was a large sand plain, without any growth whatsoever. Since that year, Rijkswaterstaat began placing branches and reed screens on the Vliehors, creating drift dikes. Three dikes were created in this manner: the permanent dike, running from the training camp in a westerly direction, and the first and second drift dike, which lie to the west of the air force tower. Since recently, a new dune area has been forming in the shelter of these drift dikes. Primary dunes grow into a complex of dunes and the low areas in between develop quickly into salt marsh. Interesting plants grow on this salt marsh and in the dunes; the first bushes have also been reported. On the Vliehors, one can easily see how a sand plain slowly changes into a dune area. Put this on a larger scale and one can imagine how a wadden island develops from a bare beach ridge into an island covered in growth. Seals sometimes lie on the tip of the Hors. Nowadays, man is using the Vliehors more regularly. The entire area is a training terrain for the Department for Defence. They named it Cornfield Range and it is the only place in the Netherlands where fighters and bombers can practice with both practice and live ammunitions. Airplanes of the Netherlands air force and different other NATO countries are daily visitors of the range. They can hire time, named slots, to let their pilots practice their skills at the range.
This photo taken on Vlieland an island in the North Sea - The Netherlands. It looks like a Marslander but it's the airforce control tower. During the weekdays it's a training terrain for the NATO airforce. But in the weekend you can igore all warning signs and enjoy the dimensions of the panorama here. Not a lot of people know about this, so I was here all alone! It's quite an unique experience since the Netherlands has one of the highest population densities in the world. And yet I was here all alone. I'm sure this is the quietest place in the Netherlands. On the tip on the Vliehors there is the 'Reddingshuisje' - little rescue house. It was build in 1890 as a shelter for shipwreck victims. Today it serves as a very small museum and a wedding chappel for private weddings - room for ten people. When you visit this place don't make a mistake to visit this place in the weekdays!
Het lijkt wel een marslander maar het is de verkeerstoren van de luchtmacht. De Vliehors is een uitgestrekt natuurgebied, dat voor een groot deel in gebruik is als militair oefenterrein van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. De operationele benaming van de Vliehors is Cornfield Range. In het weekend is deze zandvlakte vrij toegankelijk. Je hoeft je dan niets aan te trekken van alle waarschuwingsborden. Maar niet veel mensen weten dat. De Vliehors is een zandvlakte van 20 vierkante kilometer aan de westkant van Vlieland. Deze vlakte wordt ook wel de Sahara van het Noorden genoemd. Op het uiterste puntje van de Vliehors zie je hier bijna altijd wel zeehonden. Ook staat er een Reddingshuisje midden op de Hors. Vroeger een vluchtplaats voor gestrande drenkelingen, nu ingericht als juttersmuseum. Alles wat op het strand is aangespoeld is hier te bewonderen, van sigaretten tot flessenpost. Sinds 1997 is het reddingshuisje één van de officiële trouwlocaties op Vlieland. Deze unieke trouwlocatie staat sinds enkele jaren wereldwijd in de top 10 van mooiste locaties. De zandplaat is gelegen op de westelijke helft van het waddeneiland Vlieland. Hier liep ik dan helemaal alleen op deze inmens grote zandvlakte. Toch wel een unieke ervaring en dat in Nederland - één van de dichtbevolkste gebieden van de Wereld. Wat een stilte hier! Ik denk toch wel de stilste plek in Nederland, maar dan alleen in het weekend. Toch groeien er hier op deze zoutvlakte bijzondere plantjes. Een begin waar zand zich kan ophopen, een begin van een nieuwe duinrand. De waddeneilanden zijn zo altijd in beweging. Door de weeks is het een militairoefenterrein. In september 2009 is door het Ministerie van VROM een nieuwe milieuvergunning afgegeven aan Defensie, die het mogelijk maakt om te schieten vanuit jachtvliegtuigen en helikopters en tot maximaal 70 live bommen 500-ponders per jaar af te werpen. Dus vergis je niet in de dagen van de week!
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
For Dutch notions, the Vliehors is an exceptional region as far as landscape is concerned. The dimensions of the panorama here are in no proportion to man. One is surrounded by a sand plain stretching out to the horizon or to the endless surrounding sea. This sandbank was once a dune region in which the village West Vlieland was located. The northern border of that area and the location of West Vlieland now lie at least a kilometer further north in sea. Before 1950, the Vliehors was a large sand plain, without any growth whatsoever. Since that year, Rijkswaterstaat began placing branches and reed screens on the Vliehors, creating drift dikes. Three dikes were created in this manner: the permanent dike, running from the training camp in a westerly direction, and the first and second drift dike, which lie to the west of the air force tower. Since recently, a new dune area has been forming in the shelter of these drift dikes. Primary dunes grow into a complex of dunes and the low areas in between develop quickly into salt marsh. Interesting plants grow on this salt marsh and in the dunes; the first bushes have also been reported. On the Vliehors, one can easily see how a sand plain slowly changes into a dune area. Put this on a larger scale and one can imagine how a wadden island develops from a bare beach ridge into an island covered in growth. Seals sometimes lie on the tip of the Hors. Nowadays, man is using the Vliehors more regularly. The entire area is a training terrain for the Department for Defence. They named it Cornfield Range and it is the only place in the Netherlands where fighters and bombers can practice with both practice and live ammunitions. Airplanes of the Netherlands air force and different other NATO countries are daily visitors of the range. They can hire time, named slots, to let their pilots practice their skills at the range.
A Fatamorgana of the shoreline of the island Texel. The island seems splited into more islands but actually it's one island. This Straight Out of Camera photo taken from Vlieland an island in the North Sea - The Netherlands. This optical phenomenon occurs because rays of light are strongly bent when they pass through air layers of different temperatures, like here with such warm sandbank and cool sea air. Fata Morgana mirages tremendously distort the object or objects which they are based on, such that the object often appears to be very unusual, and may even be transformed in such a way that it is completely unrecognizable.
Deze foto geeft een mooi contrast weer met m'n laaste serie foto's van Beieren. Geen hoge bergen maar een oneindige vlakte. De Vliehors is een zandvlakte van 20 vierkante kilometer aan de westkant van Vlieland. Deze vlakte wordt ook wel de Sahara van het Noorden genoemd. Op het uiterste puntje van de Vliehors zie je hier bijna altijd wel zeehonden. Ook staat er een Reddingshuisje midden op de Hors. Vroeger een vluchtplaats voor gestrande drenkelingen, nu ingericht als juttersmuseum. Alles wat op het strand is aangespoeld is hier te bewonderen, van sigaretten tot flessenpost. Sinds 1997 is het reddingshuisje één van de officiële trouwlocaties op Vlieland. Deze unieke trouwlocatie staat sinds enkele jaren wereldwijd in de top 10 van mooiste locaties. De Vliehors is een uitgestrekt natuurgebied, dat voor een groot deel in gebruik is als militair oefenterrein van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. De zandplaat is gelegen op de westelijke helft van het waddeneiland Vlieland. De operationele benaming van de Vliehors is Cornfield Range. In het weekend is deze zandvlakte vrij toegankelijk. Je hoeft je dan niets aan te trekken van alle waarschuwingsborden. Maar niet veel mensen weten dat. Hier liep dan helemaal alleen op deze inmens grote zandvlakte. Toch wel een unieke ervaring en dat in Nederland - één van de dichtbevolkste gebieden van de Wereld. Wat een stilte hier! Ik denk toch wel de stilste plek in Nederland, maar dan alleen in het weekend. Op het puntje van de Vliehors kan je de ongeveer de 45 m hoge vuurtoren Eierland van Texel zien liggen. Door de grote temperatuurverschillen tussen verschillende luchtlagen, het warme strand en koele zeelucht, kan je een luchtspiegeling waarnemen. Dit geeft een speciale effect. Het eiland Texel lijkt wel opgespits in kleine eilandjes. Door de weeks is de Vliehors een militairoefenterrein. In september 2009 is door het Ministerie van VROM een nieuwe milieuvergunning afgegeven aan Defensie, die het mogelijk maakt om te schieten vanuit jachtvliegtuigen en helikopters en tot maximaal 70 live bommen 500-ponders per jaar af te werpen. Dus vergis je niet in de dagen van de week!
Best viewed large to see the numbers of birds.
Skomer Island off the coast of Pembrokeshire in Wales is a brilliant place to visit to. It is owned by Natural Resources Wales and managed by The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales. The Trust ensures the number of visitors & time you are allowed to stay on the island during your trip is well managed so that people keep to the footpaths avoiding damage to the birds nests.
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
For Dutch notions, the Vliehors is an exceptional region as far as landscape is concerned. The dimensions of the panorama here are in no proportion to man. One is surrounded by a sand plain stretching out to the horizon or to the endless surrounding sea. This sandbank was once a dune region in which the village West Vlieland was located. The northern border of that area and the location of West Vlieland now lie at least a kilometer further north in sea. Before 1950, the Vliehors was a large sand plain, without any growth whatsoever. Since that year, Rijkswaterstaat began placing branches and reed screens on the Vliehors, creating drift dikes. Three dikes were created in this manner: the permanent dike, running from the training camp in a westerly direction, and the first and second drift dike, which lie to the west of the air force tower. Since recently, a new dune area has been forming in the shelter of these drift dikes. Primary dunes grow into a complex of dunes and the low areas in between develop quickly into salt marsh. Interesting plants grow on this salt marsh and in the dunes; the first bushes have also been reported. On the Vliehors, one can easily see how a sand plain slowly changes into a dune area. Put this on a larger scale and one can imagine how a wadden island develops from a bare beach ridge into an island covered in growth. Seals sometimes lie on the tip of the Hors. Nowadays, man is using the Vliehors more regularly. The entire area is a training terrain for the Department for Defence. They named it Cornfield Range and it is the only place in the Netherlands where fighters and bombers can practice with both practice and live ammunitions. Airplanes of the Netherlands air force and different other NATO countries are daily visitors of the range. They can hire time, named slots, to let their pilots practice their skills at the range.
This Straight Out of Camera Photo taken on Vlieland an island in the North Sea - The Netherlands. During the weekdays it's a training terrain for the NATO airforce. But in the weekend you can igore all warning signs and enjoy the dimensions of the panorama here. Not a lot of people know about this, so I was here all alone! It's quite an unique experience since the Netherlands has one of the highest population densities in the world. And yet I was here all alone. I'm sure this is the quietest place in the Netherlands. On the tip on the Vliehors there is the 'Reddingshuisje' - little rescue house. It was build in 1890 as a shelter for shipwreck victims. Today it serves as a very small museum and a wedding chappel for private weddings - room for ten people. When you visit this place don't make a mistake to visit this place in the weekdays!
Deze foto geeft een mooi contrast weer met m'n laaste serie foto's van Beieren. Geen hoge bergen maar een oneindige vlakte. De Vliehors is een zandvlakte van 20 vierkante kilometer aan de westkant van Vlieland. Deze vlakte wordt ook wel de Sahara van het Noorden genoemd. Op het uiterste puntje van de Vliehors zie je hier bijna altijd wel zeehonden. Ook staat er een Reddingshuisje midden op de Hors. Vroeger een vluchtplaats voor gestrande drenkelingen, nu ingericht als juttersmuseum. Alles wat op het strand is aangespoeld is hier te bewonderen, van sigaretten tot flessenpost. Sinds 1997 is het reddingshuisje één van de officiële trouwlocaties op Vlieland. Deze unieke trouwlocatie staat sinds enkele jaren wereldwijd in de top 10 van mooiste locaties. De Vliehors is een uitgestrekt natuurgebied, dat voor een groot deel in gebruik is als militair oefenterrein van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. De zandplaat is gelegen op de westelijke helft van het waddeneiland Vlieland. De operationele benaming van de Vliehors is Cornfield Range. In het weekend is deze zandvlakte vrij toegankelijk. Je hoeft je dan niets aan te trekken van alle waarschuwingsborden. Maar niet veel mensen weten dat. Hier liep dan helemaal alleen op deze inmens grote zandvlakte. Toch wel een unieke ervaring en dat in Nederland - één van de dichtbevolkste gebieden van de Wereld. Wat een stilte hier! Ik denk toch wel de stilste plek in Nederland, maar dan alleen in het weekend. Toch groeien er hier op deze zoutvlakte bijzondere plantjes. Een begin waar zand zich kan ophopen, een begin van een nieuwe duinrand. De waddeneilanden zijn zo altijd in beweging. Door de weeks is het een militairoefenterrein. In september 2009 is door het Ministerie van VROM een nieuwe milieuvergunning afgegeven aan Defensie, die het mogelijk maakt om te schieten vanuit jachtvliegtuigen en helikopters en tot maximaal 70 live bommen 500-ponders per jaar af te werpen. Dus vergis je niet in de dagen van de week!
Was checking my photo's from last spring. What is time going fast.... Found this shot I still want to share with you.
D300 600VR full frame
Best seen: On Black
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
For Dutch notions, the Vliehors is an exceptional region as far as landscape is concerned. The dimensions of the panorama here are in no proportion to man. One is surrounded by a sand plain stretching out to the horizon or to the endless surrounding sea. This sandbank was once a dune region in which the village West Vlieland was located. The northern border of that area and the location of West Vlieland now lie at least a kilometer further north in sea. Before 1950, the Vliehors was a large sand plain, without any growth whatsoever. Since that year, Rijkswaterstaat began placing branches and reed screens on the Vliehors, creating drift dikes. Three dikes were created in this manner: the permanent dike, running from the training camp in a westerly direction, and the first and second drift dike, which lie to the west of the air force tower. Since recently, a new dune area has been forming in the shelter of these drift dikes. Primary dunes grow into a complex of dunes and the low areas in between develop quickly into salt marsh. Interesting plants grow on this salt marsh and in the dunes; the first bushes have also been reported. On the Vliehors, one can easily see how a sand plain slowly changes into a dune area. Put this on a larger scale and one can imagine how a wadden island develops from a bare beach ridge into an island covered in growth. Seals sometimes lie on the tip of the Hors. Nowadays, man is using the Vliehors more regularly. The entire area is a training terrain for the Department for Defence. They named it Cornfield Range and it is the only place in the Netherlands where fighters and bombers can practice with both practice and live ammunitions. Airplanes of the Netherlands air force and different other NATO countries are daily visitors of the range. They can hire time, named slots, to let their pilots practice their skills at the range.
This Straight Out of Camera Photo taken on Vlieland an island in the North Sea - The Netherlands. During the weekdays it's a training terrain for the NATO airforce. But in the weekend you can igore all warning signs and enjoy the dimensions of the panorama here. On this day the sand became very hot when exposed to the warm sun, easily being more than 10°C hotter than the sea air one meter above, enough to cause this inferior mirage. The real object is the blue sky and the Leopard tank in that direction, meaning we see a bright bluish patch on the ground in the distance. For exhausted travelers in the desert it appears as a lake of water. This is called a "desert mirage". Not a lot of people know about this place, so I was here all alone! It's quite an unique experience since the Netherlands has one of the highest population densities in the world. And yet I was here all alone. I'm sure this is the quietest place in the Netherlands. When you visit this place don't make a mistake to visit this place in the weekdays!
Een fata morgana of luchtspiegeling is een optisch fenomeen dat het resultaat is van temperatuurinversie, een verschijnsel waarbij er grote temperatuurverschillen bestaan tussen verschillende luchtlagen. Zo ook hier op de Vliehors, een zandvlakte van 20 vierkante kilometer aan de westkant van Vlieland. Deze vlakte wordt ook wel de Sahara van het Noorden genoemd. Aan het grensvlak van het warme strand en de koele zeelucht ontstaat er dan een zg. woestijn luchtspiegeling. Het lijkt erop of deze Leopard tank in de zee staat. Op het uiterste puntje van de Vliehors zie je hier bijna altijd wel zeehonden. Ook staat er een Reddingshuisje midden op de Hors. Vroeger een vluchtplaats voor gestrande drenkelingen, nu ingericht als juttersmuseum. Alles wat op het strand is aangespoeld is hier te bewonderen, van sigaretten tot flessenpost. Sinds 1997 is het reddingshuisje één van de officiële trouwlocaties op Vlieland. Deze unieke trouwlocatie staat sinds enkele jaren wereldwijd in de top 10 van mooiste locaties. De Vliehors is een uitgestrekt natuurgebied, dat voor een groot deel in gebruik is als militair oefenterrein van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. De zandplaat is gelegen op de westelijke helft van het waddeneiland Vlieland. De operationele benaming van de Vliehors is Cornfield Range. In het weekend is deze zandvlakte vrij toegankelijk. Je hoeft je dan niets aan te trekken van alle waarschuwingsborden. Maar niet veel mensen weten dat. Hier liep dan helemaal alleen op deze inmens grote zandvlakte. Toch wel een unieke ervaring en dat in Nederland - één van de dichtbevolkste gebieden van de Wereld. Wat een stilte hier! Ik denk toch wel de stilste plek in Nederland, maar dan alleen in het weekend. Toch groeien er hier op deze zoutvlakte bijzondere plantjes. Een begin waar zand zich kan ophopen, een begin van een nieuwe duinrand. De waddeneilanden zijn zo altijd in beweging. Door de weeks is het een militairoefenterrein. In september 2009 is door het Ministerie van VROM een nieuwe milieuvergunning afgegeven aan Defensie, die het mogelijk maakt om te schieten vanuit jachtvliegtuigen en helikopters en tot maximaal 70 live bommen 500-ponders per jaar af te werpen. Dus vergis je niet in de dagen van de week!
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
For Dutch notions, the Vliehors is an exceptional region as far as landscape is concerned. The dimensions of the panorama here are in no proportion to man. One is surrounded by a sand plain stretching out to the horizon or to the endless surrounding sea. This sandbank was once a dune region in which the village West Vlieland was located. The northern border of that area and the location of West Vlieland now lie at least a kilometer further north in sea. Before 1950, the Vliehors was a large sand plain, without any growth whatsoever. Since that year, Rijkswaterstaat began placing branches and reed screens on the Vliehors, creating drift dikes. Three dikes were created in this manner: the permanent dike, running from the training camp in a westerly direction, and the first and second drift dike, which lie to the west of the air force tower. Since recently, a new dune area has been forming in the shelter of these drift dikes. Primary dunes grow into a complex of dunes and the low areas in between develop quickly into salt marsh. Interesting plants grow on this salt marsh and in the dunes; the first bushes have also been reported. On the Vliehors, one can easily see how a sand plain slowly changes into a dune area. Put this on a larger scale and one can imagine how a wadden island develops from a bare beach ridge into an island covered in growth. Seals sometimes lie on the tip of the Hors. Nowadays, man is using the Vliehors more regularly. The entire area is a training terrain for the Department for Defence. They named it Cornfield Range and it is the only place in the Netherlands where fighters and bombers can practice with both practice and live ammunitions. Airplanes of the Netherlands air force and different other NATO countries are daily visitors of the range. They can hire time, named slots, to let their pilots practice their skills at the range.
A Fatamorgana of the shoreline and lighthouse of the island Texel. This Straight Out of Camera photo taken from Vlieland an island in the North Sea - The Netherlands. This optical phenomenon occurs because rays of light are strongly bent when they pass through air layers of different temperatures, like here with such warm sandbank and cool sea air. Fata Morgana mirages tremendously distort the object or objects which they are based on, such that the object often appears to be very unusual, and may even be transformed in such a way that it is completely unrecognizable.
Deze foto geeft een mooi contrast weer met m'n laaste serie foto's van Beieren. Geen hoge bergen maar een oneindige vlakte. De Vliehors is een zandvlakte van 20 vierkante kilometer aan de westkant van Vlieland. Deze vlakte wordt ook wel de Sahara van het Noorden genoemd. Op het uiterste puntje van de Vliehors zie je hier bijna altijd wel zeehonden. Ook staat er een Reddingshuisje midden op de Hors. Vroeger een vluchtplaats voor gestrande drenkelingen, nu ingericht als juttersmuseum. Alles wat op het strand is aangespoeld is hier te bewonderen, van sigaretten tot flessenpost. Sinds 1997 is het reddingshuisje één van de officiële trouwlocaties op Vlieland. Deze unieke trouwlocatie staat sinds enkele jaren wereldwijd in de top 10 van mooiste locaties. De Vliehors is een uitgestrekt natuurgebied, dat voor een groot deel in gebruik is als militair oefenterrein van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. De zandplaat is gelegen op de westelijke helft van het waddeneiland Vlieland. De operationele benaming van de Vliehors is Cornfield Range. In het weekend is deze zandvlakte vrij toegankelijk. Je hoeft je dan niets aan te trekken van alle waarschuwingsborden. Maar niet veel mensen weten dat. Hier liep dan helemaal alleen op deze inmens grote zandvlakte. Toch wel een unieke ervaring en dat in Nederland - één van de dichtbevolkste gebieden van de Wereld. Wat een stilte hier! Ik denk toch wel de stilste plek in Nederland, maar dan alleen in het weekend. Op het puntje van de Vliehors kan je de ongeveer de 45 m hoge vuurtoren Eierland van Texel zien liggen. Door de grote temperatuurverschillen tussen verschillende luchtlagen, het warme strand en koele zeelucht, kan je een luchtspiegeling waarnemen. Dit geeft een speciale effect. De vuurtoren Eierland staat op het noordelijkste punt van het eiland Texel, ten noorden van de woonkern De Cocksdorp. De naam is ontleend aan de locatie: het voormalige eiland Eierland. Door de weeks is de Vliehors een militairoefenterrein. In september 2009 is door het Ministerie van VROM een nieuwe milieuvergunning afgegeven aan Defensie, die het mogelijk maakt om te schieten vanuit jachtvliegtuigen en helikopters en tot maximaal 70 live bommen 500-ponders per jaar af te werpen. Dus vergis je niet in de dagen van de week!
Please take your time... to View it large on black
The value Texel possesses as a ’bird island’ is determined to a large degree by the richness of birds found in the dunes. Every year, approximately 80 types of birds breed here, among which the spoonbill, little tern and the short-eared owl are some of the rarest, and the lesser black-backed gull is one of the most numerous. During migration time, the dunes are an important resting and foraging area for ten thousands of birds. Due to its isolated situation, the number of mammals found on Texel is small.
Photo taken on the Dutch island Texel. We accidentally entered the breeding area of black-backed gulls. The gulls were screaming loudly to protect their nests. So many gulls were in the air.
De waarde van Texel als vogeleiland wordt vooral bepaald door de rijkdom aan vogels in het duingebied. Jaarlijks broeden er ongeveer 80 soorten, waarvan de lepelaar, dwergstern en de velduil tot de zeldzaamste behoren en de kleine mantelmeeuw de talrijkste is. Tijdens de trektijd is het duin een belangrijk rust- en voedselgebied voor tienduizenden vogels. Het aantal zoogdieren op Texel is door de geïsoleerde ligging klein. We liepen per ongeluk het broed gebied in van de mantelmeeuw. De meeuwen schreeuwden luid om hun nesten te beschermen. Zo veel meeuwen in de lucht.
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
For Dutch notions, the Vliehors is an exceptional region as far as landscape is concerned. The dimensions of the panorama here are in no proportion to man. One is surrounded by a sand plain stretching out to the horizon or to the endless surrounding sea. This sandbank was once a dune region in which the village West Vlieland was located. The northern border of that area and the location of West Vlieland now lie at least a kilometer further north in sea. Before 1950, the Vliehors was a large sand plain, without any growth whatsoever. Since that year, Rijkswaterstaat began placing branches and reed screens on the Vliehors, creating drift dikes. Three dikes were created in this manner: the permanent dike, running from the training camp in a westerly direction, and the first and second drift dike, which lie to the west of the air force tower. Since recently, a new dune area has been forming in the shelter of these drift dikes. Primary dunes grow into a complex of dunes and the low areas in between develop quickly into salt marsh. Interesting plants grow on this salt marsh and in the dunes; the first bushes have also been reported. On the Vliehors, one can easily see how a sand plain slowly changes into a dune area. Put this on a larger scale and one can imagine how a wadden island develops from a bare beach ridge into an island covered in growth. Seals sometimes lie on the tip of the Hors. Nowadays, man is using the Vliehors more regularly. The entire area is a training terrain for the Department for Defence. They named it Cornfield Range and it is the only place in the Netherlands where fighters and bombers can practice with both practice and live ammunitions. Airplanes of the Netherlands air force and different other NATO countries are daily visitors of the range. They can hire time, named slots, to let their pilots practice their skills at the range.
This Straight Out of Camera Photo taken on Vlieland an island in the North Sea - The Netherlands. During the weekdays it's a training terrain for the NATO airforce. But in the weekend you can igore all warning signs and enjoy the dimensions of the panorama here. Not a lot of people know about this, so I was here all alone! It's quite an unique experience since the Netherlands has one of the highest population densities in the world. And yet I was here all alone. I'm sure this is the quietest place in the Netherlands. On the tip on the Vliehors there is the 'Reddingshuisje' - little rescue house. It was build in 1890 as a shelter for shipwreck victims. Today it serves as a very small museum and a wedding chappel for private weddings - room for ten people. When you visit this place don't make a mistake to visit this place in the weekdays!
Deze foto geeft een mooi contrast weer met m'n laaste serie foto's van Beieren. Geen hoge bergen maar een oneindige vlakte. De Vliehors is een zandvlakte van 20 vierkante kilometer aan de westkant van Vlieland. Deze vlakte wordt ook wel de Sahara van het Noorden genoemd. Op het uiterste puntje van de Vliehors zie je hier bijna altijd wel zeehonden. Ook staat er een Reddingshuisje midden op de Hors. Vroeger een vluchtplaats voor gestrande drenkelingen, nu ingericht als juttersmuseum. Alles wat op het strand is aangespoeld is hier te bewonderen, van sigaretten tot flessenpost. Sinds 1997 is het reddingshuisje één van de officiële trouwlocaties op Vlieland. Deze unieke trouwlocatie staat sinds enkele jaren wereldwijd in de top 10 van mooiste locaties. De Vliehors is een uitgestrekt natuurgebied, dat voor een groot deel in gebruik is als militair oefenterrein van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. De zandplaat is gelegen op de westelijke helft van het waddeneiland Vlieland. De operationele benaming van de Vliehors is Cornfield Range. In het weekend is deze zandvlakte vrij toegankelijk. Je hoeft je dan niets aan te trekken van alle waarschuwingsborden. Maar niet veel mensen weten dat. Hier liep dan helemaal alleen op deze inmens grote zandvlakte. Toch wel een unieke ervaring en dat in Nederland - één van de dichtbevolkste gebieden van de Wereld. Wat een stilte hier! Ik denk toch wel de stilste plek in Nederland, maar dan alleen in het weekend. Toch groeien er hier op deze zoutvlakte bijzondere plantjes. Een begin waar zand zich kan ophopen, een begin van een nieuwe duinrand. De waddeneilanden zijn zo altijd in beweging. Door de weeks is het een militairoefenterrein. In september 2009 is door het Ministerie van VROM een nieuwe milieuvergunning afgegeven aan Defensie, die het mogelijk maakt om te schieten vanuit jachtvliegtuigen en helikopters en tot maximaal 70 live bommen 500-ponders per jaar af te werpen. Dus vergis je niet in de dagen van de week!
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
For Dutch notions, the Vliehors is an exceptional region as far as landscape is concerned. The dimensions of the panorama here are in no proportion to man. One is surrounded by a sand plain stretching out to the horizon or to the endless surrounding sea. This sandbank was once a dune region in which the village West Vlieland was located. The northern border of that area and the location of West Vlieland now lie at least a kilometer further north in sea. The Vliehors is very important as a high tide refuge. Gulls, oystercatchers and curlews breed on the drift dikes. A few places on the Hors are used as a breeding area for Kentish plovers and ringed plovers. Seals sometimes lie on the tip of the Hors. Nowadays, man is using the Vliehors more regularly. The entire area is a training terrain for the Department for Defence. They named it Cornfield Range and it is the only place in the Netherlands where fighters and bombers can practice with both practice and live ammunitions. Airplanes of the Netherlands air force and different other NATO countries are daily visitors of the range. They can hire time, named slots, to let their pilots practice their skills at the range.
I do like the big contrast with my previous photo's of the Bavaria - Germany. No high mountains but a sand plain stretching out to the horizon. This Straight Out of Camera Photo taken on Vlieland an island in the North Sea - The Netherlands. During the weekdays it's a training terrain for the NATO airforce. But in the weekend you can igore all warning signs and enjoy the dimensions of the panorama here. Not a lot of people know about this, so I was here all alone! It's quite an unique experience since the Netherlands has one of the highest population densities in the world. And yet I was here all alone. I'm sure this is the quietest place in the Netherlands. When you visit this place don't make a mistake to visit this place in the weekdays!
Deze foto geeft een mooi contrast weer met m'n laaste serie foto's van Beieren. Geen hoge bergen maar een oneindige vlakte. De Vliehors is een zandvlakte van 20 vierkante kilometer aan de westkant van Vlieland. Deze vlakte wordt ook wel de Sahara van het Noorden genoemd. Op het uiterste puntje van de Vliehors zie je hier bijna altijd wel zeehonden. Ook staat er een Reddingshuisje midden op de Hors. Vroeger een vluchtplaats voor gestrande drenkelingen, nu ingericht als juttersmuseum. Alles wat op het strand is aangespoeld is hier te bewonderen, van sigaretten tot flessenpost. Sinds 1997 is het reddingshuisje één van de officiële trouwlocaties op Vlieland. Deze unieke trouwlocatie staat sinds enkele jaren wereldwijd in de top 10 van mooiste locaties. De Vliehors is een uitgestrekt natuurgebied, dat voor een groot deel in gebruik is als militair oefenterrein van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. De zandplaat is gelegen op de westelijke helft van het waddeneiland Vlieland. De operationele benaming van de Vliehors is Cornfield Range. In het weekend is deze zandvlakte vrij toegankelijk. Je hoeft je dan niets aan te trekken van alle waarschuwingsborden. Maar niet veel mensen weten dat. Hier liep dan helemaal alleen op deze inmens grote zandvlakte. Toch wel een unieke ervaring en dat in Nederland - één van de dichtbevolkste gebieden van de Wereld. Wat een stilte hier! Ik denk toch wel de stilste plek in Nederland, maar dan alleen in het weekend. Door de weeks is het een militairoefenterrein. In september 2009 is door het Ministerie van VROM een nieuwe milieuvergunning afgegeven aan Defensie, die het mogelijk maakt om te schieten vanuit jachtvliegtuigen en helikopters en tot maximaal 70 live bommen 500-ponders per jaar af te werpen. Dus vergis je niet in de dagen van de week!
Snipe's are rare breeding birds nowadays in Holland so it's a real treat when you go to Iceland and see and hear them everywhere. In fact I waked up by the sound of them many times! It's a treat too when they want to pose for you on the most beautiful wooden pole of the whole island and gives you the possibility of a complete photoshoot before falling asleep. Thanks again Snipe!~
The Bonelli's Eagle breeds in southern Europe, Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert and across southern Asia to Indonesia.
These birds of prey prefer wooded, often hilly, country with some open areas to hunt and breed. The African race prefers savannah, forest edges, cultivation, and scrub, provided there are some large trees; this is not a species of very open or densely forested habitats.
An interesting note about this medium-sized eagle's talons:
Its talons and feet are proportionately very large and presumably rather powerful for the eagle's size. In particular the elongated talon on its rear toe (used as a killing apparatus by almost all accipitrids), or hallux claw, is longer than that of the much larger eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) and proportionately slightly larger even than its powerful sympatric competitor, the twice as massive golden eagle.
Black-winged-Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) with chick_w2306
Walking into the late afternoon light at Barbate Marismas, Cadiz province, Andalucia, Spain.
The Black-winged Stilt is a black and white shorebird, perched on very long and fine deep-pink coloured legs, giving the bird an elegant gait.
I know I've been very fortunate last year with a very confiding Stonechat. This year he didn't return to his breeding ground so I had to look for a new vollunteer. So far no one really wanted to cooperate but this is the first one bigger as sensordust ( I only cropped the lower half of the photo) and I'm happy with it perched in my favourite flowers.
D300 600VR+1,4tcII, original with of the photo.
View of a pond on Bird Island on the Altmuehlsee (in English: "Lake Altmuehl"), Franconia (Bavaria)
Some background information:
Bird Island (in German: "Vogelinsel") is a nature reserve of 200 hectares (resp. 2 million square metres), which covers almost half of the Altmuehlsee. It is characterised by a lake within the lake with lots of shallow water zones, reed belts, wet meadows and thickets. By strictly separating the lake’s recreation areas from this nature reserve, Bird Island has evolved into a significant roosting and breeding place for more than 300 different bird species. Among those are many rare water birds and waders. Furthermore, Bird Island has also become a haven for a number of rare butterflies, dragonflies and beetles.
A loop trail for pedestrians makes only a small part of the island publicly accessible. At the wayside there’s a wooden observation tower, which is a main attraction for the local birdwatchers. At the centre of attention are the white-tailed eagles and ospreys, which are local on the island since 2006. But also a lot of other rare bird species can be observed on Bird Island, like short-eared owls, barn owls, tawny owls, montagu’s harriers, purple herons, white storks, Eurasian cranes, hoopoes, dabchicks, mandarin ducks, great grey shrikes, Mediterranean gulls, titlarks, quails, peewits, wrynecks and curlews.
The Altmuehlsee is an artificial lake, which is fed by the river Altmuehl via a feeder ditch. The lake is located 44 km (27 miles) to the southwest of the city of Nuremberg in the Middle Franconian administrative district of Weissenburg-Gunzenhausen. It has a length of 4 km (2.5 miles), a width of 1,8 km (1.1 miles) and a surface area 4.5 sq km. It contains about 13.8 Mio. m³ of water.
The village of Muhr am See neighbours on the lake almost directly while the town of Gunzenhausen is situated more than 1 km away. Some smaller hamlets southwest of the lake are located just a few hundred metres away from the lakefront. In the settlement of Schlungenhof at the lake’s eastern shore there is a jetty for the excursion ship "MS Altmuehlsee", which offers daily cruises during the warmer season. The Altmuhlsee has two islands: Bird Island already mentioned above as well as the much smaller Shepherds’ Island.
The flooding of the Altmuehlsee was already decided in 1970 but it wasn’t commenced until 1985. Just one year later, the diversion of water from the Altmuehlsee to the likewise artificial lakes Huge and Little Brombachsee began. The barrier of the Altmuehlsee is a reservoir dam that environs the lake completely. It was raised from sand and mud and has a total length of 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Hence, it is the longest water-retaining structure in all of Germany. The core of the construction is formed by a seal wall made from steel planks.
The Altmuehlsee is part of the so called Franconian Lakeland. The other lakes belonging to the Franconian Lakeland are the Rothsee, the Huge and the Little Brombachsee, the Igelsbachsee, the Hahnenkammsee and the Dennenloher See. All in all these seven lakes amount to a water surface of about 20 square kilometres. Just like most of the other lakes the Altmuehlsee mainly serves the water regulation, but because of its great recreation offer it is also a favoured recreational area for the residents of the city of Nuernberg as well as a popular tourist destination for holidaymakers from farer away.
The lake offers its visitors a number of lawns and beaches. It is surrounded completely by a hiking and bike path. Finally, three lakeshore recreation parks, two sailing and surf schools, two campsites and several restaurants as well as kiosks complete the touristic infrastructure. Additionally, an open-air theatre festival takes place on the lakeshore every year in the summer months.
By the way, both Altmuehlsee and Bird Island have a "problem" with their growing beaver population. Currently more than 50 beavers populate the area and still growing. That’s why there are a lot of trees on the lakeshore and the island, whose trunks are gnawed off by the beavers and hence, doomed to die. One grown-up beaver consumes about ten trees every warmer season. Based on the given numbers, you can imagine that replacement planting of trees on the Almuehlsee’s lakeshore is a rather demanding task. However, beavers are protected animals over here and most people are quite happy that they are seemingly feeling comfortable in the local nature.
Quite often I have come across competing females during the breeding season, such as I encountered in Cadiz Province, Andalucia, Spain on a fine spring day just after dawn.
Here, two females are having a aerial battle as a male sits below and watches. No feathers were lost but the acrobatics of these slim structures female Montagu's Harriers was like pure poetry in motion. Beautiful memories last forever.
The Montagu's Harrier is a migratory bird of prey. Adult males are characterised by their overall pale grey plumage contrasting with black wingtips. Adult females have mostly pale yellow-brown underparts, the belly with longitudinal stripes and spotted wing coverts. The upper-parts are uniform dark brown except for the white upper tail coverts ("rump"), and the sightly paler central wing coverts. The juvenile birds resemble the females, but their belly and underwing coverts are not spotted, but uniformly red-brown in colour.
Montagu's Harriers breed in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Birds from Eurasia spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa, while those from the eastern part of the range migrate to the Indian subcontinent. In Europe, they travel over a broad front, crossing the Mediterranean at various points, and only a small number are observed at migration choke points. Western birds don't go further south than the gulf of Guinea, but some eastern birds travel as far as South Africa. Montagu's Harriers nest mostly in broad river valleys, plains, and levels bordering lakes and the sea. They can breed in wetlands and also utilise heaths, dunes, moors, and can be found in the steppe. They adapt to shrub-lands in gorse or heather and to areas planted with young conifers. When no other suitable habitat is available these birds will nest in agricultural farmlands. For breeding, Montagu's Harriers require a large open area, with sufficiently tall ground vegetation.
Montagu's Harriers can be both solitary and gregarious at times, both during the breeding season and in winter quarters. They are diurnal and hunt by day. As these birds have a wide distribution, they will take whatever prey is available in the area where they are. Prey is caught while flying along fixed routes at low heights and constant low speeds. Their flight is considered lighter and more dexterous than other harriers enabling them to take more agile prey. When possible Montagu's Harriers often follow the edges of various vegetation to catch their prey by surprise. This is taken after a short stoop, though fast running animals and flying birds can be chased over a short distance. Montagu’s Harriers are generally silent birds, but during the breeding season and near the nests, they become noisy.
Montagu's Harriers are carnivores. They feed mainly on small rodents, small birds, bird eggs, reptiles (including small snakes) and large insects like Dragonflies and Damselflies.
The main threats to Montagu's Harriers include the massive use of agricultural pesticides such as DDT and other environmental poisons, as well as rarefying their prey, in particular large insects. The modification of agricultural practices, with an evolution towards more intensive farming, also puts pressure on Montagu's Harriers; many nests are destroyed by harvesting machines because the harvesting of crop fields is done during the breeding season. In some countries, Montagu's Harriers are still illegally killed during migration.
View from the observation tower on Bird Island over the island and the Altmuehlsee (in English: "Lake Altmuehl"), Franconia (Bavaria)
Some background information:
Bird Island (in German: "Vogelinsel") is a nature reserve of 200 hectares (resp. 2 million square metres), which covers almost half of the Altmuehlsee. It is characterised by a lake within the lake with lots of shallow water zones, reed belts, wet meadows and thickets. By strictly separating the lake’s recreation areas from this nature reserve, Bird Island has evolved into a significant roosting and breeding place for more than 300 different bird species. Among those are many rare water birds and waders. Furthermore, Bird Island has also become a haven for a number of rare butterflies, dragonflies and beetles.
A loop trail for pedestrians makes only a small part of the island publicly accessible. At the wayside there’s a wooden observation tower, which is a main attraction for the local birdwatchers. At the centre of attention are the white-tailed eagles and ospreys, which are local on the island since 2006. But also a lot of other rare bird species can be observed on Bird Island, like short-eared owls, barn owls, tawny owls, montagu’s harriers, purple herons, white storks, Eurasian cranes, hoopoes, dabchicks, mandarin ducks, great grey shrikes, Mediterranean gulls, titlarks, quails, peewits, wrynecks and curlews.
The Altmuehlsee is an artificial lake, which is fed by the river Altmuehl via a feeder ditch. The lake is located 44 km (27 miles) to the southwest of the city of Nuremberg in the Middle Franconian administrative district of Weissenburg-Gunzenhausen. It has a length of 4 km (2.5 miles), a width of 1,8 km (1.1 miles) and a surface area 4.5 sq km. It contains about 13.8 Mio. m³ of water.
The village of Muhr am See neighbours on the lake almost directly while the town of Gunzenhausen is situated more than 1 km away. Some smaller hamlets southwest of the lake are located just a few hundred metres away from the lakefront. In the settlement of Schlungenhof at the lake’s eastern shore there is a jetty for the excursion ship "MS Altmuehlsee", which offers daily cruises during the warmer season. The Altmuhlsee has two islands: Bird Island already mentioned above as well as the much smaller Shepherds’ Island.
The flooding of the Altmuehlsee was already decided in 1970 but it wasn’t commenced until 1985. Just one year later, the diversion of water from the Altmuehlsee to the likewise artificial lakes Huge and Little Brombachsee began. The barrier of the Altmuehlsee is a reservoir dam that environs the lake completely. It was raised from sand and mud and has a total length of 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Hence, it is the longest water-retaining structure in all of Germany. The core of the construction is formed by a seal wall made from steel planks.
The Altmuehlsee is part of the so called Franconian Lakeland. The other lakes belonging to the Franconian Lakeland are the Rothsee, the Huge and the Little Brombachsee, the Igelsbachsee, the Hahnenkammsee and the Dennenloher See. All in all these seven lakes amount to a water surface of about 20 square kilometres. Just like most of the other lakes the Altmuehlsee mainly serves the water regulation, but because of its great recreation offer it's also a favoured recreational area for the residents of the city of Nuernberg as well as a popular tourist destination for holidaymakers from farer away.
The lake offers its visitors a number of lawns and beaches. It is surrounded completely by a hiking and bike path. Finally, three lakeshore recreation parks, two sailing and surf schools, two campsites and several restaurants as well as kiosks complete the touristic infrastructure. Additionally, an open-air theatre festival takes place on the lakeshore every year in the summer months.
By the way, both Altmuehlsee and Bird Island have a "problem" with their growing beaver population. Currently more than 50 beavers populate the area and still growing. That’s why there are a lot of trees on the lakeshore and the island, whose trunks are gnawed off by the beavers and hence, doomed to die. One grown-up beaver consumes about ten trees every warmer season. Based on the given numbers, you can imagine that replacement planting of trees on the Almuehlsee’s lakeshore is a rather demanding task. However, beavers are protected animals over here and most people are quite happy that they are seemingly feeling comfortable in the local nature.