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Description
At the foot of the Vosges, south of Thann, the lake of Michelbach dam (located in the town of the same name) was created in the 1980s in order to capture water from Doller and Michelbach to regulate the supply of the groundwater from which the Mulhouse conurbation draws its drinking water.
Preservation of water resources and diversity of living things going hand in hand, the body of water quickly became a haven of life. Thanks to its classification as a “voluntary nature reserve”, which includes former plowing converted into meadows as well as small forest portions, colonization by avifauna is steadily increasing there, and its vocation of welcoming migratory birds is asserting itself . Bird watching is interesting all year round.
In spring, it is the nesting of (Βουβός) Κύκνος, (Κοινή) Φαλαρίδα, Πρασινοκέφαλη Πάπια, Σκουφοβουτηχτάρι that attracts attention. The Αετομάχος is found in orchards south of the water.
Summer is the good season for stopovers of waders and the passage of Ποταμογλάρονο. At the end of summer and in autumn, with the drop in the level of the water, mud flats appear and are favorable for many species of shorebirds (Λασποσκαλίδρα, Δρεπανοσκαλίδρα, (Κοινή) Νανοσκαλίδρα, Ακτίτης, Πρασινοσκέλης, (Κοινό) Μπεκατσίνι and rarities are always possible such as Σταχτιά Νανοσκαλίδρα, ) and herons; Μαυροβουτηχτάρι, Μαυρογλάρονο and Ψαραετός are also frequent the site.
Finally, in winter, it is easy to observe (Ευρωπαϊκός) Κορμοράνος, Χηνοπρίστης, for which the Michelbach site has become the reference extra-Rhine site in Alsace. Rare birds are recorded each year during this season: Θαλασσοπρίστης, Βελουδόπαπια, divers, Σταχτόπαπια, ... You can also search for Υφάντρα among the (Μεγάλο) Καλαμοτσίχλονο.
A beautiful walk begins from the parking lot (indicated by a sign), and takes the two dikes; a path goes around the body of water passing through a wood and an orchard. This circuit can be done in any season, except when the water is frozen.
Details
Access
The village of Michelbach (not to be confused with Michelbach-le-Bas near Saint-Louis) is a few kilometers south of Thann. Signs lead to the parking lot of the large dyke. Allow around 2 hours for the tour of the large reservoir, circuit marked out by the Club Vosgien.
Note: remind that it is necessary to stay strictly on paths and trails, and that intrusion into meadows and / or fields near the described sites is to be prohibited!