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Description
You probably wouldn't go out of your way to visit but if you're in Strasbourg anyway, you may find Étang du Karpfenloch a pleasant place to spend a few moments birdwatching, especially in winter when the ducks and other waterbirds have arrived. The big plus aside from its proximity to a big city is the glorious afternoon light on a sunny winter's day.
There will be quite a few walkers passing by. They'll mainly be interested in the Egretă mare as well as the Cormoran mare and Stârc cenușiu, which are there all year round along with a surprising number of Pescăraș albastru.
From mid-to-late autumn until the spring, you can find large numbers of Rață pestriță, accompanied at different times by groups of Rață cu cap castaniu and/or Rață moțată and, to a lesser extent, Rață fluierătoare. Towards the back of the pond there should also be several Corcodel mic and perhaps some Corcodel mare.
If you stick around for an hour or more, you have a good chance of seeing the raptors that pass semi-regularly but usually briefly. Șoim călător, Vânturel roșu, Șorecar comun and Uliu păsărar are all realistic possibilities, and a Uliu porumbar has been known to frequent the far side of the pond.
Corvids - mainly Cioară neagră, Cioară de semănătură and Corb - congregate nearby in winter and will pass over the pond at various points during the day without necessarily hanging around. There are several Ciocănitoare pestriță mare in the vicinity. Ciocănitoare neagră can also be found, though not as easily as in the past.
Passerines that you have a good chance of encountering include Pițigoi mare, Pițigoi albastru, Pițigoi sur, Țiclean and Scatiu. In winter, you'll probably hear Sturz de vâsc and Cocoșar too.
Details
Access
Étang du Karpfenloch is about 6 km northeast of the city center of Strasbourg. The pond is right next to a car park that shouldn't ever be full (there's more space on the road if necessary). Press P on the map for directions. You can also cycle here quite easily, but there's no public transport. If you're already in Robertsau then it's not too far to walk here from Parc de Pourtales.