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Small lowland nature reserve along a Rhine tributary, the river Selz, with associated ponds and marshes. Situated among the open Rhenish-Hessian hill country.
The small river Selz has been renaturalised at this reserve. Along with an area of flooded marshes, reedbeds, ponds, grassland and scattered riverine woodland, some regionally scarce breeders are present and over the years a wide variety of passage and winter birds have been recorded. Over 200 species are now on the reserve list. A concerted effort in Spring on a good day can produce 70 species at the reserve and along the river.
The main attraction for most will be spring and summer reedbed visitors, such as Gușă vânătă, Grelușel de stuf and Erete de stuf. Lăcar mare has become more regular and Pițigoi de stuf appears to have recently colonised. Boicuș has bred but nowadays has generally reduced to being a scarce migrant. There is a Stârc cenușiu colony and scarcer relatives such as Stârc de noapte, Egretă mică, Stârc pitic, Stârc roșu and Buhai de baltă have all been recorded in recent years, some regularly.
Passage waders can be found on the pools or flooded grasslands, but this is heavily dependent on weather and water level conditions. More regular are Fluierar de zăvoi, Fluierar de mlaștină, Fluierar cu picioare roșii Fluierar cu picioare verzi, Fugaci de țărm, Bătăuș and Fluierar negru but local scarcities such as Sitar de mal, Culic mic, Fugaci roșcat, Fugaci pitic and even Notatiță cu cioc lat have all been recorded.
Cocor , Barză albă and Barză neagră are regular visitors. The woodlands hold good numbers of Privighetoare roșcată and Grangur. Ciocănitoare de stejar has recently colonised the area. Cucuvea and Ciuf de pădure breed, as does Șoimul rândunelelor, Gaie roșie and Gaie neagră.
Wildfowl numbers build up modestly in Spring and Autumn with Rață mică being the most easily encountered. Visibility can be a challenge with reeds obscuring the pools, so try using a scope from higher ground. In most winters, singles or low numbers of wild geese are recorded among the resident groups of Gâscă de vară, the most regular being Gârliță mare. Fâsă de munte is regular on passage and sometimes winter.
Limited free parking is available at a couple of small paved areas next to the L432 between Hahnheim and Sörgenloch. This road is also on a bus-route (652) with the nearest bus-stop at Wahlheimer Hof to the east of the reserve, or alternatively at Sörgenloch to the west. A path, paved only on most of the southern side, circumvents the pools, grassland, and reedbeds. Cycling the southern edge is possible, but other stretches are higher grass or muddy depending on conditions.
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