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Birds on the Island of Rügen, Germany

Summer Holiday, 26th June to 3rd July, 1999

Rügen is Germany's largest island. It is located in the Baltic Sea at 54.5°N, 13.5°E.

Map

The trip was a family holiday trip so birding activities were kept at a low level. Most of the birds mentioned below were just birds which I couldn't avoid noticing as they dropped by. During the week, I saw or heard 71 bird species which is more than I had expected with the low activity level in mind.

Major sites visited

Nonnensee (NS)
Nonnensee is a first-class waterfowl spot located northwest of Bergen, immediately north of the intersection between E22 and the road from Bergen to Gingst. There's a parking ground accessible from E22. The lake was reestablished in 1994 when it was decided not to repair a malfunctioning pump station. During the first two years, 55 water-bound bird species were observed at the lake, 23 were breeding. I saw about 30 species during 1½ hours of birding. I could have spent a full day following the trail round the lake. Don't miss it!
The tongue between Dranske and Bug (DB)
On the northwestern coast of Rügen. Parts of the Baltic Sea and Libben - the strait between Rügen and the island of Hiddensee - can be overviewed from the beach. The area form the northeastern corner of the "Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft" National Park.
Wieker Bodden (WB)
One of the coves - the "inner waters" of Rügen. Did a little birding from Kuhle and from the road between Dranske and Kuhle.
Bakenberg (BA)
Our base close to the northern coast of Rügen. Many birds were seen or heard in the Bakenberg Holiday Centre and in the wood between the Holiday Centre and the beach - simply because it was our base.
Kap Arkona (KA)
The "North Cape" of Rügen.
Jasmund National Park (JN)
Jasmund National Park is located on the eastern coast of Rügen north of Sassnitz. Tall beech wood and impressive chalk cliffs like Møns Klint in Denmark. Lots of Chaffinch's (Fringilla coelebs) in the beech wood - no surprise. What surprised me, was a singing Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix). I haven't heard a Wood Warbler that late before.
See also:
National & Nature Parks, Rügen.

Systematic list

English name (American name if it differs from the English by more than one of the adjectives "Common", "Eurasian", "European", or "Northern"), Scientific name, German name, Danish name - Notes

  1. Black-throated Diver (Arctic Loon), Gavia arctica, Prachttaucher, Sortstrubet Lom - 2 juveniles DB
  2. Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis, Zwergtaucher, Lille Lappedykker - 2-3 NS
  3. Great Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus, Haubentaucher, Toppet Lappedykker - Common NS
  4. Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena, Rothalstaucher, Gråstrubet Lappedykker - 1 NS
  5. Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, Kormoran, Skarv - Common, breeding colony in NS
  6. Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea, Graureiher, Fiskehejre - 1 JN, 1 WB
  7. Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Höckerschwan, Knopsvane - Common WB and NS, few seen elsewhere
  8. Greylag Goose, Anser anser, Graugans, Grågås - >100 NS
  9. Wigeon, Anas penelope, Pfeifente, Pibeand - 2 DB, common NS
  10. Gadwall, Anas strepera, Schnatterente, Knarand - >100 NS
  11. Teal (Green-winged Teal), Anas crecca, Krickente, Krikand - Common NS
  12. Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, Stockente, Gråand - Common
  13. Shoveler, Anas clypeata, Löffelente, Skeand - Few NS
  14. Pochard, Aythya ferina, Tafelente, Taffeland - Common NS
  15. Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, Reiherente, Troldand - Common NS
  16. Goosander (Common Merganser), Mergus merganser, Gänsesäger, Stor Skallesluger - 1 female WB
  17. Red Kite, Milvus milvus, Rotmilan, Rød Glente - 1 NS, 1 Gnies
  18. Buzzard, Buteo buteo, Mäusebussard, Musvåge - Fairly common
  19. Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, Turmfalke, Tårnfalk - 1 Wiek, 1 KA
  20. Coot, Fulica atra, Bläßhuhn, Blishøne - Common NS
  21. Lapwing, Vanellus vanellus, Kiebitz, Vibe - 2-3 NS, 3 Ralswiek
  22. Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus, Waldwasserläufer, Svaleklire - 2-3 NS
  23. Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus, Lachmöwe, Hættemåge - Common
  24. Common Gull (Mew Gull), Larus canus, Sturmmöwe, Stormmåge - Common WB, few seen elsewhere
  25. Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Silbermöwe, Sølvmåge - Common
  26. Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus, Heringsmöwe, Sildemåge - Few KA
  27. Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, Mantelmöwe, Svartbag - Few DB
  28. Sandwich Tern, Sterna sandvicensis, Brandseeschwalbe, Splitterne - Common
  29. Common Tern, Sterna hirundo, Flußseeschwalbe, Fjordterne - 1 WB
  30. Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus, Ringeltaube, Ringdue - Fairly common
  31. Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto, Türkentaube, Tyrkerdue - 1
  32. Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, Kuckuck, Gøg - Heard BA and WB
  33. Swift, Apus apus, Mauersegler, Mursejler - Common in towns and KA
  34. Skylark, Alauda arvensis, Feldlerche, Sanglærke - Abundant in open land
  35. Sand Martin (Bank Swallow), Riparia riparia, Uferschwalbe, Digesvale - Common
  36. Swallow (Barn Swallow), Hirundo rustica, Rauchschwalbe, Landsvale - Common
  37. House Martin, Delichon urbica, Mehlschwalbe, Bysvale - Common, breeding abundantly in the BA Holiday Centre
  38. White Wagtail, Motacilla alba alba, Bachstelze, Hvid Vipstjert - Common
  39. Wren (Winter Wren), Troglodytes troglodytes, Zaunkönig, Gærdesmutte - Common
  40. Thrush Nightingale, Luscinia luscinia, Sprosser, Nattergal - Heard BA
  41. Black Redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros, Hausrotschwanz, Husrødstjert - Breeding and common in the BA Holiday Centre
  42. Common Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Gartenrotschwanz, Rødstjert - 1 male BA
  43. Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra, Braunkehlchen, Bynkefugl - 1-2 NS
  44. Blackbird, Turdus merula, Amsel, Solsort - Common
  45. Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris, Wacholderdrossel, Sjagger - Common in the BA Holiday Centre
  46. Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos, Singdrossel, Sangdrossel - BA
  47. Sedge Warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Schilfrohrsänger, Sivsanger - 1 heard WB
  48. Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Teichrohrsänger, Rørsanger - Commonly heard WB, 1 heard Ralswiek
  49. Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca, Klappergrasmücke, Gærdesanger - 1 heard BA
  50. Common Whitethroat, Sylvia communis, Dorngrasmücke, Tornsanger - Common
  51. Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin, Gartengrasmücke, Havesanger - Heard DB and NS
  52. Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla, Mönchsgrasmücke, Munk - Commonly heard
  53. Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Waldlaubsänger, Skovsanger - 1 heard (!) JN
  54. Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, Zilpzalp, Gransanger - Commonly heard BA
  55. Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus, Fitis, Løvsanger - Commonly heard BA
  56. Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus, Blaumeise, Blåmejse - Few Juliusruh
  57. Great Tit, Parus major, Kohlmeise, Musvit - BA, NS
  58. Penduline Tit, Remiz pendulinus, Beutelmeise, Pungmejse - 1 male and 3-4 juveniles NS
  59. Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio, Neuntöter, Rødrygget Tornskade - DB, BA
  60. Jay, Garrulus glandarius, Eichelhäher, Skovskade - 1 BA
  61. Magpie (Black-billed Magpie), Pica pica, Elster, Husskade - Common
  62. Hooded Crow, Corvus cornix, Nebelkrähe, Gråkrage - Common
  63. Raven, Corvus corax, Kolkrabe, Ravn - Fairly common (JN, ~10 Gnies, etc)
  64. Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, Star, Stær - Common
  65. House Sparrow, Passer domesticus, Haussperling, Gråspurv - Abundant
  66. Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, Buchfink, Bogfinke - Common
  67. Greenfinch, Carduelis chloris, Grünling, Grønirisk - Few BA and Ralswiek
  68. Linnet, Carduelis cannabina, Hänfling, Tornirisk - Fairly common
  69. Common Rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus, Karmingimpel, Karmindompap - At least 2 in thicket at the beach at BA (1 brown and 1 red seen while singing), 1 heard DB
  70. Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella, Goldammer, Gulspurv - Abundant in open land
  71. Corn Bunting, Miliaria calandra, Grauammer, Kornværling - Abundant in open land

Birds not seen

As there are around 9000 species of birds in the world, this list could be very long and boring. However, two species deserve a comment:

Stig Linander, created: 1999-07-13, last revised: 2006-09-28