The coastal landscape of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, so diverse and varied, is appreciated not only by vacationers and residents, but also by a wide variety of animals who enjoy this idyllic natural setting. A special natural spectacle occurs every year from September through October when the cranes stop here on their way south. Bades Huk is the ideal place to watch these remarkable birds as they rest and to explore other breathtakingly beautiful natural landscapes along the Baltic Sea coast from here.
The first cranes have already arrived in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. By the end of October, tens of thousands of cranes from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe will be resting between the Baltic Sea coast and the Lake District before the so-called “Dancers of the North” continue their journey to their wintering grounds in France and Spain. In particular, the “Darß-Zingster Boddenkette and Rügen” region, with its shallow waters, is one of the most important stopover sites in all of Europe for these majestic birds.
Aussichtsplattformen an Land
The Vorpommern Bodden landscape, with its numerous resting and feeding grounds, is considered a paradise for migratory birds. The uninhabited island of Kirr, south of the Baltic Sea resort of Zingst, is particularly popular among these “birds of happiness.” You can reach it from Bades Huk in two hours. Two observation stations offer visitors a direct view of the island’s salt marshes and tidal creeks, which are used annually by several thousand cranes as roosting and resting places. At the Crane Information Van on the dike west of the Baltic Sea resort, interested visitors can get additional information about these large birds from park rangers.
From the accessible observation deck at Pramort, nature lovers have a direct view of the Werder and Bock archipelago, which is also a popular gathering spot for the birds. Anyone wishing to witness the cranes’ evening return there will need a National Park Card, which can be purchased at the Kurhaus Zingst for ten euros. On the mainland, these large birds can also be observed during the day. The accessible “Kranorama” observation station at Günzer Lake offers the best conditions for this; it is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. starting September 1 and is about a two-hour walk from Bades Huk.
For more information: www.kraniche.de
Crane-Watching Boat Tours on the Bodden
Experience nature up close and get up close and personal with the cranes. The Hiddensee Shipping Company offers crane-watching tours led by an expert from the NABU Crane Center in Groß Mohrdorf. Every Tuesday, the tour through the Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park departs from Schaprode on Rügen. From Bades Huk, you should allow about two hours for the trip. On board the modern Bodden cruisers, facts about the lives of these migratory birds are presented on large screens and flat-screen TVs. Those with a nostalgic streak can take part in crane-watching tours on the Bodstedter and Barther Bodden aboard the paddle-wheel steamers MS Baltic Star or MS River Star, operated by the Poschke shipping company. The Rasche shipping company also offers observation cruises across the Bodstedt Bodden. Interested visitors can join the guided tour from Prerow Tuesday through Sunday, or from Born every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
For more information: www.reederei-poschke.de, www.reederei-hiddensee.de, www.fahrgastschiff-darss.de
Noch mehr Informationen auf www.auf-nach-mv.de/kraniche.
