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- Lake Der in summer
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- The Gadwall is one of our breeding ducks
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- Common Pochard
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- Tufted Ducks in July
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- You may see the first Common Cranes in August
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- Lake Der is a regular stopover for Black Storks and a few pairs nest in the nearby forests.
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- Little Egret, now a common breeding bird.
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- Black-crowned Night-herons are quite easy to see in summer.
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- Greenshank, one of the 15+ species of waders you can expect to see in August-September
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- Ruffs are common in August-September
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- The Water Rail can sometimes be seen along the reedbeds, especially early in the morning or in the evening.
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- The European Turtle-dove is not uncommon in this area. It is still present in August.
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- August and September are the best months to look for Ospreys at lake Der
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- Marsh Harrier, un uncommon breeding bird and a rather common migrant
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- August is a good month to see the Eurasian Hooby hunting dragonflies and swallow.
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- Red-backed Shrikes are rather common but they leave in August
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- Woodchat Shrike, a rare breeding bird here.
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- The Yellow Wagtail is a common summer visitor
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- Common Redstart, a common village bird.
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- The Golden Oriole is common but it may be quite difficult to see well.
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- Eurasian reed warbler, a common breeding bird and migrant
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- The Common Linnet is a common bird here
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- The Corn Bunting is common in some places near the lake.
In most birdwatchers’ mind, lake Der is associated with huge flocks of Common Cranes leaving lake Der early in the morning in October and inNovember or with Bewick’s and mute Swans or a White-tailed Eagle in winter. But lake Der area is also probably one of the best birding spots in France and even in Europe throughout the year and, thanks to the variety of landscapes we have in a small area (the lake itself, marshes and reedbeds, pastures and hedges, old oak forests…) you can expect to see quite a lof of “nice” species even on a hot summer day. We usually see between 40 and 50 species of birds on a half-day trip and sometimes more than70 or 80 species on a whole-day trip.
Nesting birds here include Greylag Goose, Purple Heron, Little, Great and Cattle Egrets, Black-crowned Night-heron, Marsh, Hen and Montagu’s Harriers, Black Kite, Eurasian Honey-buzzard, Eurasian Hobby, Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gulls, Common Tern, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Black, Middle and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Golden Oriole, Red-backed and and even Woodchat Skrikes, Bluethroat, Savi’s Warbler and Greater Reed-warbler, Common and Black Redstarts and many more species. The “events” this year are the second breeding od Whiskered Terns (at least 3 pairs) and the first long awaited breeding of a pair of White-tailed Eagles!
As lake Der is an artificial lake intended to regulate the course of the river Seine, its level goes down by some 5 cm a day in summer and, in August, it becomes an important stopover for migratory birds including lots of waders but also Black Storks and Ospreys and some more irregular visitors such as a Short-toed Snake-eagle, a Caspian Tern or a Eurasian Spoonbill.
As you see, lake Der is worth a visit in summer.
To book your half-day or whole-day birdwatching trip: 003 368 409 806 or contact@birder.fr
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