Hesse - Click to view more

In the Hesse region, the migration of Common Cranes has been followed since 1987.
In Autumn and spring, 20 to 25 people count the migrating cranes every day. Martin Kraft sends the results of the counts to the migration specialists every evening through the list « grus-grus ».
These counts are very important for the survey of cranes in Europe and particularly in autumn for France as the birds which are seen in the Hesse region will normally then head towards the north-east of France (Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne).

To get an optimal visibility, the counts are made from several places situated on higher elevations, between 300 and 400 metres above see level around Marbourg, on a 70- kilometre long line roughly centred on Marbourg, between Alsfeld (40 km east of Marbourg) and Herborn (30 km south-west of Marbourg).

The most important of these places are the roof of the Department of biology in the Marburg Lahn mountain (some 400 metres above see level), the Marburger Hasenkopf, west of Marbourg (340 metres) and the Altenberg in Odenhausen in the Lahn valley, about 17 km south of Marbourg (300 metres).

Informations : Martin Kraft.

• Historic of all crane counts on the main European sites (the page opens on the counts at Lac du Der. Use the tabs at the bottom of the page to display another site)