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Tuesday 5 January 2016

Red Kites, White Tailed Eagles we visit Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

“Where”! we hear you call.
 Lübeck is minutes from the former Eastern Germany, today of course there is no border just a    roadside information board marking this former Historic crossing point into the GDR. We headed for Rostock in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Following as close to the Baltic coast as possible we followed what is now Germany’s longest coast line at 354km, Lübeck to Usedom on the Polish border.
We passed by Wismar with it’s faded Gothic red brick architecture, on through Rostock.We ate fish and chips as we made our way out to Zingst. The land flat and marshy, a deep blue sky stretching away into the Baltic sea.
At Rügen we look out across the water to the car free Island of Hiddensee and pass through Binz, Rügen’s holiday capital. Lined with prettily painted period villas, of the German high society, shaded verandas and avenues of trees for summer shade.
We stopped at a small harbour, close to the community of Saal. This is the view we had over the 
Saaler Bodden and beyond the Baltic sea.


Wood anemones are now flowering in the Beech woodlands, Spring at last!
All around there are spacious forests of deciduous trees.


Out walking we caught sight of a male Redstart, returning from a Winter in Africa.
What a journey he has made to be in Mecklenburg!


Far out over the Saaler Bodden we were lucky to see a WhiteTailed Eagle pursuing Shelducks, which are not small birds themselves!


Further Inland Red Kites perch in the trees, ever watching for food. A Hooded crow gets lucky when it finds a frog, only to become the hunted as the Red Kite threatens for the meal.


On the second pass the Red Kite had won the tussle and taken the Frog, it can be seen disintegrating!


Supper on the wing.


Another special day comes to a close.


A fitting end to our journey through Germany, as the sunset reflects the colours found in the German national Flag.

Flag of Germany (state).svg


Time has stood still for years here, avenues of beautiful specimen trees still line many roads, some still cobbled, but all is changing fast.

Otto von Bismarck, once said.

“When the end of the World comes, I shall go to Mecklenburg because there everything happens a hundred years later.”

For us it is time to hit that road, heading for home with great memories.


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