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Schwedt / Oder (dpa / bb) - Whooper swans, wild geese and “flying gems” can be discovered these days in the Lower Odertal National Park (Barnim / Uckermark).

Several hundred whooper swans are already out and about at the turn of the year, as head Dirk Treichel said.

The swans are at home in Eastern Europe and Siberia and are among the traditional winter guests in the national park, which has existed for 25 years.

The traditional Singschwantage in the Lower Oder Valley, which is popular with visitors, has now been canceled for the second time.

They were scheduled from January 29th to 31st and were canceled due to the corona pandemic.

At the beginning of 2020 they were canceled because there were hardly any birds to be found.

But there are currently a number of other birds to be seen in the Lower Oder Valley - Germany's only floodplain national park with its huge expanses of water;

including kingfishers - also known as flying gems because of their jewel-like blue plumage -, cranes and sea eagles.

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"If you have binoculars or a telescope with you, you can discover some exotic species," says Treichel.

According to the 52-year-old national park manager, rangers spotted red-necked geese around two weeks ago.

The bird with the Latin name Branta ruficollis actually overwinters much further south, for example in the Danube Delta.

Barnacle geese, also known as barnacle geese, have been staying in the national park during the winter months for around 10 to 15 years.

In the national park, visitors can also listen to the ringing of the golden bell, says Treichel.

The duck species with the white spot on the face above the beak is concentrated strongly in the Lower Oder Valley.

The bird got its name because its wings generate a whistling or ringing sound when in flight.

Visitors could hear this when the ducks fly overhead.

The national park is accessible to visitors at any time - due to the corona, the visitor center and the national park house with its exhibition are currently closed.

Guided tours are not offered.

Dogs must be kept on a leash in the national park area, and according to Treichel: "No noise, no fire, so as not to worry the birds".

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Tens of thousands of wild geese such as white-fronted geese and bean geese can also be seen in the Lower Oder Valley.

And, quite unusual for this time of year, gray geese.

They actually wintered in France or Spain, but because of the mild climate, the birds no longer leave, Treichel knows.

There are currently several hundred cranes in the park.

They too actually move to southern Spain or even South Africa in the cold months.

“More and more people are deciding to stay active here,” says Treichel.

That would be a certain risk in case of a hard winter.

"For the cranes that come down from the north, this is Mallorca".

Lower Oder Valley National Park