Birdwatching at the Groß Schauen chain of lakes

Start / Finish: Naturgut Köllnitz
Length / Duration: 23 kilometers, 1.5 hours
Nature of the path / route: mainly paved paths
Course: Naturgut Köllnitz, Groß Schauener See, Groß Schauen, Schaplowsee, Wochowsee, Groß Selchower See, Bugk, Bugker See, Schwerin, Selchow, Naturgut Köllnitz 

Route description

The ornithological tour begins at Naturgut Köllnitz, which not only houses an exhibition by the Heinz Sielmann Foundation, but also offers the first observation opportunities directly on the jetty. On the Köllnitz stream, grey wagtails walk over the stone embankments, while common terns hunt for fish over the lake. With a bit of luck, ospreys or white-tailed eagles can be seen here.

A 3-kilometre nature trail leads south from the parking lot. The trail runs parallel to the shore of Großer Schauener See and first crosses a dense forest where great spotted woodpeckers, black woodpeckers and treecreepers can be observed all year round. Information boards along the trail provide information about the flora and fauna of the region.

Behind the forest, the landscape opens up with sweeping views over the lake. The path continues to the Selchow observation tower on the Großer Wochowsee - an ideal place to watch ospreys circling over the water with powerful wings in the summer months on the hunt for prey. With a little patience, bearded tits can be spotted in the reed beds along the shore, climbing skillfully through the stalks. The bittern is also at home here, but usually remains hidden in the reeds and only gives itself away with its characteristic muffled call, which is reminiscent of blowing into an empty bottle.

The hedges and strips of bushes to the north of the observation tower are a habitat for red-backed shrikes, yellowhammers and corn buntings. There is a QR code from “ornitho.de” on the tower itself, which displays an up-to-date list of the most recently spotted bird species.

A detour leads to the eastern side of the chain of lakes to the village of Bugk on Lake Bugk. The “Bugk Sahara” stretches out here, an unusual dune landscape with open sandy areas. The sparse pine forests are home to mistle thrushes, tree pipits, redstarts and wrynecks. Black woodpeckers can often be heard and observed here.

Additional tips

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  Live cam: A webcam transmits live images from an eagle's nest on the Groß Schauen chain of lakes.
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  Other tours: The birdwatching areas can also be explored by bike - for example on the “Eagle meets zander” route or the “Three Lakes Cycle Route”, which passes several osprey nests.
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  Refreshment stops: Naturgut Köllnitz offers regional specialties, including fresh fish from sustainable fisheries.