 |
|
|
|||||||||||
 |
The Information Centre |
 |
The nature preserve |
|
|
Maps |
|
|
Pictures |
|
|
List of Birds |
|
|
Contact |
Kühkopf-KnoblochsaueNature Reserve Stockstadt/Hesse The nature reserve of Kühkopf - Knoblochsaue near the town of Stockstadt/Rhine is a wonderful oasis of peace within a highly urbanised area. It is part of the Oberrhein which, during the past 100 years has seen growing industrialisation and an ever increasing population. The result has been a big squeeze on the remaining areas of natural interest and beauty. An exception to this creeping industrialisation has been the creation of this nature reserve. It covers an area of approximately 2,370 hectares (as a comparison - just about the same number of football pitches). The reserve is one of the largest and most important refuges for nature in the Land of Hessen. Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue itself is a huge biotope of wet meadows and marshy woodland. We see areas of water, mud banks, extensive reedbeds, brackish pools, flower meadows, hedges, scrubland, copses and forest, all creating a complex and diverse habitat for a vast number of life forms. The dramatic changes in water levels help to create and maintain the character and diversity of the place and the virtually untouched areas of wetland and marshy woodland are home to many endangered species of plants, insects and birds. During the annual migration, most of the rare species of bird rest in this oasis on their way north and east in the springtime and south in the autumn. Because of this the reserve has been honoured by the award of the title "Europareservat" or Europe reserve, by UNESCO. This reflects the importance of the reserve in the area of bird protection.Kühkopf as it exists today was created by the diversion of the Rhine in 1828/29. The main flow of the river is now to the west of the reserve - but this area was seen then and remains to this day as a natural retention area where flooding can safely occur during high water on the Rhine. The black kite - symbol of the reserve The black kite is the symbol of Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue. Threatened as it is in most of Germany, here it has been given a chance of survival and has grasped the chance with huge success. Here you will find the largest number of black kite breeding in any one area of central Europe. The black kite is easily recognised by its elegant, gently swaying flight and its lightly forked tail. They are often seen hovering over prey In many parts of the reserve and surrounding fields and woodlands. Its larger relative the red kite, which also breeds on the reserve, is more colourful and has a much more pronounced forked tail. On the annual migration, the black kite returns in March from Africa to the breeding grounds of central Europe. In springtime they can be seen displaying at great heights over the reserve. The female lays 2 to 3 eggs which are hatched in about 28 days. Male and female birds take turns sitting on the nest until the young birds are ready to fly in 42 to 45 days. Look out for the nests on the highest trees; the black kite has a preference for old oaks with their gnarled and twisted wood, making it much easier to construct a nest within the protective mass of branches. The marshy woodlands are typical for Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue with willow woodlands giving way to extensive areas of reed. The white willows, along with other species, can stand up to 300 days per annum in water without any adverse effect. The willows are home to a wide variety of birds and a species list covering the whole of the reserve is attached. One of the many attractions of the woodlands are the wonderful carpets of flowers covering forest floor. Ramsons (Allium ursinum) or Bärlauch in German, and Alpine squill (Scilla bifolia) or Blaustern together create a sea of colour in April and May. The wet meadows as found here are becoming a rarity. On the reserve we find a large variety of endangered plant species such as milk parsley, creeping buttercup and numerous species of violet. Many species of bird breed here - in total 104, plus 60 species of visitors and 47 species of rare visitors. Insects and reptiles are here in vast numbers too, including 1500 types of beetle arid even 24 species of dragonfly. The reserve has many kilometres of footpaths with views into the protected areas which are strictly out of bounds to the public at large. There is also a hide overlooking an area of reed and wet meadow which invariably has something of interest for the ornithologist. In the spring time with the black kites wheeling overhead along with buzzard and possibly honey buzzard and certainly marsh harder, the reserve weaves a magic spell on the visitor. The willow woodlands echo to the sound of marsh and willow tit and the icterene warblers, blackcap and chiffchaff add to the cacophony of sound. The drumming of the great spotted woodpecker and the unmistakable yelping call, kee-aa, kee-aa, kee-aa, of the black woodpecker make this place something really special. Add to this the infinite variety of wild flowers and the bright yellow flash of the golden oriole, the grating of the black redstart around the information centre and farrn buildings and you are captured forever - the wish to return to Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue will certainly become reality again at some time in the future.
(Translation taken from the information leaflet produced by Hessisches Forstamt Groß-Gerau |