The Cranes Make Their Appearance in the Brenne Regional Park
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We’re getting towards the start of the crane season. Every year tens of thousands of birds pass through the Brenne, and they are easy to see in the late autumn and winter and often provide for an unforgettable spectacle.
The very first birds appear in early to mid October, their numbers gradually increase to reach a peak in mid to late November, and by Christmas or New Year, many have moved farther south as the amount of waste grain in the maize stubbles is exhausted; although some birds remain throughout the winter. They gather to roost for the night at preferred sites often coming together by the thousand.
From mid-November until mid-December the site of many thousands coming and going to their roost, sometimes against a very colourful sunset, can be a truly unforgettable site, the maximum seen together is an incredible 35,000. At this period of the year, it is impossible not to see many hundreds if visiting the right areas; to this end up-to-date information is available from the Maison de la Nature near St.-Michel-en-Brenne or at the Maison de Parc visitor centre near Rosnay.
There are many B&Bs and holiday cottages in the area, below is a list of a few very close to the crane area. While staying there it’s quite possible to see birds flying over in V formation from the front door, sometimes many times a day.
And of course, there is much more to see. Use any of the many public hides to watch various species and look for species that are rare in Britain – Black-winged Kite, Crested Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Cirl Bunting…
For more information look at the Parc website: https://www.parc-naturel-brenne.fr or contact: Tony Williams at [email protected]
Recommend accommodation includes:
- Bed and Breakfast “Prieuré de Loup” – 5 rooms
Tel. 00 33 (0)6 81 24 29 50 / www.chambre-hotes-le-prieure.fr
- Cottage and Bed and Breakfast “Domaine Cœur de Brenne” – 2 rooms and a 20-person cottage
Tel. 00 33 (0)6 99 14 29 29 / www.domainecoeurdebrenne.fr
Lead photo credit : La Brenne: Terre de grues
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