Birdwatching on the Oder near Neuzelle

The Oder lowlands between Ratzdorf and Eisenhüttenstadt are a vast floodplain with first-class opportunities for bird watching. Meadow birds, birds of prey and numerous migratory birds use the wet meadows and still water areas as breeding or resting places. A visit is particularly worthwhile during migration and in winter to discover rare species.

Start / Finish: Neuzelle Monastery
Length / Duration: 8 kilometers, 2 hours
Road condition / route development: mostly paved paths
Course: Neuzelle Monastery, Monastery Garden, Portgraben, Oderwiesen, Oder, Waschhausweg, Portgraben, Monastery Garden, Neuzelle Monastery

Directions
The approximately 7,5 km long hike from Neuzelle into the lowlands to the Oder dike starts at the beautiful Cistercian monastery of Neuzelle. From the monastery square, the path goes through the monastery garden to the Waschhausweg, which you follow through the lowlands to the Oder dike. During the breeding season, you can hear numerous meadow birds courting or singing. The lapwing is the most notable, and of the songbirds, the grasshopper warbler, corn bunting, black redstart, meadow pipit and yellow wagtail breed in the wet meadows.

In the cold season, large flocks of geese can be found in the fields and wet meadows, mostly greylag geese, white-fronted geese and bean geese. If you look carefully, you will occasionally spot whooper swans among the mute swans. Attentive observers may notice a great grey shrike here and there, which, unlike all its relatives, stays with us over the winter and increases in number thanks to guests from the north. Hen harriers are also regular winter guests.

During migration, numerous species of birds stay in the lowlands and on the Oder. Green Sandpipers, Wood Sandpipers, Ruffs, Greenshanks and Common Snipe are guests in the lowlands in rapidly changing numbers. Whinchats also move on; they have all disappeared from the region as breeding birds.

The Oder dam offers a wonderful view of the areas near the river bank, where the numerous groynes create still water areas. Depending on the water level, there is a good chance of seeing many water birds such as goosander and goldeneye. The common sandpiper has already bred here. Birds of prey include white-tailed eagles, and marsh harriers, black kites and ospreys hunt between May and August.

The wryneck, nightingale, tree pipit and probably also the middle spotted woodpecker breed in the wooded area by the dam. The wryneck feeds mainly on lawn ants, which it finds in abundance along the Oder dam.

To continue the circular route, leave the Oder dam again towards Waschhausweg and turn right to the northwest immediately on the landward side of the dyke. The path leads along the dyke for about 400 m, then turn left and walk west through the lowlands. After another 300 m, take the path that branches off to the left, which leads back to Waschhausweg and to Neuzelle.

The Landhaushotel Prinz Albrecht, right next to the monastery lake, is the perfect place to stop for refreshment. Alternatively, you can also stop off at the nearby monastery inn or stock up on home-brewed beer at the monastery brewery.