NSG Windheimer Marsch

Summary

NSG Windheimer Marsch is a vital bird haven with six gravel pit lakes, reed beds, and wet grasslands. It supports numerous rare water and wading birds, including white storks, providing crucial breeding and resting grounds.

Description

The Windheimer Marsch Nature Reserve is a significant part of the Natura 2000 'Weseraue' bird sanctuary. This unique landscape features six large lakes formed from gravel extraction, complemented by natural shorelines, shallow areas, peninsulas, and extensive reed beds. The area also includes diverse habitats such as extensively used wet grasslands, grassland fallows, tall herb communities, riparian woodlands with willow bushes, and fragments of alder forest. These varied structures make it an invaluable year-round habitat for a wide array of bird species. It serves as a crucial breeding, feeding, moulting, resting, and overwintering site for numerous water, wading, raptor, and songbirds. Many species found here are on the Red List of North Rhine-Westphalia. Notable residents include the Little Ringed Plover, Common Tern, Goosander, and a special highlight for the region: breeding White Storks. The reserve protects these vital habitats and their diverse wildlife due to their scientific, natural history, and regional significance, as well as the area's rarity and beauty.