Storks - Good stork year in Sachsen-Anhalt expected
During the time when most storks are making their first flying attempts, signs of a very good stork year are emerging. "The weather was very favorable," said Michael Kaatz, the manager of Storchenhof Loburg. It had been raining and sunny in turns. Many nests were occupied. "In general, we assume that it will be a good stork year." In some regions, record-breaking numbers have already been reported, Kaatz said. It currently looks very good in the Landkreis Salzwedel.
The previous year had also started off promisingly, but due to the drought in May and June, many young ones had died. The Storchenhof Loburg's balance sheet for 2023 was therefore only average. Last year, some Storks were found that had eaten plastic and rubber bands and died from it.
The favorable weather conditions, with periods of rain and sunshine, are beneficial for agriculture in Saxony-Anhalt, providing essential nutrients for the crops that coexist with nature protection areas. The high occupancy rate of stork nests indicates a positive correlation between weather conditions and the success of the stork population, contributing to an anticipated increase in stork numbers this year. Michael Kaatz, of Storchenhof Loburg, expressed hope that the current positive trends in Stork populations would also reflect positively on their future balance sheet, aiming to overcome the challenges faced last year due to plastic and rubber band ingestion by some Storks.
