The Storks Are Returning Already

I thought this thread was going to be about Swiss women giving birth---not the actual stork!

Done that angle already.

Storks are soooo much yesterday, Flamingos (german link) are the new trend

At least on the Untersee, the western part of the Lake of Constance (Bodensee). Unfortunately, if they stay their feathers will turn white-ish sooner or later.

Been out to Altreu near Solothurn today and lots of baby storks in the nests there. Two, three and a couple of nests even had four babies in them. Looks like they’ve done well this year.

They must now be on their way back to somewhere warmer. These were at the end of my street in Meyrin this morning.

Think they’re getting ready to Gordon. We went to Altreu last weekend (end of August) and there were still some on the nests there. It’s difficult to tell exactly as they could also have just been off feeding in the fields of course so not sure whether they’ve now departed for the winter or are still here.

Great pics btw, thanks for posting them.

I've never seen them here before so I assume that they're just resting on their way south. They are quite close to the end of the GVA runway and will have to cross the flight path as they head south. I hope they take care!

They could well be heading south in that case Gordon. With the weather on the turn I expect their instincts are telling them it’s time to start their long journeys.

Saw a couple of storks in the fields between Estavayer-le-Lac and Payerne today. Not sure if they overwintered here or are on their way back to wherever they’re going.

I saw them near Payerne on Christmas Eve, #2 son has an atelier by the airfield and says he often spots them there. It seems likely they’ve stayed on due to the mild weather until a couple of weeks ago.
There was a field of 20’ish white egrets nearby too.

We’ve seen them pretty much year round for the past few years so I don’t think they’re migrating at all these days.

Yeah, a sign at Altreu said that I think about 60% stayed in Switzerland over last winter.

We get s lot of storks in the south of the Ammersee where the lake has silted up leaving a flat squelchy-swampy expanse of farmland, ideal for storks and other wetland loving birds. Sometimes you get flocks of storks and it’s awesome to watch them.

Driving past IENA today there were already storks starting to nest there.

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Are there? That’ll please hubby. He goes down each week to see and photograph them while they’re around.

I saw at least 4 of them this morning.

Saw a couple of storks in a field next to the Marin centre near Neuchâtel yesterday afternoon.
I’ve never seen them there before.

I clicked on this thread thinking someone was breaking the news that they are up the duff…

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Today we sat on the balcony in T shirts and shorts in the sun, in this high valley. A bat flew by several times…it’s been so warm and sunny that they have come out of hibernation looking for water and food(!) And then a butterfly flew by.

I hate to ask, but my curiosity compels me to. Are butterflies aka bat food?