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Knielinger See

Baden-Württemberg  >  Germany

A large, accessible lake near the river Rhine. Interesting all year round, but especially in winter with large numbers of wintering ducks and the odd rarity.

Added* by Sam S.
Most recent update 13 December 2021

Description

The Knielinger See is one of many former gravel pits along the river Rhine and the largest waterbody in or around the city of Karlsruhe. It is easily accessible with good paths and numerous viewpoints. In winter, the lake hosts a large number of wintering ducks, grebes, herons, swans and geese. These include Gadwall , Tufted Duck , Common Pochard , Eurasian Wigeon , Common Goldeneye , Northern Shoveler , Common Teal , Little Grebe and Great Crested Grebe. There are always a good variety of species present and rarer species such as Northern Pintail, Red-crested Pochard, Greater Scaup, Garganey, Velvet Scoter, Red-throated Diver, Pygmy Cormorant, Red-breasted Merganser, Black-necked Grebe, Red-necked Grebe , Slavonian Grebe, Long-tailed Duck, Ring-necked Duck and Common Eider have all been seen here before.

In spring and summer the lake itself is quieter, although there are still many interesting birds around: Common Tern can be seen fishing and rarer terns such as Black Tern are possible. Black Kite are frequently seen in spring and summer. The woodlands and meadows surrounding the lake are home to a good number of species, such as Black Woodpecker , Eurasian Green Woodpecker and Spotted Flycatcher. Warbler species such as Garden Warbler or Blackcap can be heard in spring, along with Common Nightingale.

Details

Access

The area is best explored by bike or on a 6 km circular walk. There are three car parks, each within short walking distance of good viewpoints. The tram stop "Maxau" is ideally located for those using public transport (S5 / S51 trams from Karlsruhe Hbf).

Terrain and Habitat

Forest , Lake

Conditions

Flat , High water possible

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

All year round , Winter , Spring

Best time to visit

Winter

Route

Wide path , Narrow trail

Difficulty walking trail

Average walk

Accessible by

Foot , Bicycle

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

Links

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Map

Top 5 birds

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