-Wild nature on the “island with shore leave”-.

Sylt is located in the middle of the world’s only huge Wadden Sea National Park! Sylt is an island with land access and is connected to the coast via the Hindenburg Dam. Whoever braves the storm and the tides here between fresh water, brackish water and salt water is a real adaptation artist!

Rantum – Birdlife in the Wadden Sea

The Rantum Basin was actually intended as a water aerodrome – and is now one of the interesting mixed habitats of salt and freshwater biotopes. More than 30 bird species breed here – the open water, mudflats and salt marshes are ideal terrain for many birds. North Sea water enters the basin through a sluice (a passageway in the dike) and so the precinct remains overall salt-freshwater mixed habitat. We observe wigeon, red-throated diver, oystercatcher, dunlin, sanderling, gannet – when the sun is lower and offers perfect light for a bird photo safari.

Practice: You are interested in a voluntary year in the field of nature conservation? Then you’ve come to the right place. In this program, we’ll first tell you about our tasks on site and you’ll learn what’s so special about the Rantum Basin. Then it’s off into the field for you, you can try out for yourself the tasks of a* bird warden*. In teams, you are then to create “species lists”. At the end, we’ll go over together which species you found and which team was able to discover the most species.

Research: During a bird-watching tour on the dike of the Rantum Basin, participants learn about a new action project to protect seabirds in particular: Helgoland is home to Germany’s only seabird colony. The population is threatened by macroplastic/net and line debris, as gannets, for example, use this material to build nests, but often become entangled in it and die. Technologiezentrum Westküste, Alfred Wegener Institute and Vogelwarte Helgoland have started a research conservation project, about which extensive information will be provided during our tour. All participants can find out how to get involved in protecting animals.

Images: © © Aurelia e.V.