› Worth knowing European Stork Village Storchenland Brandenburg The name “Rühstädt” probably aludes to the last “Ruhestätte” Rühstädt on Elbe Visitor Centre Rühstädt (resting place) of the von Quitzow family, whose members NABU-Exhibition „Weltenbummler Adebar“ were buried in the crypta of the church. Since 1996 the village Business hours holds the title of “European Stork Village”, being the only one April till September daily 10 - 18 h in Germany and one among ten in Europe. There is no other Guided tours of the exhibition, the Stork Village and Elbe village in Germany with so many storks breeding in the same lowlands for groups of 10 or more people are available in place. any seasons. › Accessibility Contact by train (regional train RE4 Ludwigsfelde – Berlin – Witten- Visitor Centre Rühstädt berge/Wismar) to Bad Wilsnack. From there by bicycle or public Neuhausstraße 9, 19322 Rühstädt bus to Rühstädt. Visitor Centre Tel. (03 87 91) 980 25 Captions to map Verkehrsgesellschaft (Public Transport Association) Prignitz: NABU Tel. (03 87 91) 980 24 Suggested tour of Rühstädt, starting Schlosspark – Castle Park and ending at the visitor centre. Teich – Pond phone +49 (0)3876 / 789940, www.vgp-prignitz.de or “Prignitz- Naturwacht Tel. (03 87 91) 980 22 Storchenreicher Ausblick – Best view Bänke am Ufer – Benches (at the Castle reisen” Minibus Services phone +49 (0)38791 / 6221 [email protected] of stork nests pond) Sitzbank – Bench Walter Fritze Fotopunkt – Walter Fritze photo spot by car via Federal Road B5 (Berlin – Perleberg) to Kletzke or via For those who wish to know more, go to Besucherzentrum – Visitor Centre Speicher – Storehouse Federal Road B107 (Pritzwalk – Havelberg) to the crossing with www.NABU-Brandenburg.de Storchenhaus – Stork House Pfarrhaus – Parsonage Federal Road B5, go on towards Kletzke. From there via Bad www.naturwacht.de Schloss (Hotel) – Castle (Hotel) Trafohäuschen – Transformer house Wilsnack, Legde, Abbendorf, Gnevsdorf to Rühstädt. www.bioshaerenreservat-flusslandschaft-elbe.brandenburg.de www.dieprignitz.de › Parking at the visitor centre. Stops for refreshments Storchenhof Inn, Storchenkrug Inn Imprint and Rosenhof Inn. Published by NABU Brandenburg Resting spots Benches are offerred in the courtyard and in Haus der Natur • Lindenstraße 34 • 14467 Potsdam • Tel. (03 31) 20 155 70 front of the Visitor Centre, in the Castle Park, in “Am Brink” road [email protected] • www.NABU-Brandenburg.de and at the church. Fotos: Carsten Rasmus, Kathleen Awe Karte und Text: © KLARAS-Verlag Carsten Rasmus, aus: Erlebnisführer Störche in Brandenburg. KLARAS-Verlag Berlin, 2003. Design: © satzwerk Birgit Großmann. Gedruckt auf Recyclingpapier This publication was financially supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. European Stork Village Landesverband Brandenburg Rühstädt on Elbe Landesverband Brandenburg When following “Neu- ble stucco ceilings and tile stoves Road). Several barns with two hausstraße” towards from the Rococo period. There is nests each are popular pho- lbe the village, you will a park adjacent to the castle and tographic subjects along this discover another nest stretching along an old cut-off part of the tour. The walk con- E on top of a barn. After meander of the Elbe River which tinues towards the church. llage N their arrival in spring, is worth a visit for its giant red- When looking from the ce- the occupants of this wood, the ice house mound and metery at the church to the VI O nest often engage in benches at the Castle Pond. left hand side the nest on the fights against the cou- Two nesting aids are installed on transformer house can be rk dt ple from the visitor the old storehouse and horse seen. Stork regurgitated pel- O Ä centre. These fights stable which is the largest out- lets containing non-digestible T won’t cease before building of the former estate. On remains of food and feathers S the onset of breeding. the right side of the storehouse are frequently found on the hst When ringing young you will find the “Walter Fritze ground in front of that buil- storks began in the vil- photo spot”, a balcony on the ding. RÜ lage in late June 2000, an egg was discovered in the nest on top second floor that was opened The nest on top of the par- pean of the “Bauernmuseum” (Farm Museum). The breeding season in 2007 to offer a beautiful view sonage behind the church is being advanced, the chances for the unhatched egg appeared of Rüstädt’s rooftops and at least comparatively new. In 2002, a O rather bleak. Nevertheless, the young stork did fine at first. But ten stork nests. When in front of pair of storks decided to nest things became tight again, when during their big departure of the storehouse, be sure to make on one of its two chimneys ur Rühstädt’s storks one of the parental birds left the nest for its a full turn around your axis; there which unfortunately was in E wintering ground. However, the other adult stork succeeded in is no other place in Rühstädt from use. Understandably enough, rearing up its young and both were ready for heading south in where to spot more stork nests at the clergy family did not want mid-September. a single glance. to be without hot water until Leave this nest to your right and A left turn will bring you to the the end of August. And so, it » Description of the tour follow the turn towards the “Stor- “Brink” (edge of the village). You was decided to transfer the The tour starts at Rühstädt Visitor Centre, where the chenhaus” (Stork House) and will find a nest there which was nest – with notable success! NABU exhibition on “world-travelling White Storks” (Ger- “Storchenturm” (Stork Tower). occupied by a pelican in 2000. Passing the playground and man title: “Weltenbummler Adebar”) offers fascinating insight into Managed by the local stork club, The bird had escaped from a zoo Rühstädt’s only manufactu- the lives of these birds. You can have a look into the huge nest on the “Storchenhaus” is worth a visit and was used to live in close pro- ring plant the tour leads to top of our brick building by live camera and watch “our” stork cou- for its choice of Rühstädt souvenirs ximity to white storks, but not so the Rühstädt storks on their the eastern end of the village. ple rearing their young. Or you start with weighing a stork on the and gifts. The stork nest on the wa- side which within a few days put an end to the pelican’s guest Turn right and within a few scales in the exhibition. You can also pick up information on the rich ter tower is a main eye catcher and appearance and drove the intruder away. The barn behind the metres you will reach the visi- variety of wildlife of the Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve and popular photographic subject. In house of author and publisher Vera Wildgruber has a large nest tor centre again. find out about bike routes. Or why not opt for a guided tour with 1992, this brick building was resto- on the right side of its rooftop where storks can rear their young. The friendly NABU staff and friendly NABU staff or biosphere reserve rangers through the exhibi- red by NABU under the generous The small nesting aid at the left gable was installed by this stork biosphere reserve rangers will tion, through Rühstädt or into the Elbe lowlands? If so, please book sponsorship of the Michael Otto enthusiast to provide her adult storks with a suitable place for look forward to your visit! in advance. Two further rooms of the visitor centre are devoted for Foundation. Barn owls are also nes- roosting and preening. changing exhibits which allow even our regular guests to always dis- ting in the tower. To many people the 30-year old nest at the northern end of cover something new. Not far from the Stork Tower stands the village is the most beautiful one. The oldest stork of the vil- Both stork nests on the roof of the visitor centre are mostly occupied the castle that was erected in Baroque style by the von Jagow lage (according to the ring readings) used to take up residence by the same couple. As the young storks grow older, their begging family in 1782. Today, it operates as a spa hotel. The castle was in this nest. The bird was ringed in another nest, but since its re- for food becomes rather insistent. Then, the old birds enjoy the tran- built on the foundations of an older moated castle which in 1384 turn as an adult bird in 1986 has preferred this particular nest for quility in the neighbouring nest, where they also busy themselves came to the knightly family of von Quitzow who is well known breeding. Regrettably, the last reading for it dates back to 2005. with preening. in the regional state of Brandenburg. The interior houses valua- A few metres away, we turn right into “Dorfstraße” (Village .